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“PLA Recalls Retired Ncos for S China Sea Contingency: Duowei”
by Want China Times   
June 22nd, 2015
Lu Kang takes a question at a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 15. (Photo/Xinhua)

Lu Kang takes a question at a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, June 15.

China's People's Liberation Army Navy has recently recalled all its non-commissioned officers who have retired over the last two years back into service for a potential military confrontation with the United States over the South China Sea, according to a June 17 piece published by Duowei News, a media outlet operated by overseas Chinese.

Sources close to the PLA Navy said that the order was passed to the retired non-commissioned officers in two ways. They were either informed by the political bureaus of their original naval units or the local People's Armed Forces Departments. A retired NCO told Duowei that one of the reasons they are being recalled is that the PLA Navy needs more personnel to operate the new warships it has commissioned in recent years.

However, sources said that the primary reason the PLA Navy recalled the officers is to prepare for a conflict with the United States and other claimants of the Spratly islands. The move to recall the officers, if it really is in preparation for a conflict, go against comments made by Lu Kang, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, stating that China has halted land reclamation in the region and is seeking a peaceful resolution to the ongoing disputes.

In the past few years, China has commissioned new warships in massive numbers. With so many new warships ready for service, non-commissioned officers become very important as they are the ones with the technical experiences to operate the vessels.

The Spratly islands, located in the resource-rich South China Sea, are claimed in part or in whole by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

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