Frugal spending and high efficiency, new mantra of China's PLA: Report

New Delhi: 'Living a tight life' seems to be the key focus of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) as it begins multi-pronged campaign to cut down costs, enhance efficiency and streamline operations.

The purported shift in PLA's approach and policy comes as the force embarks on a mission to shed excess flab and become lean and mean without compromising on essentials.

The policy shift is part of Chinese military's broader plans to cut costs, as part of the 15th five-year plan, from 2026 to 2030.

According to a report in South China Morning Post, the PLA is distributing second-hand briefcases, salvaging screws and steel bars, and reusing holiday decorations to keep costs down as part of a thrift campaign emphasising growth through frugality.

The PLA has been called upon to build the armed forces through "diligence and thrift" and pursuing a path of "high efficiency, low cost and sustainability", it said.

The PLA is also learnt to have reworked and recalibrated its procurement system to reduce costs of training, management and equipment support.

The report says that the military mouthpiece PLA Daily also released a series of articles showing on how the policy was being promoted through practical measures at the unit level.

According to it, a Chinese Air Force unit under the Eastern Theatre Command reused old decorative flags instead of buying new ones for holiday displays and the unit started promoting double-sided printing, parts recycling and ride-sharing for similar destinations.

The money saved was instead spent on gym equipment for the unit, the article said.

According to another PLA Daily article published, the PLA troops are using usable components from damaged equipment to manufacture training devices and cut procurement expenses.

The unit began using a digital vehicle management system to monitor fuel consumption and driving conditions, while reviewing fuel-use data monthly and recognising the most economical drivers every quarter, according to the report.

The PLA is also understood to have upgraded its maintenance facilities with 35 sets of equipment, enabling personnel to repair common vehicle issues themselves instead of relying on outside services, it added.

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