China uses carrots and sticks to boost military ranks and discourage dodgers
A 20-year-old who sought to escape armed police force after signing up is hit with suite of punishments and restrictions
In a bid to scare potential military service dodgers, a local government in China has detailed the punishment dealt to a young man who the authority said had refused to serve because of personal preference.
The 20-year-old surnamed Liu had signed up voluntarily in January and in March was assigned to an armed police force, the Jishui county government in Jiangxi province said on Monday. When he got to the army, he was “extremely unstable” and submitted five requests to leave, the statement said.
Army staff, recruiters and the man’s family spoke to him repeatedly, but he refused to serve. On April 19, he was expelled from the army.
According to the statement, Liu is now banned from working as a civil servant or for state-owned enterprises. He will have to pay a fine of 38,000 yuan (US$5,300), and for the next two years, he cannot travel abroad, study, open a business or enjoy preferential loan policies.
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The statement said the punishments were to “uphold the seriousness of performing military service” and to help eligible young people understand its significance.