In a Fortnight
By Peter Mattis
New Departments and Research Centers Highlight Military’s Concerns for the Future
When on November 22, 2011 the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) created the new Strategic Planning Department—consolidating and upgrading some lower-level planning functions—few could have anticipated the plethora of bureaucratic changes and new research centers to follow (“Chinese Military Creates New Strategic Planning Department,” China Brief, November 30, 2011). The PLA followed this act on December 21 with the consolidation under the General Staff Department (GSD) of a new Training Department to oversee training for all the PLA services. Additionally, in December, the Academy of Military Science established at least three new research centers for the following: National Defense Policy, Military Operations Other than War and Military-Civil Integration (China News Service, December 30, 2011; PLA Daily, December 9, 2011). While it is too early to judge whether the bureaucratic reorganization will have a positive impact, the changes do indicate the priority on developing the personnel and knowledge necessary to fight and win wars under informatized conditions (Wei Wei Po, December 31, 2011; PLA Daily, December 22, 2011).
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