Chinese army officials to go to grassroots

BEIJING - The General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has issued a circular ordering high-level cadres to work in company-level units briefly to gather grassroots experience.

The circular, as approved by Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), urged high-level officials with the army and the armed police to go to grassroots units, especially those in far-off and impoverished regions, to work as ordinary soldiers.

According to the circular, during their work in grassroots units, which should last no less than 15 days, officials should prepare their own daily necessities and pay board fees as others do, and they are forbidden to travel for sight-seeing, receive gifts, attend banquets or meddle in sensitive army affairs.

Stressing grassroots units as the foundation and support for the army's construction, the CMC attaches great importance to the order in hope that high-level army officials could follow a righteous work style and develop emotional ties with grassroots units, according to the circular.