China seeks better-educated military recruits

BEIJING - China seeks to encourage more well-educated young people to join the military by giving them preferential policies, ranging from promotions to better chances of obtaining advanced education.

A recruitment spokesman from the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday that young people with college degrees will receive preferential treatment during this year's recruitment period, which begins on November 1.

College students will be receive loans or tuition subsidies if they join the military, as well as get help in obtaining employment and further education after leaving the military, the spokesman said.

Online recruitment is already open to the public, the ministry said in a statement, adding that candidates can send in online applications before November 5.

The Chinese military started recruiting college graduates in 2001. More than 130,000 People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers were college graduates as of the end of 2009.

To help the military recruit more students, the country's top legislature amended the Military Service Law in 2011, raising the maximum age for recruits to 24.

To attract more young applicants, China relaxed restrictions regarding the height, weight and appearance of recruits in 2011.