Conscription in China

A conscription system is employed in China. In practice, mandatory military service has not been implemented since 1949 as the People's Liberation Army has been able to recruit sufficient numbers voluntarily.[1] Residents of the Special administrative regions, Hong Kong and Macau, are exempted from joining the military.

Registering for the draft

The Chinese system operates through a process of draft registration.[2][3] The process for registering for the draft is written in Part 13, Article II of the Military Service Law of the People's Republic of China (Chinese: 中华人民共和国兵役法). Citizens who reach the age of 18 by 31 December of the year should register for the draft before 30 June of the year.[4] In practice, registering does not mean that the person doing so must join the People's Liberation Army.

Technically, military service with the PLA is obligatory for all Chinese citizens. In practice, mandatory military service has not been implemented since 1949 as the People's Liberation Army has been able to recruit sufficient numbers voluntarily.[1] All 18-year-old males have to register themselves with the government authorities, in a way similar to the Selective Service System of the United States. In practice, registering does not mean that the person doing so must join the People's Liberation Army.

Article 55 of the Constitution of the People's Republic of China prescribes conscription by stating: "It is a sacred duty of every citizen of the People's Republic of China to defend his or her motherland and resist invasion. It is an honoured obligation of the citizens of the People's Republic of China to perform military service and to join the militia forces."[5] The 1984 Military Service Law spells out the legal basis of conscription, describing military service as a duty for "all citizens without distinction of race... and religious creed". This law has not been amended since it came into effect. Technically, those 18–22 years of age enter selective compulsory military service, with a 24-month service obligation. In reality, numbers of registering personals are enough to support all military posts in China, creating so-called "volunteer conscription".[6]

Punishment

Despite the fact that mandatory military service has not been implemented since 1949, people who are proved to have avoided the draft are liable for punishment, and Beijing authorities criticize those youths who do not want to join the army.[7]

See also

References
  1. Kang Shi-ren (康世人) (2015-04-02). "解放軍地位高 農夫搶當兵(The soldiers of PLA are respected, peasants are scrambling to join the army". （臺灣）中央社(Central Agent (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 2017-02-03.
  2. "市政府征兵办发布网上兵役登记通告 适龄公民必须参与兵役登记 (Conscription Office Announced That Citizens of the Right Age Must Register for the Draft.)". Wen Wei Po (Shanghai). 2017-01-27. Archived from the original on 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  3. "今年征兵准备工作全面展开 国防部征兵办公室下发通知确保高质量完成征兵任务 (The Preparation of Conscription in This Year Has Begun. Ministry of Defence Announced That the Conscription should be finished in high quality)". Xinhua News Agency. 2016-01-11.
  4. 《中华人民共和国兵役法》第二章第十三条：国家实行兵役登记制度。每年十二月三十一日以前年满十八周岁的男性公民，都应当在当年六月三十日以前，按照县、自治县、市、市辖区的兵役机关的安排，进行兵役登记。经兵役登记并初步审查合格的，称应征公民。
  5. Constitution of the People's Republic of China
  6. "今年征兵准备工作全面展开 国防部征兵办公室下发通知确保高质量完成征兵任务 (The Preparation of Conscription in This Year Has Begun. Ministry of Defence Announced That the Conscription should be finished in high quality)". Xinhua News Agency. 2016-01-11.
  7. Hao Peng-yu (郝鵬宇), Yan Hao (嚴浩) (2016-04-21). "三名青年拒服兵役當逃兵被依法處罰 (3 youths escaping from the army are punished)". 中國國防報 (Chinese Journal of Defense).
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