Chinese army's quake response said lacking

SICHUAN, China, July 2 (UPI) -- The performance of China's army in leading rescue efforts after the devastating May 12 earthquake revealed its strengths and weaknesses, analysts said.

On one hand, the fact that it could quickly mobilize 130,000 troops to Sichuan province demonstrated the People's Liberation Army's continuing ability to produce massive contingents of soldiers but its spotty preparedness to deal with the crisis is being criticized by military analysts, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Because of its lack of sophisticated equipment, PLA soldiers had to clear rubble with their bare hands, noted James Mulvenon, a specialist at the Center for Intelligence Research and Analysis.

"You basically had a bunch of guys humping through the mountains on foot and digging out people with their hands," he told the Times. "It was not a stellar example of a modern military."

Shen Dingli of Shanhai's Fudan University said the PLA's response to the earthquake did not bode well for its preparedness for a potential war.

"The air force should have been able to get troops into (the epicenter) in two hours," he told the newspaper. "It took 44 hours. If it took them 10 hours, that's understandable. But 44 hours is shameful."