(TibetanReview.net, Jan23’21) – China is to give a big boost to the pay of its armed forces personnel, with the commissioned and non-commissioned officers benefiting the most, as with previous pay rises, reported the scmp.com Jan 23, citing three independent sources close to the world’s largest military force. And those stationed in border areas like Tibet, Xinjiang, as well as the East and South China seas, will receive a higher rate, the report cited an unnamed Beijing-based colonel as saying.
The 40 per cent increase comes hard on the heels of a number of sweeping reforms intended to transform the bloated People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into a more modern, nimble fighting force. The pay boost aims to attract and retain talent, while also encouraging promising young officers to have faith in the ongoing changes, the report said.
The colonel has said, “I am so happy as I am going to receive an additional income of up to 7,000 yuan (US$1,000) after the pay rise, or a 40 per cent increase, taking my monthly income to more than 20,000 yuan.”
“It’s not clear when the pay rise will be formally implemented, but we were told that it is coming soon,” he has said.
The report cited a retired PLA officer as saying all veterans would also receive a higher monthly pension based on their length of service.
The report said the legislation, which aimed at providing better support for the country’s 57 million veterans, was passed by the NPC in Nov 2020, after more than 2½ years of open discussion since the draft was released in Jul 2018.
