Chinese Get New Orders--They Must Love the Army

China ordered its 1.1 billion people today to love the army--six months after troops and tanks crushed pro-democracy protests in Beijing--and called for more political training in the military rank and file.

The Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily published government instructions on how localities should lionize the “heroic” People’s Liberation Army (PLA) so that the masses could learn to love them.

And in contrast to earlier reports of barrack-room dissent, the official New China News Agency said the government has commanded that soldiers be taught the “fine traditions of the PLA and increase (their) respect for the government.”

The orders came from the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the PLA’s top political department. They said people’s love and support for the army should be seen to blossom during Chinese New Year celebrations from the end of January, the agency said.

But ordinary people in Beijing, many of whom mutter oaths at the mention of martial law troops that still patrol the capital, say the latest reconciliation drive will be hard to swallow.

“Everyone hates them. We will go along with ceremonies of loving the army only because we have to,” said one stall owner at a free market.

“We have no guns. They have guns. You’d be a fool not to cooperate.”

On June 4, tanks and troops shot their way into Beijing to crush student-led demonstrations. Western diplomats say hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people died.