The newly revised "Building Area Standards for Chinese People's Liberation Army Barracks" was announced.
According to the news on the website of the Ministry of National Defense, after the issuance of the newly revised "Building Area Standards for Chinese People's Liberation Army Barracks" (hereinafter referred to as the "Standards"), it has attracted great attention from the officers and soldiers. Recently, Gu Junshan, the Minister of Infrastructure and Barracks Department of the General Logistics Department, answered questions from reporters about issues of general concern.
Reporter: What are the main considerations for revising the old standards?
Gu Junshan: The old standards issued in 1979 were the first comprehensive standards of our army that systematically regulated the building area of various types of barracks, playing an important role in the construction of our army's barracks. However, with the rapid development of modernization in the army, the composition of the army and the mode of combat effectiveness generation have changed greatly. Weapons and equipment are accelerating updates and replacements. The material and cultural needs of officers and soldiers are increasing day by day. The content and scope of barracks support are expanding accordingly, and the functions and requirements of support are also improving. The content and indicators of the old standards have a large gap with the actual needs of the troops. Some essential barracks projects for combat readiness, such as information warfare command rooms and comprehensive simulation training rooms, cannot find construction basis. Over the years, new demands for barracks support have been put forward in documents issued by the Central Military Commission headquarters, which also need to be included in the standards to make them standardized and institutionalized. The 30 years since the publication and implementation of the old standards have been the fastest period of China's reform and opening up and national economic and social development, and also a time of great progress in the modernization and regularization of the army. According to statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, the per capita living area of urban residents in China was 6.7 square meters in 1978 and 28 square meters in 2008, an increase of four times; during this period, other logistics support standards of the army have also increased significantly, but the barracks area standards for ensuring the combat readiness, training, and life of officers and soldiers have not changed. Due to the lack of content and low indicators in the old standards, there have been occasional occurrences of building without standards or exceeding standards, affecting the management order of engineering construction. Therefore, it is imperative to revise the old standards in line with the times.
Reporter: Compared with the old standards, what major adjustments have been made in the new "Standards"?
Gu Junshan: Conducting the revision work of the standards is a specific action to implement the scientific development concept, follow the decision-making instructions of President Hu and the Central Military Commission, implement the strategy of governing the military according to law, aim at the goal of comprehensively building a modern logistics system, and promote the scientific development of infrastructure and barracks in the army. It is also an important move to adapt to the needs of building an information-based army and winning information-based wars, create modern barracks, and ensure the effective support of infrastructure and barracks. In terms of adjustments made, they can be roughly summarized into three aspects. First, the categories of barracks have been re-divided, and the nine categories of barracks have been divided according to their usage functions, making the standard content concentrated, structure clear, classification clear, and simple and practical. Second, the area indicators have been moderately adjusted, increasing the building area of housing for company and battalion-level officers and soldiers; adding military function rooms such as officer training centers and combat command rooms; referring to national standards, moderately increasing the building area indicators of public rooms such as culture and sports, medical and health, meeting rooms, and canteens; strictly adjusting and limiting the building area indicators of office rooms for all levels of military agencies according to the "Building Area Standards for Office Buildings of Party and Government Organs." Thirdly, considering the fact that professional rooms have many types and change quickly, the calculation method of special professional room area standards has been standardized, and the approval process has been specified.
Reporter: Many grassroots officers are very concerned about the issue of apartment housing security. Can you elaborate?
Gu Junshan: Apartment housing mainly provides accommodation for active-duty personnel and their families. Considering the gradual characteristics of housing improvement for military officers and soldiers and the stable characteristics of barracks construction, the "Standards" set the range value for the size of military apartments, with the lower limit being the current size standard and the upper limit improved according to different ranks. Among them, battalion and regiment-level officers are upgraded by one rank standard, and division-level and above officers refer to the subsidy area standard of affordable housing. Such handling mainly considers the connection with the original standard, reduces the number of unit types, makes full use of existing apartment housing, avoids widespread "non-compliance" after the introduction of the new "Standards", and prevents large-scale demolition and reconstruction.
Reporter: So, what is the adjusted size of military apartment housing?
Gu Junshan: After adjustment, the size standard of military apartment housing for each rank is: below battalion level 54-72 square meters/household, regiment level 72-92 square meters/household, division level 92-120 square meters/household, army level 150-190 square meters/household, and major army district level 210-260 square meters/household. In addition, we pay special attention to the security of non-commissioned officer apartment housing. According to the opinions of the four headquarters and the plan of deepening the non-commissioned officer system reform by the Central Military Commission, the new "Standards" stipulate that senior non-commissioned officers serving for 17-21 years and more than 22 years enjoy the treatment of battalion and regiment-level officers respectively. The number of family members for temporary housing has been reduced from six people sharing one house to five people sharing one house, with an area standard of 35-43 square meters.
Reporter: How adaptable do you think the new "Standards" are?
Gu Junshan: The revision of the area standards involves a wide range, complex situations, and a large impact, so we are very cautious. We organized a strong team of standards research and compilation consisting of agencies, troops, colleges, and research institutions, and the revision process lasted for 6 years. The draft standards widely solicited opinions from all parties and underwent more than 40 revisions. From the results of verification calculations of 40 units of different types selected across the army, and the application of standards in the comprehensive supporting rectification of camp areas of brigade and regiment-level units and the post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction of troops in Wenchuan, the new "Standards" are consistent with the reality of the army and are feasible.
Reporter: After the announcement of the new "Standards", what follow-up work needs to be done?
Gu Junshan: Mainly in three aspects: First, extensive learning and publicity. We will compile single-volume standards and promotional materials and organize publicity and training through activities such as knowledge question and answer competitions. At all levels, various forms and means should be used to actively promote and study to ensure understanding, comprehension, and ability to calculate. Second, accurate understanding and grasp. The release of the new "Standards" signifies an improvement in the level of barracks support for our army, but we still need to seriously implement the policy of saving resources in building the military, paying attention to the connection between old and new standards, fully utilizing existing barracks, and avoiding large-scale demolition and reconstruction. Improving living conditions is a long-term and gradual process. In the future, new barracks will implement the new standards, and existing barracks built according to the old standards will continue to be used if they have not reached their service life, and reconstruction or expansion is not allowed. Third, serious implementation. At all levels, we must firmly establish the awareness of handling affairs according to regulations, systems, and standards, consciously abide by the provisions of the standards, and resolutely prevent the occurrence of over-standard construction.