Originally Posted by
HAS59
The impression of the competence of 'the average Chinese conscript' could perhaps be a little outdated.
Conscription still exists, but for two years instead of four.
Recruitment teams now scour high schools colleges and universities to enlist those they feel would benefit the military.
They do the same in defence and scientific industries to 'borrow' key workers, these are the conscripts of today.
The old Soviet era equipment could be managed by a team including the average conscript, but not the modern technologically advanced equipment in service.
Make no mistake these young military personnel receive the training they need, they exercise in rigorous realistic risky exercise scenarios.
They and their leaders are of course not combat tested, that does not make them any less determined.
Yes but the fact remains that enlisted soldiers remain a low status job. I also would suggest that while the PLA is starting to practice joint operations all the available evidence suggests these are still scripted to make the senior officers look good. They are a long way from the standard seen in Western military’s, especially the idea that people have to make mistakes to get better, a concept utterly foreign to the PLA.