PLA to cut troop numbers by 300,000, says Xi

Want China Times, Xinhua 2015-09-03

Xi Jinping oversees the parade to mark of the 70th anniversary of victory
in World War II, Sept. 3. (Photo/Xinhua)

China will cut the number of its troops by 300,000, President Xi Jinping announced Thursday.

It will be the country's fourth cut in troop numbers since the start of the reform and opening-up era under Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s.

Xi made the announcement while delivering a speech at the parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, which featured some 12,000 PLA troops with honor guards from 17 other countries. China's most powerful weaponry, including anti-ship missiles, ICBMs and military aircraft were also on display.

In 1985, the government decided to cut 1 million troops in an effort to focus on accelerating economic development and strengthening the quality of the PLA's soldiery.

In 1987, the troop numbers of the People's Liberation Army was reduced for the first time from its original 4.2 million. By 1990, the number of troops was again lowered to 3.2 million.

In 1997, the PLA decided to reduce its troop numbers further by 500,000 within three years, reducing the total to 2.5 million.

Between 2003 and 2005, a third cut of 200,000 downsized the number of troops to 2.3 million, cutting the armed forces to their smallest size in the PRC's history.

China's military power compared to the US, Russia, India, South Korea and Japan pic.twitter.com/XnpNw35Rfs

— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) 3 september 2015

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