As part of China's effort to modernize and improve its current military defense technologies, two of the country's top military leaders have called for a strong cooperation between the state's military arm and the private sector. This statement was made just days after the People's Liberation Army announced that the country's rocket force have tapped the services of civilian experts to work on some of its ongoing projects for the first time in history.
The two vice-chairmen of the Central Military Commission, General Xu Qiliang and Zhang Youxia, said that the cooperation between the military and civilian sector will play a crucial role in China's effort to be a global leader when it comes to military might. The two generals highlighted this notion during their visit of a high-profile military exhibition in Beijing recently.
The media reported that the two generals are committed to the idea of military and civilian partnership, especially when it comes to defense technology collaboration. The two generals said that collaborations such as these are essential in reaching the country's dream of establishing a strong military.
The military exhibition showcased a handful of projects which were made possible through civilian partnerships. Among those that caught the attention of the two generals are research and development in the fields of new energy, information technology, automation, and advanced materials.
In recent years, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has opened several collaboration outlets with private companies and firms. This strategy led many private companies to become more involved in the development of some of the country's military technologies. This strategy was officially called "military-civilian integration, which the People's Liberation Army describes as a way to accelerate the modernization of the country's weapons and defense systems.
Prior to the incorporation of private and civilian firms to military projects, the Chinese military only allows state-owned enterprises, military institutions, and publicly funded universities to engage in such highly sensitive projects.
According to the official military media, the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force had recruited 13 experts, all of whom are from the private sector. These experts will play the role of consultants on various key projects of the Chinese military. It is important to note that this is the first time China had hired civilian experts to consult on some of its key projects. The official media outlet confirmed that these civilian experts were recruited on five-year contracts and that their expertise covers a broad range of field including robotics, new power, and new materials.
