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China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), long projected as the backbone of the country’s rise, stands exposed as a hollow force, with soldiers enduring hardship while officers enjoy privileges, a report detailed this week.
According to Uganda-based media outlet 'PML Daily', behind the “polished parades and the carefully choreographed propaganda” lies a troubling reality, as the PLA and its affiliated armed police forces are plagued by rampant corruption that weakened both their credibility and combat readiness.
It added that what was often presented as a disciplined, modernised force was in reality a “hollow giant” undermined by corruption, exploitation, and abuse.
“Accounts from within the ranks reveal how soldiers’ meal allowances are mercilessly carved up, leaving recruits with scraps instead of the full meals mandated by regulation. Chicken necks, fish tails, and cabbage replace the whole chickens and fish that were supposed to sustain them. The best cuts are syphoned off for officers and leaders, a grotesque metaphor for how the hierarchy feeds itself at the expense of the rank and file," the report detailed.
It stressed that a military that fails to adequately provide for its personnel risks losing credibility beyond its borders. When the basic needs of these soldiers are not met, the image of discipline falters.
“Corruption extends far beyond food. In automobile companies, military fuel is routinely syphoned off and sold for personal profit. There are accounts of emergency assemblies where entire convoys of vehicles could not move because their fuel tanks had been emptied for resale. Logistics units, rather than serving operational needs, become ‘gold mines’ for officers who have paid bribes to secure their positions and now seek to recoup their investments," the report detailed.
“This practice is not a rare aberration but a widespread norm. The syphoning of gasoline, the sale of military supplies, and the falsification of equipment records are all part of a system where corruption is the rule, not the exception," it added.
Emphasising that brutal treatment of new recruits further exposes deeper problems in Chinese forces, the report said, “Bullying, beatings, and forced punishments are everyday occurrences. Some recruits are driven insane; others attempt escape, only to be imprisoned on charges of desertion. Such abuse reveals a military culture that thrives on fear and intimidation rather than discipline and respect."
The report stated that entrenched corruption erodes the very foundation of China’s military power. While the Chinese Communist Party touts modernisation and readiness, its forces are weakened by “graft, incompetence, and exploitation”.
“The corruption within the military is symptomatic of a broader political system where loyalty is bought, promotions are sold, and survival depends on bribes. From joining the Party to securing a posting, everything has a price,” the report noted.
