China to Retire 80,000 Officers in Army Sweep

PEKING — China today announced the retirement of up to 80,000 veteran military officers of the People’s Liberation Army as part of a sweeping campaign to streamline and rejuvenate the world’s largest army.

The official New China News Agency said between 70,000 and 80,000 army officers would retire “in the next few years.”

At least 47,000 officers will leave the service by the end of next year, the agency said.

Most of the retiring officers joined the communist army ranks during the Sino-Japanese war of 1937-45 or in the 1946-49 civil war to oust the Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai-shek.

The mass retirements are part of a major drive by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping to slash military spending, reduce manpower and turn the mammoth peasant army of 4.2 million troops into a leaner, more efficient professional force.

Deng also is trying to purge the military of die-hard leftist officers opposed to his capitalist-style economic reforms.

The Civil Affairs Ministry has established a special staff to assist elderly officers in their retirement and thousands of apartments have already been built for them, the news agency said. It added that the retirees could return to their hometowns or settle where they were stationed.