China's army is to be reorganized in a new military reform. Defense Ministry Spokesperson Yang Yujun said the PLA's 18 groups 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".
Earlier this month, 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-thousand troops.