BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has transferred about 256,000 military officers to civilian work in the past three years and rearranged jobs and residences for more than 60,000 of their family members, according to the Ministry of Personnel.

The transferred officers include more than 35,000 division and regiment commanders of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and 172,000 battalion commanders or military officers of lower ranks, according to the ministry.

Officers with special expertise or long experience in aviation and naval ships in tough and remote areas, as well as those with distinguished service records were given special consideration and priority in rearranging jobs, it said.

Local governments had set up employment databases for military cadres slated to transfer to civilian work, organized training to help them better adapt to civilian life, adjusted retirement pensions and established subsidies.

More than 49,000 PLA officers have chosen to find jobs by themselves in the same period, according to the ministry.

President Hu Jintao, also Chairman of the Central Military Commission, said last May that the proper transfer of military officers to civilian work would have an impact on the country's reform and development.

Li Jinai, a member of the Central Military Commission and director of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Libation Army, cited 2006 as a crucial year for the transfer of military officers to civilian work.

China made a decision in 2003 to reduce its troops by 200,000 to 2.3 million.