An WZ-10 attack helicopter attached to an air assault brigade with the PLA airborne troops fires rocketat mock ground targets during a round-the-clock live-fire flight training exercise focusing on stealthy penetration, formation assault and other combat operations in the hinterland of the Dabie Mountains of central China's Hubei Province in mid-April, 2019. (Photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn)

 The Central Military Committee (CMC) on Monday announced a new think tank consisting of military and civilian experts to evaluate drafts on military policies and institutional reform, with analysts saying on Tuesday that top weapon and equipment developers could be involved, potentially providing valuable opinions to deepen the comprehensive military reform.

A meeting to assign tasks on the consultation and evaluation of military policies and institutional reform was held on Monday in Beijing, with Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the CMC, delivering a speech, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Daily reported on Tuesday.

The CMC selected military and civilian personnel from related fields and set up a think tank to independently and objectively evaluate draft policies and institutions as well as major measures in the reform, and to provide advisory services for decision making by the CMC, the report said.

An expert list was announced at the meeting, according to the report, but it has not yet been released to the public.

Reform of policies and institutions is an important part of China's military reform, and the new think tank will help the reform to become more comprehensive, Li Daguang, a professor at the National Defense University of the PLA, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Li pointed out that having experts within the military in the think tank is natural since they are the ones who truly understand whether the reform is working, but appointing civilian experts is a measure that can provide new and constructive perspectives.

Yang Wei, chief designer of the J-20 stealth fighter jet and deputy general manager of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, participated in the meeting, a report from China Central Television (CCTV) showed.

CCTV did not elaborate on whether Yang was a member of the think tank, but Li said that a figure like Yang is likely to be invited since civilians like him from the arms industry know a lot about related technologies and understand the development situation of military equipment. Their opinions will definitely boost the reform, Li said.

Under the reform, military policies and institutions should be adjusted in accordance with the changing times as socialism with Chinese characteristics and national defense have entered a new era, said defense ministry spokesperson Wu Qian at a November 2018 press conference, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The system, which is scheduled to be completely formed before 2022, will feature distinct guidance, full coverage, a rigorous structure and sound coordination, the spokesperson said.