Jinan Military Region Introduces Joint Logistics

16 April 2007

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is moving a step closer towards establishing a fully integrated joint logistics system to support its joint operations capabilities. Under an order issued by the Chinese President and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) Hu Jintao on 14 February, a theatre-level joint logistics system was officially introduced in the Jinan Military Region from 1 April 2007, marking a major milestone in the PLA’s logistics reform programme which first began in 2000.

Before the late 1990s, logistics support lies within the responsibilities of each service branch. After close observations of the 1990s Gulf War and the 1998 NATO military campaign in Kosovo, the need for greater integration of its logistics support system was highlighted by the PLA. As a result, Joint Logistics Departments (JLD) were formed in all seven military region headquarters by 2000 as a part of the logistic reform programme. Under this initiative, the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) and PLA Navy (PLAN) transferred their logistics support elements which are common to all services (such as hospital, fuel, motor vehicle maintenance, etc.) to the control of the military region they are located, while ‘specialised’ logistics support elements unique to a single service were retained in that service’s own logistic system.

In June 2003, the PLA decided to make a step further in its logistic reform by introducing a joint logistics system with greater integration, known as “Great Joint Logistics” (Da Lianqin). Under this scheme, the original Army-dominant Military Region JLD will become known as Theatre Joint Logistic Department (TJLD), which is a joint logistic headquarters staffed by personnel from all three service branches. Joint logistics staff officers, who understand the needs of all services, will be trained and assigned to TJLD staffs and leaderships. The difference between ‘common’ and ‘specialised’ logistics will no longer exist. The PLAAF and PLAN will transfer the remaining specialised logistic support elements to the control of the TJLD, thus further simplifying the logistic support to the PLA in joint service operations.

Jinan Military Region in eastern China was chosen in 2004 to pioneer the “Great Joint Logistics” scheme. This would serve as a pilot project before the scheme is introduce to the rest six military regions in the PLA. A three-year preparation and trial period was given for necessary restructuring and streamlining. The new system demonstrated great efficiency improvements over the old system during the 2005 Peace Mission Sino-Russia joint exercise and the Queshan 2006 joint service exercise. In April 2007, the “Great Joint Logistics” system was officially introduced in Jinan Military Region.

The PLA believes that the focus of logistic support will shift from reliance on quantity to reliance on speed and information, making full use of information technology to ensure that an appropriate amount of resources is delivered to the front in the right place at the right time. By introducing the “Great Joint Logistics” system, the PLA hopes to overcome the low-efficiency and other shortcomings in its current logistic system. Such a system would also play a significant role in supporting the PLA’s capabilities to fight and win a joint-services, short-duration, high-intensity conflict along China’s periphery.