At a press conference at the Ministry of National Defense, spokesperson Yang Yujun said the PLA's 18 divisions would be scaled down to just 13, adding that the move was crucial for the army to transition from "quantity-oriented" to "quality-and efficacy-oriented".
In early April, China announced a major restructuring of its army into 84 military units, under five regional commands. The restructuring also involves more advanced equipment and a greater emphasis on new capabilities, such as cyberspace, electronics, and information warfare.
China is also in the process of cutting the size of its military by 300,000 troops.
