The "Interior Service Regulation", the "Disciplinary Regulation" and the "Drill Regulation" of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) are collectively called the common regulations. Two regulations of which were revised this time. This is the third amendment made to the common regulations since President Jiang took charge of the work of the Central Military Commission. The State and the Army have conducted a series of major reforms over the past few years, successively published many new policies and regulations, in particular, the reforms of the military service system and the soldier-officer system, the adjustment and reform of the army system and establishment, as well as the profound influence exerted by the development of science and technology on social life, as a result, some new situations and new problems have emerged in the management of army units, some contents of the "Interior Service Regulation" and the "Disciplinary Regulation" were no longer suited to the needs of objective reality. The two sets of regulations revised this time have respectively worked out standards in light of the new problems facing the construction of interior service and discipline for the army, so as to adapt to the new situations and new requirements arising from State and Army reform.

The "Interior Service Regulation" and the "Disciplinary Regulation" republished this time give prominent expressions to President Jiang's "three represents" important thought and to the spirit of his instruction that "the Army must be directed with severity", stressing the need to adhere to the nature and purpose of the people's army, persist in taking enhancement of combat effectiveness as the fundamental standard, keep to the lifeline position of political work, persist in directing the army strictly and in accordance with the law and persevere in carrying forward the fine traditions of our army. Revisions were made mainly to places unsuitable for the current policy, system and establishment, of which 27 articles of the "Interior Service Regulation" and 13 articles of the "Disciplinary Regulation" were revised.

The contents revised and added this time mainly include the new situations and new problems arising in the management and education of the army along with social change over the past few years, and the conversion of the successful experiences gained by the army in solving these new problems into regulations. The "Interior Service Regulation" sets limitation to the places of activities for army men, it explicitly stipulates that "army men are strictly prohibited from setting foot on unhealthy places". The said Regulation also lays down stipulations on the use of mobile phones and beepers by officers and men: "except for the need of work and with approval from the heads of work units at or above the level of division (brigade), army men are forbidden to use mobile phones, beepers and other means of communication.” "Army men permitted to hold mobile phones and beepers are strictly forbidden to carry mobile phones into operational office, information section, confidential section, communication hub, secret-involving meeting-place, military aircraft and warship, important warehouse, missile-launching position and other sites; while working in sites with cable means of communication, it is not allowed to use mobile phones for handling official business. It is strictly forbidden to use mobile phones and beepers to discuss and transmit secret information. Paging systems set up by the army are not allowed to send and deliver secret information."

The newly revised regulations have also formulated relevant stipulations in accordance with related new policies of the State and the Central Military Commission. In line with the "State Council Decision on Instituting the Citizen ID Card Number System and related decisions of the Central Military Commission, army men can, from now on, participate in social life in the capacity of citizens. For this end, the "Interior Service Regulation" adds the content to the effect that "while using citizen ID cards, army men should strictly abide by relevant stipulations of the State and the Army"; it is also stipulated that army men (including soldiers) should wear civilian clothes while going out not on official business.

(People's Daily April 8, 2002)