By An Puzhong and Zhang Xiaoyu

BEIJING, Jan. 19 -- The first plenum of the inter-departmental joint conference on national conscription work was held in Beijing on January 18. State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe, also a member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

This conference was tasked to study and review the work rules of the inter-departmental joint conference mechanism and to promote China’s reform for biannual conscription and demobilization work.

It is learned that the inter-departmental joint conference on national conscription work comprises of 14 departments, including the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), five departments under the CMC, etc., with the CMC's Department of National Defense Mobilization taking the lead. The joint conference is responsible for implementing related major decisions and deployments concerning the military conscription, and coordinating the implementation of important matters involving multiple departments.

The conference doesn't have a dedicated office, with the Recruitment Office under China's Ministry of National Defense undertaking its organization, liaison, coordination, and other daily work and convening meetings at proper times as needed.