People's Liberation Army
On the 1st of August 1927, communist elements of the National Revolutionary Army rebelled under the leadership of Zhu De and He Long. This event marked the founding of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army during the Shanghai massacre. The uprising began as a breakaway from the Kuomintang nationalist government. Communist leaders like Zhou Enlai and Ye Jianying organized these left-wing units to fight against the nationalist regime. They were known simply as the Red Army in those early days. The force survived several campaigns led by Chiang Kai-Shek's forces between 1934 and 1935. During this period, they engaged in the Long March to escape encirclement.
In November 1949, the PLA established its Air Force leadership structure followed by the Navy leadership structure the following April. Before this transformation, the People's Liberation Army overwhelmingly consisted of peasants with an egalitarian organization. Formal ranks were not adopted until 1955 when the first Military Service Law created a system of compulsory military service. Soviet assistance helped transform the peasant army into a modern one during the 1950s. In November 1950, some units intervened in the Korean War under the name of the People's Volunteer Army. These actions drove General Douglas MacArthur's forces out of North Korea and captured Seoul before being pushed back south of Pyongyang north of the 38th Parallel. The war catalyzed rapid modernization of the PLAAF.
The Central Military Commission exercises absolute control over the armed forces according to Chinese law. Since 1989, the CCP general secretary has also been the CMC Chairman granting significant political power as the only member of the Politburo Standing Committee with direct responsibilities for the armed forces. Regiment-level and higher units maintain CCP committees and political commissars who are officially equal to commanders in status. Political commissars report to higher-level party committees rather than military commanders. Only the CCP is allowed to appoint the leading cadres at all levels of the PLA. Non-CCP political parties and groups except the Communist Youth League of China are not allowed to establish organizations or have members in the PLA. The Ministry of National Defense has no command authority acting largely as diplomatic liaisons of the CMC.
China replaced its system of seven military regions with newly established Theater Commands in 2016 including Northern Southern Western Eastern and Central commands. In the prior system operations were segmented by military branch and region while joint wartime commands were created on-demand by the army-dominated General Staff Department. Each Theater Command functions as a unified entity with joint operations across different military branches. The five theater commands are broadly responsible for strategy plans tactics and policy specific to their assigned area of responsibility. Military regions were unlike the theatre commands army-centric peacetime administrative organizations. Force-building remains the responsibility of the services and the CMC while operational control divides between service headquarters and domestic geographically based theatre commands.
In 2024, China's military expenditure reached US$314 billion accounting for 12 percent of the world's defence expenditures. The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force controls China's nuclear and conventional strategic missiles with an estimated arsenal size between 100 and 400 thermonuclear warheads. On the 11th of January 2007, China conducted a successful test of an anti-satellite missile with an SC-19 class KKV. The PLA operates various satellite constellations performing reconnaissance navigation communication and counterspace functions. China became the third country in the world to have sent a man into space by its own means with the flight of Yang Liwei aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft on the 15th of October 2003. In August 2021, China tested a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile that circled the globe before speeding towards its target.
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Common questions
When was the People's Liberation Army founded?
The People's Liberation Army was founded on the 1st of August 1927 during a rebellion by communist elements of the National Revolutionary Army. This event marked the establishment of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army under leaders Zhu De and He Long.
Who controls the armed forces of the People's Liberation Army?
The Central Military Commission exercises absolute control over the armed forces according to Chinese law. Since 1989, the CCP general secretary has also served as the CMC Chairman granting significant political power as the only member of the Politburo Standing Committee with direct responsibilities for the armed forces.
What changes did the People's Liberation Army make in 2016?
China replaced its system of seven military regions with newly established Theater Commands in 2016 including Northern Southern Western Eastern and Central commands. Each Theater Command functions as a unified entity with joint operations across different military branches.
How much did China spend on its military in 2024?
In 2024, China's military expenditure reached US$314 billion accounting for 12 percent of the world's defence expenditures. The People's Liberation Army Rocket Force controls China's nuclear and conventional strategic missiles with an estimated arsenal size between 100 and 400 thermonuclear warheads.
When did Yang Liwei fly aboard Shenzhou 5?
China became the third country in the world to have sent a man into space by its own means with the flight of Yang Liwei aboard the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft on the 15th of October 2003. This mission demonstrated China's capability to perform reconnaissance navigation communication and counterspace functions via satellite constellations.