China allocated 1.63 billion yuan (US$242.3 million) of financial aid to encourage university students to join the army in 2016, according to the Ministry of Education (MOE) Sunday.

A total of 124,100 university students ranging from undergraduates, postgraduates to doctoral students received funding last year for enlistment in the armed forces, while 8,117 ex-servicemen were also subsidized with 44.6 million yuan of funding to pursue their higher education degrees.

China has formed a comprehensive education aid system to encourage more university students to join the army, and those veterans can also be financially supported if they are willing to go to college, the MOE said.

The annual subsidy for each undergraduate will not exceed 8,000 yuan, and the sum for masters or doctoral students can reach up to 12,000 per capita each year, said the MOE.

The students’ university name roll will be maintained during the period of enlistment, and they can resume their study after leaving the army, according to the MOE.

A total of 230 members of Shanxinhui, a Shenzhen-based company suspected of organizing and leading a pyramid scheme, have been arrested in southern China’s Guangdong Province, police said Sunday.

Of the 230 members, 142 have been detained to face criminal charges. Fifty-five companies involved in the case have been investigated, the public security department of Guangdong province said in a statement.

Beijing police have also detained 63 people after members of the pyramid scheme gathered in the capital city Monday. Four others were put under non-criminal detention.

Chinese police have previously investigated Shanxinhui for allegedly manipulating people into taking part in pyramid selling and cheating them out of huge amounts of property under the guise of helping the poor.

Zhang Tianming, legal representative of the company, and other suspects have been put under coercive measures, which may include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention or arrest.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has the confidence and capability to defeat all invading enemies and safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after reviewing a grand military parade at the Zhurihe military training base in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to mark the PLA’s 90th founding anniversary.

The PLA also has the confidence and capability to build a stronger military and make new and greater contribution to realizing China’s two centenary goals and the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, and safeguarding world peace, Xi said.

President Xi Jinping on Sunday ordered the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to follow the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks after reviewing a grand military parade at the Zhurihe military training base in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to mark the PLA’s 90th founding anniversary.

“Officers and soldiers, you must unswervingly stick to the fundamental principle and system of the Party’s absolute leadership over the army, always listen to and follow the Party’s orders, and march to wherever the Party points to,” Xi said.

PLA officers and soldiers should firmly adhere to the fundamental goal of serving the people wholeheartedly, and always stand together with the people, Xi said.

President Xi Jinping said Sunday China needs a strong army more than ever, urging the building of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into a world-class military force.

Speaking shortly after a grand military parade at the Zhurihe training base in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to mark the PLA’s 90th anniversary, Xi said enjoying peace is a bliss for the people while protecting peace is the responsibility of the people’s army.@ “The world is not all at peace, and peace must be safeguarded,” said Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission.

“Today, we are closer to the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation than any other time in history, and we need to build a strong people’s military more than any other time in history,” Xi said.

He urged the PLA to fully implement the CPC’s thoughts on building a strong military, follow the path of strengthening the army with Chinese characteristics, strive for the CPC’s target on strengthening the PLA under the new circumstances, and build the heroic PLA into a world-class military.