Military Service Law

Military Service Law of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国兵役法

[Current Text: Chinese, English]

(adopted May 31, 1984, effective Oct. 1, 1984; amended and effective Dec. 29, 1998; amended and effective Aug. 27, 2009; amended and effective Oct. 29, 2011; revised Aug. 20, 2021, effective Oct. 1, 2021)

• Status: Revision passed
• Legislative Body (Vote): NPCSC (N/A)
• Principal Drafter: CMC National Defense Mobilization Department
• Submitters: State Council & Central Military Commission
• Legislative Plans
  • Five-year: 13^th NPCSC Category I
  • Annual: 2019, 2020, 2021
• Legislative History & Text
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #2 (final): Aug. 17–20, 2021 (Current Text ⇧)
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #1: Dec. 22–26, 2020 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Jan. 27–Feb. 25, 2021
• Legislative Records [Gazette 2021(6): 1180–1191]
  • Explanation (Dec. 22, 2020)
  • Report on Results of Deliberation (Aug. 17, 2021)
  • Report on Suggestions for Revision (Aug. 19, 2021)
  • Presidential Order (Aug. 20, 2021)

NPC Observer Coverage

• NPCSC Codifies Three-Child Policy, Expands Legal Aid & Updates Military Service Law and Physicians Law (Aug. 24, 2021)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Criminal Justice, Maritime & Military Affairs, Hainan Free Trade Port, Food Waste & a Lot More (Nov. 27, 2020)

Last updated: August 6, 2025, 01:11 EDT