The Chinese military is expected to shift its traditional structure by adding new battle units and cutting outdated ones in an effort to create new combat effectiveness, reported Tuesday's Liberation Army Daily.

According to the Headquarters of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), a program is currently underway to change the structure of the Chinese military by cutting its divisions and increasing brigades.

The readjustment and reform program, said the headquarters, is now proceeding smoothly after a schedule earlier was handed down through various levels of the army for observation.

The program will increase the number of land army corps, which are designed to have a three-level command system (namely corps, brigadier and battalion levels), adopted by the Chinese forces for the first time.

At the same time, the command levels of the air force and the navy will be reduced, said the paper, but gave no further details.

The total of the officers serving at headquarters or functional branches at different command levels will be cut to a new low and some grassroots posts previously held by officers will be handed over to skilled soldiers or non-service civil servants.

Citing the reform as one of the most wide-ranging and extensive ones the country has ever witnessed, the Headquarters of the PLA General Staff said the reform would serve to optimize the internalstructure, increase science and tech contents and intensify the joint combat command capability of Chinese troops.

"The establishment readjustment should be ensured to be complete before the end of 2005," it said, citing numerous other breakthroughs already made in those aspects mentioned above.

The proportion of officers to soldiers in the Chinese military,together with other related p olicies, will also be lifted greatly.

"With the initial implementation of the new establishment, the Chinese military has already showed new styles in various aspects," said the headquarters.

Source: Xinhua