Brains over brawn: 3 things you need to know before joining the Chinese military

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As another military recruitment season starts in China, many hopeful recruits will be fretting over their physical condition before joining the army. And it’s a fact of life that applicants can be judged by their appearance regardless of their abilities. But, that doesn’t apply if you’re signing up for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Despite the eased judgement and requirements, physical prowess still plays an important role for those lucky enough to be selected to defend the country. However, the PLA wants to make sure that hard work in school and academic success are appreciated.

It’s been four years since the PLA reduced the physical requirements for recruits from certain educational backgrounds, and shifted the emphasis from brawn to brains.

Interested in signing up? Well, here are three key aspects you need to know before embarking on the honorable journey.

1. You don’t have to be fit or tall

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Although the average height of adults has been increasing in China, the military still lowered the minimum height requirement by 2cm - with men needing to be at least 160cm, and women, at least 158cm. The required height for men is actually 7cm shorter than the average height of male adults.

And don’t worry about hitting the gym before filling out the application forms.

The military raised the weight standard by 5 percent to reflect average weight growth across the country. Male recruits now should not exceed the standard weight requirement by 30 percent, and females 20 percent, which means before going through the rigorous physical training in the military, you can come in with a few extra pounds around that belly.

2. Don’t worry if you don’t have 20/20 vision

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Almost 70 percent of Chinese students are nearsighted, and the PLA didn’t need glasses to spot this reality.

Vision and sight-related requirements for ground crew are now inversely proportional to a recruit's level of education. According to the Ministry of National Defense, middle school graduates who want to join ground crew forces, are required to have a vision level no lower than 4.8/4.9, while high school graduates are pegged at 4.5/4.7, and college students at 4.5/4.6.

Some units even accept recruits who have had to undergo eye surgery. Just make sure you've fully recovered from your operation before joining!

3. School first, army later

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Earning a degree takes time and the military will wait until you have finished school.

The age of a new recruit also grows to reflect their academic achievements and education level. Male recruits, for example, can join the army as young as 17.

So remember, hit the books first, and then make that courageous leap.

(Story written by Fan Yixin, animation made by Fu Lei, and dubbed by Yang Di. )