The People's Liberation Army is planning to train its grassroots officers to be "multifunctional", as suggested by a newly released plan on position rotation.

Under the plan, issued by the PLA General Political Department, the military commanders and political instructors of grassroots units will exchange their duties for a time to increase their experience and improve their skill as commanders, the department said.

It is the first time the PLA has undertaken such a grassroots post-switching project to make PLA officers more capable military tacticians and improve their overall political work.

The move was initiated by President Xi Jinping, who is also chairman of the Central Military Commission. He says it is important and necessary for grassroots officers to rotate through various positions, which will comprehensively strengthen their capability, the department said.

The PLA piloted a similar trial with military and political chiefs of some selected battalions and companies last year. As part of the pilot program, a brigade in the 27th Combined Corps ordered military and political chiefs of its companies to shift positions after two years in current posts.

The PLA General Political Department is mulling making this practice routine in the military.

Since the Communist Party of China founded the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, the predecessor of the PLA, in 1920s, the political work system has been a pillar of its control over the military.

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn