Chinese People's Liberation Army
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| Chinese People's Liberation Army | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chinese People's Liberation Army |
| Native name | 中国人民解放军 |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Allegiance | Chinese Communist Party |
| Branch | Ground Force; Navy; Air Force; Rocket Force; Strategic Support Force |
| Headquarters | Beijing |
| Commander in chief | Chairman of the Central Military Commission |
| Notable commanders | Mao Zedong; Zhou Enlai; Peng Dehuai; Lin Biao; Deng Xiaoping |
Chinese People's Liberation Army is the principal armed force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party. It traces its origins to the Nanchang Uprising and the Chinese Civil War, developing through campaigns such as the Long March, the Huaihai Campaign, and the Pingjin Campaign. The force has evolved into a diversified military with land, maritime, aerospace, strategic rocket, and information-centric components based in Beijing and deployed across provinces including Xinjiang, Tibet, and Guangdong.
History
The PLA originated from the Nanchang Uprising of 1927 and the formation of the Chinese Red Army; it later consolidated under the Chinese Communist Party leadership during the Chinese Civil War. Major wartime milestones include participation in the Second Sino-Japanese War against Imperial Japan and decisive operations in the Huaihai Campaign and Liaoshen Campaign. After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the PLA engaged in the Korean War as part of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and conducted border conflicts such as the Sino-Indian War and the Sino-Soviet border conflict. Political campaigns including the Cultural Revolution and leadership transitions involving Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, and Jiang Zemin shaped force organization and doctrine. Late-20th and early-21st century events such as the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, the return of Hong Kong under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and the return of Macau under the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration influenced civil-military relations and deployment priorities.
Organization and structure
The PLA comprises multiple services: the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, the People's Liberation Army Navy, the People's Liberation Army Air Force, the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force, and the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force. Command is centralized under the Central Military Commission chaired by the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party; theater commands replaced military regions during reforms under Xi Jinping. Key institutions include the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, the National University of Defense Technology, and the People's Armed Police which handles internal security and paramilitary tasks. Fleet commands such as the North Sea Fleet, East Sea Fleet, and South Sea Fleet project naval power in adjacent seas including the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea.
Personnel and recruitment
PLA personnel policies have shifted from conscription managed under the Conscription Law to increased emphasis on professionalization and technical recruitment from institutions like Tsinghua University and Peking University. Prominent figures in personnel reform include military leaders such as Wei Fenghe and political leaders such as Li Keqiang. Recruitment targets specialists in cyber, aerospace, and missile disciplines from civilian institutes including the Harbin Institute of Technology and the Beihang University. Demobilization and veterans’ affairs intersect with ministries such as the Ministry of Civil Affairs and provincial veteran bureaus; socialization of veterans involves programs linked to the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and local governments in provinces like Sichuan and Shandong.
Equipment and capabilities
PLA hardware ranges from armored vehicles like the Type 99 tank to naval assets such as the Type 055 destroyer and aircraft carriers including Liaoning and Shandong. Air platforms include fighters like the Chengdu J-20 and transport aircraft such as the Xian Y-20; rotary-wing aviation includes models developed by AVIC. Strategic systems feature the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile and anti-ship ballistic missile concepts contested in waters near Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Space and cyber capabilities are supported by units within the Strategic Support Force and satellite programs run by agencies linked to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation and the China National Space Administration. Integrated air and missile defense involves systems like the HQ-9 and electronic warfare suites produced by state-owned enterprises such as China Electronics Technology Group Corporation.
Doctrine and strategy
PLA doctrine evolved from people's war concepts rooted in leaders like Mao Zedong toward concepts of local wars under modern high-technology conditions advanced during the tenures of Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin. Contemporary strategy emphasizes anti-access/area-denial measures in littoral zones near Taiwan and disputed features like Scarborough Shoal and the Paracel Islands, power projection through carrier strike groups, and joint operations directed by theater commands. Strategic documents and white papers issued by the State Council and Central Military Commission outline objectives including safeguarding territorial integrity, securing maritime rights in zones claimed under the Nine-dash line, and protecting overseas interests along routes such as the Belt and Road Initiative. Exercises like Joint Sword, Marine Strike, and multilateral engagements with forces from Russia and Pakistan test jointness and expeditionary capabilities.
Modernization and defense industry
Since the 1990s the PLA has pursued mechanization, informatization, and now intelligentization with programs run by state-owned enterprises including NORINCO, AVIC, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, and China State Shipbuilding Corporation. Key modernization milestones include development of stealth fighters like the Chengdu J-20, carrier construction at shipyards in Dalian and Jiangnan Shipyard, and missile modernization through the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology. Defense industrial policy links to national initiatives such as Made in China 2025 and procurement reforms overseen by the Central Military Commission Equipment Development Department. International interactions include arms procurement discussions and technology transfer issues addressed in forums involving United States Department of Defense assessments and export controls led by partners including Russia during post-Cold War cooperation.