A total of 303 deputies from 31 units of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and Armed Police Force have been elected to the upcoming 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), 12 more units than to the 18th Party Congress in 2012.
The PLA's flagship newspaper, PLA Daily, on Wednesday published the names of the 303 deputies, including 253 from the PLA and 50 from the armed police.
The newspaper published the names of 300 deputies, 251 from the PLA and 49 from the armed police, in August 2012. They were from 19 electoral units.
"The number of units increased due to the ongoing military overhaul launched in 2015, which split the former four military headquarters - staff, politics, logistics and armaments - into 15 new agencies under the Central Military Commission (CMC) in 2016," a Wuhan-based military professor, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times.
The military expert said that this year's election in the PLA Rocket Force, which the expert attended, was highlighted by the rise in elected grassroots members.
"More units involved in the election of deputies could benefit the 19th Party Congress since they represent more diverse groups," Song Zhongping, a Beijing-based military expert told the Global Times.
He added that the increase in the number of units is one of the military reform's achievements. Wednesday's report said that the elections strictly followed the Party Constitution and the Central government's requirements, adhered to the principle of democratic centralism and subscribed to intra-Party democracy.
The election procedures stressed political quality and integrity, the PLA Daily reported in May. The candidates must firmly show knowledge of the ideology, be loyal and reliable, and resolutely implement the fundamental principles of the Party's absolute leadership over the army, the report in May said. A total of 2,300 delegates will attend the 19th Party Congress, which is expected to convene in Beijing on October 18.
The congress will reflect on the CPC's work in the five years since the 18th Party Congress, and review the progress achieved and experience during the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics, with Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee at the core of the CPC leadership.
The congress will elect a new CPC Central Committee and a new Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
