China's military will not scrap its art troupes contrary to reports that the groups, in which President Xi Jinping's wife is an artist, would be disbanded under reforms in the PLA leading to demobilisation of 300,000 troops.
The art troupe formerly under the general political department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will continue to exist under a new name despite previous speculation that art troupes would be scrapped as part of Chinese military reforms cutting 300,000 troops, state-run Global Times reported.
Xi's wife Peng Liyuan, 53, who is a renowned folk singer, is an artist in the military art troupes. She headed the PLA Academy of art and holds a rank equivalent to Major General in the army.
The Song and Dance Ensemble of the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), formerly known as the Song and Dance Ensemble of the PLA General Political Department, appeared in a choral symphony concert under its new name on March 10, the PLA Daily reported yesterday.
Whether to keep armed forces art troupes has been a controversial topic in China since Xi announced 300,000 soldiers would be demobilised as part of far-reaching military reforms.
"Some personnel from the PLA art troupes sought commercial development with their fame or delivered inappropriate speeches that brought a bad influence to the art troupes," Beijing-based military expert Song Zhongping told the daily.
The restructuring of PLA art troupes aligns with the principle of demobilising noncombat personnel and organs, and is therefore an important part of the restructuring of the PLA, Song said.
Major General Xu Guangyu, a senior consultant with the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, said the tradition of art troupes should be maintained, as it serves to build and sustain troops' morale.
"It is also necessary to incorporate international practices, which means reducing the scale of art troupes," Xu said.
A report by china.Com.Cn quoted an anonymous military official as saying that reduction of art troupe personnel had reached an impasse and might not be as easy to handle as imagined.
China recently implemented a series of reform measures to enhance the Communist Party of China's leadership over the military and boost the PLA's combat capabilities by establishing a more modern military system.
