The Road to an Elite Force: PLA Downsizing, Intensive Training, and Major Exercises

This book tells the story of the road to a leaner military: the PLA’s troop reduction campaigns, intensive training, and major exercises. It covers the implementation of troop reduction plans: Deng Xiaoping issues instructions to streamline the military, proposes cutting excess personnel, and oversees the PLA’s initial reductions; predicts the future state of the world; calls for the military to be streamlined and reorganized; proposes cutting one million troops; reforms the military structure and builds combined-arms forces; establishes a retirement system for military cadres; sets out military strategic guidelines for the new era; Jiang Zemin announces a reduction of 500,000 troops; and the Central Military Commission plans to optimize the various services and branches. It also covers training exercises: the Central Military Commission adjusts strategic preparations and military exercises; the exercise command center holds a prewar meeting; Deng Xiaoping proposes a strategy of active defense; the General Staff Headquarters conveys Deng Xiaoping’s instructions; participating generals launch emergency operations; the participating forces hold their first joint drills; the exercise begins, and defensive positions come under attack; the two armies mount an airborne counterattack; the main missile force holds its positions; a counteroffensive is launched along the entire front; and Deng Xiaoping reviews the troops taking part in the exercise. Finally, it covers live-fire exercises: the Central Military Commission proposes a plan to build a leaner force; the central government responds firmly to separatist words and actions; the Second Artillery Force conducts missile launch training; Jiang Zemin watches a live-fire naval exercise; the navy holds a campaign exercise in the Yellow Sea; the three services conduct a joint exercise on Dongshan Island; the Second Artillery Force drills ground-to-ground missile launches; the air force and navy hold a joint live-fire exercise; the three services conduct an amphibious landing exercise; military drills at multiple levels target separatist forces; the exercises strongly deter Taiwan independence advocates; the drills lead the United States to make its Three Noes commitments; Jiang Zemin says China will never stand idly by; Chi Haotian says the PLA is fully prepared; and people from all walks of life praise the PLA’s live-force exercises.