Pro-Beijing Hong Kong media report that Xi Jinping is expected to give officers a 40 percent pay raise this year in an effort to increase the cohesiveness of the Chinese Communist Party‘s military. But the reports indicate that there is instead discontent in the Chinese military, especially over the lack of transparency in the system.
The report in the English-language South China Morning Post quotes Chinese military sources as saying that the pay hike will benefit troops stationed in Tibet, Xinjiang, and border units in the East and South China Seas, as well as young officers with good prospects.
The wave of pay raises, reportedly of about 40 percent, follows a push by Xi Jinping, chairman of the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, for a more modern military reform aimed at attracting and retaining talent and instilling confidence in young soldiers in the ongoing reforms.
One Beijing-based colonel, who requested anonymity, said the wave of pay raises will give him up to an additional RMB 7,000, and that he is expected to earn more than 20,000 yuan a month. But it was not clear when the pay raise would be implemented.
Some retired military officers also said that retired service members will also receive higher monthly retirement pay based on their years of service.
The pay raise is believed to be related to the “Interim Regulations on the Administration of Active Duty Officers” issued by the Xi Jinping-controlled Central Military Commission on Jan. 1. The regulation covers more than 10 rules related to the selection, training, promotion and benefits of officers.
But the report also cited military sources who said that both active and retired officers are concerned about the strong influence of the CPC Central Military Commission and the lack of transparency in the system.
The source questioned whether all officers would welcome better pay, but also wanted a comprehensive legal system such as the Veterans Protection Law.
The military source criticized that “the Central Military Commission only mentions that they have issued more than 10 regulations, but none of them are public documents, meaning that only higher-ranking officers have access to them.”
Since last year, the CCP has been caught in an internal and external dilemma, with a significant escalation of military confrontations along the India-China border, in the Taiwan Strait and in several areas of the South China Sea. At the same Time, there have been successive reports of increased CCP infighting and Xi Jinping’s precarious position. Xi has also repeatedly signaled his military allegiance through military reform moves, with rumors of military pay raises last April.
On April 12, 2020, the General Office of the CPC Central Military Commission issued “Opinions on the Military Inspection Task Force”. The document states that the inspection is a “political inspection” with “the political construction of the party as the leader”, emphasizing that the purpose is to achieve the “two maintenance”, ” The purpose of the inspection is to achieve the “two safeguards” and “implement the system of responsibility of the Chairman of the Military Commission”.
The next day, the Chinese Communist Party’s military newspaper issued an interpretation, once again emphasizing the need to achieve the “two safeguards” and implement the system of responsibility of the Chairman of the Military Commission.
Afterwards, it was rumored on the Internet that the first pay raise for Army officers after the CPC military reform had been implemented, with the adjusted salaries.
Corporal 5750 yuan, sergeant 7,820 yuan; staff sergeant 10,120 yuan; fourth-grade sergeant 12,420. platoon position 10,360 yuan; deputy company 11,270 yuan; full company 12,190 yuan; deputy battalion 13,340 yuan; full battalion 17,020 yuan; deputy regiment 20,700 yuan, full regiment 26,070 yuan; deputy division 29,440 yuan; full division 34,270 yuan.
A netizen left a message saying, “The more unstable the regime is, the more these people will get a pay raise: the more pay raises, the more unstable the regime will be (because someone always has to pay for it). The vicious circle of rising costs of ruling will always end up with a day when they can’t afford it.”
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