China’s armed forces ordered to cut costs, reduce energy use

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has ordered China’s armed forces to cut costs and save energy in response to the government’s call for a resource efficient and environment-friendly society.

“The armed forces should be leading the drive to build a resource efficient society,” Liao Xilong, director of the PLA General Logistics Department, said at a meeting on the “modernization” of military logistics.

A report from the General Logistics Department said the armed forces saved 1.4 billion yuan (179 million U.S. dollars) by reducing water use by 40 million tons, coal use by 1.157 million tons of coal and oil fuel by 55,000 tons in 2006, according to Tuesday’s People’s Daily.

The newspaper quoted unnamed officials as saying further efforts would be made to promote the use of wind power, solar energy and geothermal energy in the armed forces.

Xinhua