Carrying forward its fine traditions, the PLA has persisted in taking it as an important part of its political work to support the government and cherish the people, and has included this in the overall plan for the building of its forces. The PLA's political organs at all levels have special departments responsible for organizing activities of supporting the governmentand cherishing the people, and for setting up mechanisms for coordinating the relations between PLA units and local people. ThePLA consciously respects the local people's governments at all levels, and assists them in their work. It strictly complies with the policies and statutes of the state, cherishes and respects thepeople, and helps them overcome their difficulties. In the past decade and more, the PLA has set up nearly 40,000 points of contact for helping the poor. Owing to its help, more than 3.7 million poor people have been enabled to get rid of poverty, more than 2,800 primary and secondary schools have been built in poverty-stricken areas, and more than half a million school drop-outs have returned to class.

    Under the unified leadership of the local people's governments,the PLA and the PAPF grass-roots units jointly carry out mass activities with local grass-roots organizations to build socialistspiritual civilization. Throughout the country, more than 30,000 links for joint activities have been set up for such purposes. Allgrass-roots units of the PLA and the PAPF take an active part in local activities aimed at building "civic virtues" cities, villages, communities and trades. They open for free to the publicmilitary history exhibition halls, and honor rooms of heroic companies, and memorial halls in honor of heroes and models. They assist in areas inhabited by ethnic minorities to develop educational, cultural and health programs. Local governments help the PLA and the PAPF train servicemen competent in both military and civilian jobs, and help grass-roots units of the PLA and the PAPF improve and enrich the cultural life in barracks.

    Participating in and Supporting National Construction

    The PLA and the PAPF actively participate in and support all aspects of national construction besides fulfilling their assignments of education and training. They participate in the construction of national and local infrastructure projects, support agriculture, relieve poverty through development projects,transfer scientific and technological achievements, assist in tackling technological problems and training personnel, and support the development of the public welfare undertakings in bothurban and rural areas. They have also vacated part of the land formilitary use and barracks and camp facilities, and opened some military airfields, harbors and docks and communication lines to civilian use.

    The General Staff Headquarters and the General Political Department have specified that everyone in PLA units is obliged todevote an average of not less than eight days a year to national construction. Under the condition that military needs are met, PLAunits may use some of their vehicles, machines, ships, planes and other equipment to support local economic construction. Organic units of the engineering troops may take part in the construction of national or local projects. The goldmine, forest, water conservancy and electric power, and transportation forces of the PAPF take a direct part in national economic construction.