China military reaches key decision to strengthen auditing

BEIJING - The auditing office for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been put under the direct management of the Central Military Commission (CMC), a move aiming to heighten its independence and authority.

The decision, carried in a decree signed by CMC Chairman Xi Jinping, was announced Thursday at a meeting, according to a statement released afterwards.

Previously a subsidiary of the PLA General Logistics Department, the office now enjoys a more independent and authoritarian status as it is directly managed by the CMC, the country's top military decision-making and command organ.

"This is a major decision made by Chairman Xi and the CMC in an effort to strengthen the army and tighten auditing and supervision over military economic activities. It's also a key measure to deepen national defense and military reform as well as to push forward the innovation of the army's auditing system," the statement said.

According to the statement, the restructuring, which is part of the army's wider-efficiency drive, will prevent and punish corruption as well to ensure high quality auditing work.

"The modernization of the army and its combat preparation processes are arduous missions [...] and we have entered another crucial stage," said CMC Vice Chairman Fan Changlong at the meeting.

Fan urged auditing officials to ensure professionalism, efficiency and policy knowledge to contribute to the army's anti-graft fight.

Thursday's decision followed a CMC-approved circular released late last month that called for a results-based expenditure management system to ensure the maximum output of spending.

According to the document, assessment will be introduced throughout the military and individuals or units will be held accountable for inefficiency.

Modern warfare is expensive, which means cost-output management should be an important consideration for the military, it said.