The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

final takeover of PLA command. The IT/RMA theme
of the speech reflected his commitment to helping
quicken PLA transformation and war preparation. 51
Subsequently, this commitment to PLA reforms was
concretely translated into his support of the PLA’s
plan to build a blue water navy, strategic air force,
reliable second strike missile force, and an army capable
of joint warfare with other services. His support
for the PLA’s war-preparation strategy, its selection
of senior officers, and its request for a budgetary increase
furthers its professionalization and operational
autonomy. He went to additional lengths in arranging
two salary increases to officers in the last 4 years, in
having dumplings with foot soldiers in remote border
posts in every Spring Festival holiday and in bringing
PLA uniforms to world standards. In discussing the
new food and nutrition standards for first line solders
that were implemented on July 1, 2009, Hu intervened
a few times to pick the options that give the men better
supplies. For instance, each soldier can have a daily
portion of 400 grams of meat, increased from 280
grams. Even the proportion of lean meat is carefully
worked out, something that has never happened to
PLA foot soldiers before. 52 Politics of the dinner table
(饭桌上的政治) are connected to the politics of civilian
interaction with the military. During the Wenchuan
operations, Hu personally received 162 generals
working in the front line and discussed with them urgent
matters on the spot. Many of them were deeply
moved. Hu’s strong support to PLA transformation
and his kind treatment to the rank and file of PLA soldiers
have won him almost unconditional PLA support
to his domestic policies, as shown by its support
to his Taiwan policy.
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