China launches website for military weapons procurement

China today launched a website to facilitate defence procurement for the world's largest army to bring transparency amid an anti-graft crackdown at the top echelons of the 2.3 million-strong People's Liberation Army.
PLA, which is currently undergoing massive modernisation, handling annual budget of over USD 132 billion, launched the website through its General Armament Department.
The website provides all information on the country's weapon and armament needs, relevant policies, procurement notices, enterprise lists and technology.
The new platform was established to cement military and civilian integration and aims to accelerate steps in armament procurement system reform, break procurement barriers, improve competitiveness and promote efficiency, said PLA General Armament Department.

Private enterprises, military armament-purchasing departments and military industry groups as well as personnel can register on the website for consultation and further information, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Since last year, a series of policies have been issued to improve military and civilian integration, market access, information exchange, supervision, and security, it said.

In May last year, the first "military and civilian integration forum" released around 200 items on weapon procurement which attracted more than 100 private enterprises and scores of cooperation agreements were subsequently signed, the report said.
The website was launched in the midst of a massive crackdown on some of the top PLA officials who were accused of indulging in corruption in the procurement of supplies.

Several top PLA officials including General Xu Caihou, who was the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, the overall supervisory authority over the military under previous President Hu Jintao faced anti-corruption probes in the sweeping anti-graft campaign launched by President Xi Jinping.