China has published a guideline for the development of the logistic sector of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), that plans the route to a modern, efficient and flexible logistic sector for the Army by the year 2020.

Hu Jintao, State President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, recently signed a decree to circulate the "Guideline on the Comprehensive Development of the Modern Logistic Sector" for the Army.

By 2010, the PLA will make substantial achievements in logistic modernization, to make it capable of meeting logistic demands for fighting emergency wars; and by 2020, the Army will achieve an overall modernization for its logistic sector, so as to be able to fight and win wars in the Information Age, according to the guideline.

The guideline, which went into effect on Dec. 12, will "greatly accelerate our Army's logistic modernization," said Lieutenant General Li Maifu, deputy director of the PLA General Logistic Department, in an interview with Xinhua on Monday.

According to the Lieutenant General, the PLA started its logistic reform on a trial base in 2004, and in April this year, the reform entered a new stage as the PLA Jinan Military Area Command took the lead to adopt an integrated logistic supply for all its subordinate units, no matter if they were army, navy or air force units.

For decades, the PLA had organized its own logistic supply. Now, under the guideline, the Army will introduce more and more civilian suppliers.

So far, 5,200 barracks of the PLA have employed civilian suppliers for catering and medical services. Meanwhile, 95 percent of the Army's clothing and quilts are provided by civilian manufacturers.

Through reforms, the Army has cut its staff working for logistics service by more than 60,000.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25, 2007)