The Reduction of One Million Troops

In the mid-1980s, as international tension eased, Deng Xiaoping drew the conclusion that peace and development were now the driving forces in international relations. This had great significance for China's economic development, and particularly its national defense and military commitments. In line with his instructions to reinforce defense and the military as required by China's national modernization, and to build powerful, modern and regularized armed forces, a series of major reforms were carried out in the army.

In June 1985, Deng announced at an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission a reduction of the PLA's troop numbers of one million. This involved streamlining the command bodies and the troops, phasing out outdated equipment, merging different army units, and cutting the number of officers to ensure a rational balance of officers and men. From the latter half of 1985 to 1987, the reduction went ahead, involving the command bodies, troops, military colleges and logistics units. By 1990, the PLA force had been streamlined to 3.2 million after a reduction of over 1 million troops. This reshuffle reinforced the armed forces' capacity to protect China's development and modernization in a time of peace. It showcased the confidence of the CPC and the Chinese government, and made a contribution to world peace.

百萬大裁軍

進入20世紀80年代中期，基于國際形勢趨于緩和的新變化，鄧小平作出了“和平與發展是當代世界的兩大主題”的重要判斷。這對中國經濟建設，特別是對國防和軍隊建設具有重大意義。根據鄧小平提出國防和軍隊建設要服從整個國家現代化建設大局的要求，以及建設一支強大的現代化、正規化革命軍隊的指導方針，軍隊建設進行了一系列重大改革。

1985年6月，鄧小平在中央軍委擴大會議上宣布，中國人民解放軍將減少員額100萬。此次裁軍的重點是，精簡機關、裁減部隊、淘汰陳舊設備、加強部隊合成、減少軍官數量、改變軍兵比例不合理狀況。按照中央軍委的決策部署，從1985年下半年開始，按照先機關，后部隊、院校和保障單位的順序，人民解放軍自上而下地組織實施了百萬大裁軍。到1987年，中國人民解放軍順利完成了百萬大裁軍的任務。經過進一步裁減，到1990年，全軍員額減少到319.9萬人，總共裁軍103.9萬人。經過這次大裁軍，軍隊的編制更加精干，戰斗力進一步增強，逐步適應了和平時期建設和現代化條件下作戰的需要。

百萬大裁軍，是中國共產黨、中國政府和中國人民有力量、有信心的表現，是中國用實際行動為維護世界和平作出的重要貢獻。