Chinese army reins in expenditures

BEIJING - The Chinese army has vowed to strictly tighten its administrative expenses by regulating budget quotas in a bid to improve the efficiency of military spending.

A regulation jointly released by four departments of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) offered detailed instructions on the army's expenses for daily office work, business trips, conferences and receptions, among other items. The announcement was made on Monday.

The regulation, approved by the Central Military Commission, was issued by the Headquarters of General Staff, General Political Department, General Logistics Department and General Armament Department, echoing a sweeping campaign against waste and extravagance trumpeted by the central authority.

According to the new rule, all departments in the army will be under a comprehensive expenditure control that covers all of their spending. The PLA's public consumption on overseas trips and receptions has also been included in the regulation.

The regulation is an important move to improve the PLA's work style and practice frugality and is expected to curb waste and extravagance in the army.

It stipulated that the army should cap its total expenses by setting up quota management in each department and limiting total spending on individual items.

The army should cut down its budget for administrative expenses. Activities such as giving cash or gifts, organizing expensive entertainment or fitness activities, and paying for private banquets, must be banned completely, according to the rule.

The army should strengthen supervision and establish a publicity system in order to make its expenditures more transparent, it said.