The Academy of Military Sciences of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) is adopting innovations to better solve major issues related to military actions and to build the army's information-technology warfare capacity.

Officials say that the innovations, especially those with Chinese characteristics, have become a key strategic task for the Chinese army.

The China Youth Daily quoted Han Ren, head of the guidance department for scientific research at the academy, as saying that to fulfill the goals, the Chinese military is currently adopting research and development modernizations much like those of other advanced countries.

Armies such as those in the United States and Britain have built warfighting laboratories where they can repeatedly practice and conduct studies about potential wars or enemies.

Information technology-based means like computers and databases are being adopted to undertake analyses and create a so-called "virtual" world for studying certain military subjects, according to Han.

"Although we have just started (the innovations), the effects are good," he added.

One of the noticeable innovations was the establishment of a research center for information technology-based warfighting theories at the end of last year. It is the first Chinese army institution of its kind.

Center Director Ye Zheng was quoted by the China Youth Daily as saying that the center is making clear how to fight battles and build the army's capacity under information technology-based conditions.

They are developing a handbook on information technology-based warfare to distribute to soldiers to allow them to know what IT-based warfare really means, Ye said.

In addition to Ye's center, research centers for military theory, military history and the Taiwan question have also been established by the academy.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2004)