Published on : 24/08/2024

On August 24, 2004, four military academies, including the First Military Medical University (第一軍醫大學), began their transfer to local administration.

Jiang Zemin (江澤民), then Chairman of the Central Military Commission, announced on September 1, 2003, that by 2005, China would further cut its military by 200,000, on top of a reduction of 500,000 during the "Ninth Five-Year Plan" period, bringing the total size of the military down to 2.3 million.

This move was the tenth large-scale military downsizing of China.

In response to this policy, the four military educational institutions, which were originally under the General Logistics Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) —the First Military Medical University, the Military Supplies University (軍需大學), the Fourth Military Medical University Jilin Military Medical College (第四軍醫大學吉林軍醫學院) and the Third Military Medical University Chengdu Medical College (第三軍醫大學成都醫學院)—were transferred to local administration.

This marked the first time that military academies handed over their operation to local authorities on such a large scale and of such a high level.

These four academies are professional technical schools within the PLA with significant positions and influence.

Since then, in accordance with the policy, all types of assets, including teaching, medical, and scientific research facilities, various materials and equipment, vehicles, real estate, and both debts and liabilities, were handed over to local administration after a comprehensive clean and audit.

The Military Supplies University were handed over to the Ministry of Education for administration, and it were jointly operate with Jilin University (吉林大學).

The First Military Medical University were handed over to Guangdong Province, renamed as Southern Medical University (南方醫科大學).

The Chengdu Medical College of the Third Military Medical University were handed over to Sichuan Province and renamed as Chengdu Medical College (成都醫學院).

The Jilin Military Medical College of the Fourth Military Medical University were handed over to Jilin Province and renamed as Jilin Pharmaceutical College (吉林醫藥學院).

At the handover ceremony held that morning, the First Military Medical University was renamed "Southern Medical University".

The plaque for the newly renamed university was unveiled by Zhang Dejiang (張德江), then Secretary of the Guangdong Provincial Committee, among others.

Afterwards, the General Logistics Department of the PLA and the leadership of Guangdong Province, representing both military and local authorities, formally signed the handover documents and delivered speeches.

The ceremony concluded with the faculty and staff of the university bidding a heartfelt final military salute to the military flag.