China will audit more than 4,000 military officers during the
11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) to ensure the efficient use of
military expenses, a senior military officer said.
Among these officers, more than 100 will be army commanders or
above, said Liao
Xilong, a member of the Central Military Commission of the
Communist Party of China.
"We will make it our priority to audit those taking charge of
military expenses, officers whom people complain about, those
likely to be promoted and those set to retire," said Liao, who is
also the director of the General Logistics Department of the
People's Liberation Army (PLA).
"We will apply the audit results to the evaluation of the
military officers."
China will strengthen its auditing of projects relating to
armaments and military expenditures to improve its management of
the army and the anti-corruption and Party building drives, Liao
said.
Starting from last year, China began to audit all military
officers with the rank of lieutenant colonel or higher who are in
charge of army finance work, according to a regulation issued by
the PLA in 2004. The rule requires senior military officers be
audited when they have held a post for two years, are a candidate
to leave the post or are being evaluated.
The audits will cover annual budgets, accounting work, revenue,
expenses, assets and debts.
The audit work has succeeded in standardizing and raising the
efficiency of military expenditures, the PLA said.
During the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-2005) period, the country
audited 77,000 military institutions and projects and 7,890
military officers, bringing about direct economic benefits worth
6.8 billion yuan (US$840 million).
Key projects, such as the aid the Chinese army provided to
countries suffering from the Indian Ocean tsunami and expenditures
on the joint military drill with Russia, have all been audited.
In the next five years, the PLA audit office will also improve
auditing of engineering projects and stored materials for
preparedness against war and equipment auditing.
The Chinese PLA Audit Office will review all large engineering
projects with investment above 100 million yuan (US$12.3 million)
while leaving smaller projects to audit departments of military
area commands across the country and various military forces.
China practises a State-wide ordering system to guarantee the
procurement and provision of weapons, equipment and military
materials. The General Armaments Department is responsible for
procuring weaponry and equipment, and the General Logistics
Department is in charge of procuring military materials. According
to the white paper on China's national defence in 2004, the
management of China's defence funds has become more transparent and
standardized.
(China Daily February 1, 2006)