Number of noncombatants in Chinese military almost halved

The Chinese military has extensively shrunk the number of noncombatant personnel in its ranks and streamlined its command structure, a white paper published on Wednesday said.

Titled China's National Defense in the New Era and published by the State Council Information Office, it said number of offices, administrative levels and office personnel inside the armed forces has been substantially reduced.

Nearly half the noncombatant jobs in the military have been abolished and about 25 percent of office posts at military units above the regiment level have been shed.

Military organizations involved in artistic performance, sports, news services, publication, and medical and research bodies have been dismantled or simplified, the white paper said.

The military had fulfilled its goal of reducing its troops by 300,000, and now maintained an active force of 2 million troops, the white paper said, adding that positions had been transferred from the People's Liberation Army Ground Force to the PLA Navy and PLA Rocket Force.