Refusing military service after enlistment: no travel abroad, no further education, and barred from civil service and state-owned enterprises for two years

3. Refusing military service after enlistment: no travel abroad, no further education, and barred from civil service and state-owned enterprises for two years

Cost: There is no monetary cost. The price is having to decide well in advance whether you want to serve or not.

In plain terms: Choosing to enlist and then backing out carries serious consequences. You cannot be hired by any civil service office, nor by any state-owned enterprise or public institution. For two full years, you are prohibited from leaving the country, enrolling in any school, or returning to your studies. Your name will also be added to a list of individuals who have seriously failed to fulfill their national defense obligations, triggering coordinated penalties from multiple authorities. Therefore, the idea of “signing up first and then pulling out if needed” ends up being very costly.

Benefit: Article 57, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Military Service Law explicitly states that “any conscript who refuses or evades enlistment shall be subject to penalties.” These penalties include a requirement to correct the behavior within a set timeframe; if they still refuse, the local county-level government may compel them to serve and impose a fine. Paragraph 2 adds that such individuals must also be barred from civil service roles, from employment in state-owned enterprises and public institutions, and from any travel abroad or further education for two years. They are placed on a special list of those who have failed to meet defense obligations, leading to joint enforcement actions by various agencies. Article 58 extends these same penalties to active-duty personnel who deliberately evade service or desert. Those who are discharged, expelled from the military, or face criminal prosecution are subject to the same restrictions outlined in Paragraph 2 of Article 57, including a nationwide fine effective as of October 1, 2021.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (2021). Military Service Law (Revised in 2021, Articles 57, 58). <http://www.mod.gov.cn/regulatory/2021-08/20/content_4892491.htm> (Published by the Ministry of National Defense)

Notes: This rule concerns personal freedom and employment eligibility rather than financial penalties. Only two categories of people are subject to these measures: those who refuse or evade enlistment after being called up, and those who are discharged, expelled, or criminally prosecuted after already joining the armed forces. Individuals who simply fail to register for conscription are not included; registration details are covered in Item 2. The penalties apply only when the person refuses to comply after being instructed to do so, as determined by the local county-level government. The exact amount of any fine is set locally and is not specified in this guide. This information is provided solely to illustrate the irreversible nature of the decision once enlistment is initiated; it does not serve as encouragement or discouragement regarding military service.