The army of China, or as the Chinese themselves call it liberation army China (PLA) - is the largest army in the world. As of 2018, many military experts estimate the size of the Chinese army differently, since in recent years the Chinese army has been declining, relying not on quantity, but on the quality of weapons and military equipment. If we take the average number, it turns out that in the Chinese army there are from 2 to 2.3 million people who are in active service.
The Chinese army was founded on August 1, 1927 after the Nanchang uprising. In those years it was called the "Red Army". In the 30s of the 20th century, the Chinese army under the leadership of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong was already a serious organization, being a significant force in the country. In 1949, when the People's Republic of China was proclaimed, the Chinese army became the regular army of this state.
Although Chinese military law provides for compulsory military service, there are so many people who want to join the regular army in China that in all the years of the existence of the regular army, conscription has never been carried out. Military service in China it is very honorable, in addition, it was the only opportunity for the peasants to break out of poverty. Volunteers in the Chinese army are accepted up to 49 years.
Chinese army in numbers
The PLA does not report directly to the party (as is believed in many European countries) or the government. To manage the army in China, there are 2 special commissions:
- State Commission;
- Party commission.
Most often, these commissions are completely identical in composition, so the commission that manages the Chinese army is mentioned in the singular.
To imagine the full power of the Chinese army, you need to turn to the numbers:
- The minimum age after which you can enter the army in China is 19;
- The number of military personnel is about 2.2 million;
- More than $215 billion is allocated annually to the Chinese army.
Although China's weapons are for the most part the legacy of the USSR or copies of Soviet models, the modernization of the Chinese army in recent years has been very rapid. There are new models of weapons that are not inferior to world analogues. If modernization continues at a similar pace, then in 10 years the weapons of the Chinese army will not be inferior to the weapons of the European armies, and in 15 years they can be compared with the power of the American army.
History of the emergence of the Chinese army
The history of the Chinese army began on August 1, 1927. It was in this year that the famous revolutionary Zhou Enlai provoked other Chinese revolutionaries to rise up in arms against the "northern" government, which in those years was the legitimate Chinese government.
By rallying 20,000 fighters in arms, the Chinese Communist Party initiated the long struggle of the Chinese people against external and internal enemies. July 11, 1933 is considered the date of birth of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. This date is still considered one of the most revered in China, it is celebrated by all the people of China.
Chinese army today
The modern People's Liberation Army of China has been significantly reduced, although compared to other armies in the world, its composition still looks very impressive. If earlier the main resource of the Chinese army were soldiers, and military equipment could be counted on the fingers, now the Chinese army includes all the components of modern armies:
- Ground troops;
- Air Force;
- Naval Forces;
- Strategic nuclear forces;
- Troops special purpose and many other types of troops, without which it is difficult to imagine a modern army.
Every year, new models of intercontinental missiles and modern nuclear weapons appear in the arsenal of the Chinese army.
The nuclear forces of the Chinese army consist of land, sea and air components, which, according to official information, have about 200 nuclear launchers. Since information about the state of nuclear forces is kept secret by each country, one can be sure that China has many more nuclear carriers than it officially claims.
The strategic missile forces of the Chinese army have 75 ground-based ballistic missile launchers as their backbone. The strategic aviation of China's nuclear forces is composed of 80 Hong-6 aircraft. Used as a marine component nuclear submarine, which is armed with 12 launchers. Each of these installations can launch Julang-1 missiles. Although this type of rocket was first deployed in 1986, it is still considered an effective weapon.
The Chinese Ground Forces have the following resources:
- 2.2 million military personnel;
- 89 divisions, of which 11 are armored, and 3 are rapid response;
- 24 armies, which include these divisions.
The air force of the Chinese army includes about 4 thousand aircraft, most of which are obsolete models received from the USSR as military assistance or designed on their basis. Since 75% of the Chinese air fleet are fighters designed to solve combat missions in air defense. Chinese aviation is practically not designed to support the ground forces, although in recent years the situation has begun to improve.
China's naval forces are armed with about 100 large-sized warships, and about 600 combat helicopters and aircraft, which belong to naval aviation. To protect coastal waters, the Chinese Navy has 1,000 patrol ships.
Although many believe that China does not have its own aircraft carriers, the Chinese Navy currently has one Liaoning aircraft carrier in service, which was purchased from Ukraine for $25 million. The purchase of this unfinished aircraft carrier was quite interesting. Since the US was opposed to China buying the aircraft carrier, the Chinese firm purchased it as a floating amusement park. Upon arrival in China, the ship was completed and turned into a combat aircraft carrier, which, in principle, it was originally. Until 2020, China threatens to build 4 more aircraft carriers based on the Liaoning (formerly called the Varyag).
Modernization of the Chinese army
Although China develops new types of weapons every year, in the field of precision weapons, China still lags far behind other developed countries. The Chinese leadership believes that it is precisely the future of high-precision weapons, therefore, in the development of this type weapons, China is investing billions.
To date, most joint projects between China and Russia are working, for which various agreements have been concluded that affect the following nuances:
- Military technology and development of new weapons that can be shared;
- The field of study of high technologies that can be used for both peaceful and military purposes;
- Space cooperation, which includes various joint programs;
- Cooperation in the field of communications.
In addition, China has received a number of advantages, which include:
- Implementation of joint Chinese-Russian projects, especially military ones;
- Possibility of training and retraining of their employees in Russia;
- Joint modernization of obsolete weapons and their replacement with newer models.
Such cooperation undoubtedly increases the speed of modernization of the Chinese army, although the United States does not like it very much, which fears the possibility of strengthening the Chinese army. Recent years have been marked by an ever-increasing number of contracts between China and Russia related to the acquisition by China of various samples military equipment. The most significant are:
- License for the production of SU-27 fighter jets in China;
- Contract for the repair of Chinese submarines in Russian repair docks.
If we analyze the development of China's defense complex over the past 10 years, it becomes clear that over the years China has not only stepped forward in terms of the country's economic development, but also in terms of modernizing the army.
Current Defense Priorities in China
Since in recent years China has completely changed its military doctrine, which is now not related to the preparation of the country for a global war, the priorities in the development of the Chinese army have also changed. Since China currently believes that World War now hardly possible, occur massive layoffs in the army. At the same time, the Chinese army is rapidly modernizing, and the amount of funds allocated annually for the army is so large that it is not necessary to talk about the loss of power of the Chinese army.
At the same time, the aggressive policy of the United States is forcing China to modernize its army at an accelerated pace, since conversations in the world political arena are still being conducted from a position of strength. That is why the new military doctrine of China speaks of the transformation of the Chinese army into a powerful structure, equipped with the latest technology. An army of this type must be able not only to effectively defend its borders, but also to respond with powerful blows to the enemy, who can be located in any part of the world. That is why China is now investing heavily in the development and modernization of intercontinental cruise missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
Such a position is not related to the aggressiveness of China, simply because in the last century a huge but technologically backward country was in semi-colonial dependence on Western countries, which for decades robbed the Chinese people. That is why China is cooperating with Russia, which has been actively helping it since the times of the USSR.
China's entire nuclear policy can fit into the concept of a "limited nuclear retaliatory strike," with "retaliatory" being the key word here. This policy, although it assumes the presence of a powerful nuclear potential, but it should only serve as a deterrent for those countries that intend to use nuclear weapons against China. This is not at all like the nuclear arms race that was between the USSR and the USA, so the Chinese nuclear program does not require huge material costs.
IN last decade China abandoned the aimless increase in the size of the army. After conducting many analyzes of world military conflicts that have occurred over the past 10-20 years, Chinese military experts have come to the conclusion that modern troops should support the concept of rapid response. At the same time, these groups can be quite compact, but their weapons must meet all modern high-tech parameters. It is science that should drive the modern development of the army. A modern soldier is not cannon fodder, but a versatile specialist who knows how to handle the latest military equipment.
Mobile rapid response teams must, within a few hours, be at the point of a local conflict, which they must quickly neutralize. In accordance with this concept, the Chinese armed forces are developing precisely mobile forces, trying to equip them with various electronics that can perform the following tasks:
- Long-range warning systems;
- Early warning systems;
- Communication systems;
- Systems remote control weapons and troops;
- The latest means of electronic warfare.
Since China has made tremendous progress in the development of electronics in recent years, the military field is also developing very dynamically.
Financing the Chinese army
Although spending on the Chinese army is in second place in world statistics, second only to the United States, as a percentage of the $ 200 billion that is annually allocated for defense, it is only 1.5-1.9% of the country's GDP. Even 10 years ago this percentage was equal to 55 billion, and 20 years ago it was only 10 billion. Since China's GDP is growing every year, we can expect an increase in funding for the Chinese army in the future.
Representatives of many countries that are rather wary of China (especially the United States) believe that the official statistics provided by the Chinese authorities do not correspond to the real state of affairs. For example, the Japanese, who have disliked China since the Second World War, claim that the real costs of the Chinese army exceed the figures in official statistics by 3 times.
Although the economic situation at the beginning of the 21st century contributed to a reduction in funding around the world, the events of the last 2 decades have shown that China has been able to increase its GDP by more than 20 times. Accordingly, in geometric progression funding for the army has increased, since no one has cut the percentage.
Due to the fact that modern China trades with almost all countries of the world, the diplomatic relations of this country with all gradually normalized. Modern China has especially friendly relations with Russia. These relations are formed on the basis of equal partnership. It is worth noting that the friendly Russian-Chinese relations are of great concern to the United States of America, which wants to be a leader on the world stage. The United States cannot help but worry about China's integration into the world economy, so they would like to have leverage over China from a position of strength. America is well aware that if Russia and China unite against them, then they are unlikely to win, even on the economic battlefield.
If you look at internal politics China, one can notice the great attention of China to the internal problems of the country. The standard of living in China is growing at a rapid pace, many Chinese now live in a way that only a select few could afford 20 years ago.
Should the world wait for the “Chinese threat”?
Since any success of any country gives rise to envy and suspicion, China has not escaped this fate either. As a result of China's rapid development in the past 20 years, it has become perceived by some politicians different countries as a potential aggressor. The tabloids around the world picked up these rumors, and now many ordinary people are waiting for aggressive actions from China against their countries. This hysteria has reached the point that even in Russia, which for many years has been China's partner in various fields, many consider the Chinese to be their enemies.
The Chinese authorities express their deep regret that many world countries treat China as a possible aggressor. The reason for these accusations lies in the misunderstanding of Chinese foreign policy. Supporters of the "China threat" theory accuse China of the following:
- After the US and Russian navies reduced the number of warships in the Asia-Pacific region, China rushed to take the vacant seat to become the most significant military force in the region;
- China dreams of the idea of world domination, therefore, throws all its forces into absorbing world markets and building up military power;
- Since China buys a huge amount of modern weapons from Russia, this causes a real arms race in this region. It has gotten to the point where some military experts directly accuse China of having North Korea acquire its own nuclear weapons;
- The modernization of the Chinese army is carried out for only one purpose - to hit any country, perhaps even the United States.
Chinese military experts indignantly deny these accusations. Regarding the leadership of the Chinese fleet in the Asia-Pacific region, Chinese experts cite a number of dry figures that indicate that although Russia and the United States have reduced their forces in this region, the fleet of any of these countries is significantly superior to the Chinese one in terms of its power.
With regard to the Chinese idea of world domination, the rapid growth of the Chinese economy should not be seen as an attempt to establish world domination. The fact that China is buying up enterprises around the world is a common practice of global business that is striving for development.
As for the global modernization of the Chinese army, the Chinese authorities say that this process is a heavy burden on the shoulders of the Chinese economy. The Chinese say that they would gladly refuse this process, but the composition of the People's Liberation Army of China is seriously inferior to the armies of other countries. That is why modernization is a necessary process.
There is some truth in the assurances of Chinese experts and authorities. Indeed, in modern China there are many reforms that are aimed at economic development states. If China has to focus on external problems, this will inevitably lead to problems at home. It is unlikely that China will want to create for itself unnecessary problems when his government is focused on economic reforms.
The US constantly claims that China will launch military aggression from Taiwan, which they have long wanted to take over. If we consider the relationship between China and Taiwan from the point of view of the economy, we can see that these two states have serious economic relations. The annual turnover between the two states is very significant, so it makes no sense for China to lose huge profits by attacking Taiwan.
With the United States most blamed on China, portraying it as a real beast that is just waiting for the moment to attack, one thing can be understood: America does not need another superpower on the world stage. Although for the United States “the train has already left”, and the Chinese army is confidently moving towards leadership positions in the world rankings.
| 中国人民解放军 | |
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| Base | August 1, 1927 (Nanchang Uprising) |
| Types of troops |
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| Subordination | CPC Central Military Council and PRC Central Military Council (completely identical in composition) |
| Leaders | |
| Leaders of the military council |
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| Minister of National Defense | Chang Wanquan |
| Chief of the General Staff | Fang Fenghui |
| Website | |
People's Liberation Army of China (PLA)(中国人民解放军 , Zhōnggúo Rénmín Jiěfàng Jūn, Zhongguo Renmin Jiefang Jun) - armed forces of the People's Republic of China and the Communist Party of China, the largest army in the world (about 2.3 million soldiers). August 1 is annually celebrated as Army Day, in memory of the Nanchang uprising on August 1, 1927. The PLA consists of five branches of service: the Ground Forces, the Navy, the Air Force, the Missile Forces and the Strategic Support Forces.
According to the constitution of the PRC, the People's Liberation Army was created by the Communist Party of China and is subordinate to it. The army of China is subordinate to the Central Military Councils of the CPC and the PRC, the powers between them are not delimited, but in fact they are completely the same in composition, so this is not required. The Commander-in-Chief of the Army is the Chairman of the Central Military Council, a position usually held by the President of the People's Republic of China and General Secretary Communist Party of China. The Ministry of National Defense, which operates under the State Council of the PRC, has much less influence on the army, its main role is to communicate with foreign armed forces.
Military service is mandatory by law, in fact it is selective due to the huge number of recruits. During an emergency situation in the country, the People's Armed Militia and the People's Liberation Army Militia act as an army reserve.
Story
Founding and Second Sino-Japanese War
August 1, 1927 is considered the founding day of the People's Liberation Army of China. On this day, in response to Chiang Kai-shek's massacre of communists in Shanghai, pro-communist troops led by Zhu De, He Long, Ye Jianying and Zhou Enlai rebelled. These units carried out the Nanchang uprising and became known as the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army, or simply the Red Army. The Red Army participated in the Civil War against the Kuomintang Party. Between 1934 and 1935, the Red Army fought several defensive battles against the Kuomintang led by Chiang Kai-shek, and, having completed the Long March, went to the North of China.
During the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937-1945, the communists concluded a truce with the Kuomintang, and the Red Army formally became part of the Kuomintang People's Revolutionary Army, making up the 8th and 4th New armies. Throughout the war, the Red Army almost did not enter into major direct battles, using guerrilla tactics. Through the transfer of Kuomintang troops and the recruitment of recruits in the liberated areas, the Red Army grew rapidly in numbers. After defeating the Japanese in 1945, the two armies were merged to form the People's Liberation Army of China. During the second stage of the Civil War, the Communists defeated the troops of Chiang Kai-shek and on October 1, 1949 founded the People's Republic of China. In November 1949, the first major reorganization of the PLA took place, and the Air Force was created. In April 1950, the Navy was created. Also in 1950, the governing structures of the artillery, armored forces, air defense forces, public security forces and the workers' and peasants' militia were created. Later, chemical defense troops, railway troops, signal troops, the Second Artillery Corps, and others were created.
People's Republic of China and the Cultural Revolution
Parts of the PLA enter Beijing During the 1950s, with the help of the Soviet Union, the PLA was transformed from peasant army into modern. Part of this process was the creation of thirteen military regions in 1955. The PLA included many units of the People's Revolutionary Army of the Kuomintang, as well as Muslim military leaders in the West of the country. In October 1950, the PLA made a Tibetan campaign, and, having defeated the Tibetan army during the Chamdo operation, annexed Tibet to the PRC. In November 1950, some units of the PLA, under the general name of the People's Volunteer Army, entered the Korean War, when UN troops under the command of Douglas MacArthur approached the border river Yalujiang. The Chinese army was able to drive the Americans out of North Korea, capture Seoul and press the UN troops to the sea, but the army was subsequently pushed back to the 38th parallel. In 1962, the PLA participated in the Sino-Indian border war, and, having achieved all the tasks set, retained the Aksai Chin region for China.
Before the start of the Cultural Revolution, as a rule, the commanders of the military regions remained in office for a long time. As the influence of the military grew, it was seen as a threat to party control of the military. During the Cultural Revolution, there was a massive change of leadership. One of the Four Modernizations announced by Zhou Enlai in 1978 was the modernization of the armed forces. In the course of it, the army was reduced, its supply with modern equipment was improved. In 1979, the Sino-Vietnamese border war took place, both sides declared victory.
From the modernization of the 1980s to the present
In 1980, China significantly reduced the army to free up resources and use them to accelerate economic growth. The reform and modernization of the army became the main goal of the PLA. The issues facing the Chinese leadership are the loyalty of the Chinese Communist Party army and its participation in non-military economic activities.
Since the 1980s, the People's Liberation Army of China has changed significantly. Prior to that, it was mainly land, since the main military threat to China was the attack of the Soviet Union from the north. In the 1980s, the Soviet threat waned, with US-backed independent Taiwan and the conflict in the South China Sea over control of the Spratly Islands becoming the focal point. The type of army is changing from a massive use of infantry, to a few, well-equipped highly mobile formations, an air force and a powerful navy. Deng Xiaoping stressed that the PLA should focus more on quality rather than quantity. In 1985, the army was reduced by a million people, and in 1997 by another half a million.
The PRC carefully monitors world military conflicts and takes into account the experience of innovations. The PLA is no longer preparing for large-scale ground operations, but is being improved to participate in high-tech local conflicts, possibly far beyond the borders of China. Increasing attention is being paid to mobility, intelligence, information and cyber warfare. The PLA is adopting imported weapons from Russia - Sovremenny class destroyers, Su-27 and Su-30 aircraft, S-300 anti-aircraft systems, as well as numerous samples own production- Jian-10 fighters, Jin-class submarines, Liaoning aircraft carrier, Type-99 tanks and many others.
Modern peacekeeping operations
China is a significant member of the UN, and sends parts of the PLA to participate in peacekeeping operations conducted by the UN. Chinese contingents were deployed in Lebanon, the Republic of the Congo, Sudan, on the Coast Ivory, Haiti, Mali and South Sudan. PLA Navy ships are participating in an anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia.
Conflicts involving the PLA
- 1927-1950 - Civil war in China, against the Kuomintang party.
- 1937-1945 - Sino-Japanese War, since 1941 part of the Second World War.
- 1949 - Yangtze incident, conflict with British ships on the Yangtze River.
- 1950-1953 - Korean War, under the banner of the People's Volunteer Army.
- 1954-1955 - First crisis in the Taiwan Strait.
- 1958 - Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.
- 1962 - Sino-Indian border war.
- 1967 - Sino-Indian border incident.
- 1965-1970 - Vietnam War.
- 1969-1978 - Soviet-Chinese border conflicts.
- 1974 - Battle of the Paracel Islands with South Vietnam.
- 1979 - Sino-Vietnamese war.
- 1995-1996 - Third crisis in the Taiwan Strait.
- Since 2009 - anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia.
Organization
National military command
The state system of the People's Republic of China provides for the principle of absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China over the country's armed forces. According to official documents of the country, it is the Communist Party that is the founder of the PLA. At every level of the organization of the army there are committees of the Communist Party, at the level of divisions and above - party commissars and other party organizations.
Beijing office The army is led by two Central Military Councils - the Central Military Council of the People's Republic of China and the Central Military Council of the Communist Party of China. The laws do not specify the division of functions between them, but this is not required, since they are completely identical in composition. The composition differs only once every five years for several months, when the country's leadership changes: first, the Central Military Commission of the CPC is appointed at the National Congress of the CPC, and a few months later at the National People's Congress - the Central Military Council of the PRC. The Central Military Council consists of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Council members. The President of the People's Republic of China and the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee are appointed as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission. The rest of the members of the Central Military Council are regular military men. Unlike most other countries, the Minister of National Defense has few powers, but he is usually appointed by one of the vice chairmen or members of the CMC.
Central authorities
On January 11, 2016, the PLA management system was reformed. The former four headquarters were dissolved, instead of them 15 departments, bureaus and councils were formed, directly subordinate to and appointed by the Central Military Council.
- Administration Department (办公厅).
- Joint Headquarters (联合参谋部).
- Bureau of Political Work (政治工作部).
- Logistics Bureau (后勤保障部).
- Equipment Development Bureau (装备发展部).
- Training Management Bureau (训练管理部).
- National Defense Mobilization Bureau (国防动员部).
- Commission for Discipline Inspection (纪律检查委员会).
- Political and Legislative Affairs Commission (政法委员会).
- Science and Technology Commission (科学技术委员会).
- Strategic Planning Office (战略规划办公室).
- Reform and Organization Office (改革和编制办公室).
- Office of International Military Cooperation (国际军事合作办公室).
- Audit Office (审计署).
- Central Office Management Bureau (机关事务管理总局).
Types of troops
The reform of the PLA at the beginning of 2016 affected the branches of the armed forces. Since then, the PLA has five branches of service: the Ground Forces, the Navy, the Air Force, the Missile Forces and the Strategic Support Forces. The ratio between the branches of the armed forces is changing: the last reduction in the number of the PLA by 300 thousand people will primarily affect the non-combat units of the ground forces, and the freed funds will be used to strengthen the fleet and aviation. In addition to the five branches of service, the PLA is supported by two paramilitary organizations: the People's Armed Militia and the PLA Militia.
Ground troops
Chinese foot soldiers China has the world's largest land force, currently over 1.6 million. The ground forces are divided among five Combat Command Zones. During mobilization, Ground Forces can be reinforced with reserves and paramilitary formations. The reserves of the Ground Forces are about 500 thousand people, reduced to 30 infantry and 12 anti-aircraft divisions. At least 40 percent of the ground forces are mechanized and armored.
While the infantry component of the Ground Forces is being reduced, the science-intensive elements are increasing. They include Special Forces, Army Aviation, Air Defense, Electronic Warfare, Drones, Precision Tactical Missiles, Navigation and Satellite Communications and Mobile Command and Control Centers.
Navy
The destroyer "Lanzhou" Until the early 1990s, the Navy performed a secondary function in relation to the Ground Forces. Since then, he began to rapidly modernize. The number of personnel is 255 thousand people, united in three fleets: the North Sea Fleet with headquarters in Qingdao, the East Sea Fleet with headquarters in Ningbo and the South Sea Fleet with headquarters in Zhanjiang. Each fleet consists of surface ships, submarines, naval aviation, marines and coastal defense units.
The Navy includes a Marine Corps of 10,000 men consolidated into two brigades, naval aviation of 26,000 men armed with several hundred aircraft and helicopters, and coastal defense units of 25,000 men. As part of the modernization, new ships are being built that are capable of performing tasks in any part of the oceans.
Air Force
Attack helicopter Harbin Zhen-19 The 398,000-strong PLA Air Force is organized into 24 air divisions and divided among five Combat Command Zones. The largest unit is the air division, which consists of two or three air regiments, each with 20 to 36 aircraft. Anti-aircraft installations are formed into anti-aircraft divisions and brigades. In addition, the Air Force has three Airborne Divisions.
Rocket troops
Until 2016, the Rocket Forces were called the Second Artillery Corps, and after that they became a separate branch of the military. The Rocket Forces include strategic missiles with conventional and nuclear warheads. China's total stockpile of nuclear weapons is estimated at 100 to 400 warheads. The number of personnel is about 100 thousand people, reduced to six missile divisions, and from 15 to 20 missile brigades.
Strategic Support Troops
Strategic support troops are a new type of troops, they appeared only on December 31, 2015. There is very little open information about them, they include intelligence, navigation, space warfare, cyber warfare, information warfare and other high-tech ways to achieve local superiority.
Combat Command Zones
PLA Combat Command Zones From 1985 to 2016, the PLA had seven military districts as territorial divisions. On February 1, 2016, they were upgraded to five Combat Command Zones. The leadership of the combat command zones reports directly to the Central Military Council and manages under its command all the ground, air, sea and auxiliary forces in the territory under its control, ensuring closer interaction between the military branches.
Eastern Combat Command Zone
It is located in the East of the country and is focused on the capture of Taiwan in the event of a military solution to the Taiwan crisis. It occupies the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Anhui and the city of Shanghai. The headquarters of the unified command of the zone is in Nanjing, the headquarters of the ground forces is in Fuzhou, the headquarters of the East Sea Fleet is in Ningbo. Includes the 1st, 12th, and 31st Armies, the East Sea Fleet, the Fujian Provincial Military Region, the Shanghai garrison, district subordinate units, and provincial reserve units.
Southern Combat Command Zone
It is located in the South and South-East of the country and is focused on Vietnam, Indochina and the resolution of the conflict in the South China Sea, and is also a reserve for the eastern zone. It occupies the provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan and the special regions of Hong Kong and Macau. The headquarters of the joint command is located in Guangzhou, the headquarters of the ground forces is in Nanning, the headquarters of the South Sea Fleet is in Zhanjiang. It includes the 14th, 41st and 42nd armies, the South Sea Fleet, the Hainan Provincial Military Region, the garrisons of Hong Kong and Macau, units of district subordination and reserve units of the provinces.
Western Combat Command Zone
Located in the West of China and focused on India, Central Asia and Mongolia. It occupies the provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, the autonomous regions of Xinjiang, Tibet and Ningxia, as well as the city of Chongqing. The headquarters of the unified command is in Chengdu, the headquarters of the ground forces is in Lanzhou. Includes the 13th, 21st and 47th armies, the Xinjiang and Tibetan provincial military districts with a special status, units of district subordination and reserve units of the provinces.
Northern Combat Command Zone
Located in the North and Northeast of China and focused on Mongolia, Russia and the Korean Peninsula, as well as Japan. It occupies the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong and the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia. The headquarters of the joint command is located in Shenyang, the headquarters of the ground forces is in Jinan, the headquarters of the North Sea Fleet is in Qingdao. Includes the 16th, 26th, 39th and 40th armies, the North Sea Fleet, the provincial military district of Inner Mongolia, units of district subordination and reserve units of the provinces.
Combat Command Central Area
It occupies the outskirts of Beijing and the center of the country, the strongest zone in China with the most modern weapons and mobile parts, is a reserve for other zones, and also protects the capital. It occupies the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, the cities of Beijing and Tianjin. The headquarters of the unified command is in Beijing, the headquarters of the ground forces is in Shijiazhuang. Includes the 20th, 27th, 38th, 54th and 65th armies, the garrisons of Beijing and Tianjin, units of district subordination and reserve units of the provinces.
Military uniform
Military uniform Type-07
Military uniform Type-07 Military uniform Type-07 (07式军服) was adopted in 2007, the most modern at the moment. The Type-07 military uniform is a development of the Type-87 uniform, with a reduction in the types of decorations used. The officer uniform contains a plate with the name and surname, a badge of the degree of qualification and a cord for wearing orders, officers and soldiers wear breast and sleeve badges, only soldiers wear a badge of a conscript. The summer uniform has short sleeves. The emblems 八一, the silhouette of the Great Chinese wall, spear and shield, wing and anchor.
Military uniform Type-97
Military uniform Type-97 In 1993, the development of a new military uniform intended for use in the 21st century began. The new form retained the advantages of the Type-87 form, it was added strengths military uniforms of other states. Compared to the Type-87 uniform, the design, materials and dyes used, and decorations were improved. The main color of the uniform of the ground forces is green, naval - white, air - blue. Form Type-97 was adopted on May 1, 1997. The first to receive it were the garrisons of Hong Kong, Macau, and parts of the PLA stationed abroad.
Military uniform Type-87
Military uniform Type-87 In the 1980s, large-scale reforms began in the PRC, the total power of the state increased, and the old military uniform ceased to match in style and quality of materials. On January 1, 1984, even before the approval of the Type-85 form, the development of a new line of parade, everyday and training military uniforms began. In November 1985, a general meeting was held, at which representatives of the troops indicated the requirements for the style, materials and paints used, and the supply and supply system. In July 1987, the new form was presented to the leadership of the Communist Party and the country, and in August it was adopted, and from October 1988 it began to enter the troops.
Military uniform Type-85
Military uniform Type-85 On March 20, 1980, at an enlarged meeting of the Central Military Council, a decision was made to restore the military ranks abolished during the Cultural Revolution. To implement this decision in 1981, work began on a new military uniform, which received the unofficial name "Form military ranks". On May 1, 1985, the uniform was approved and put into service as the Military Uniform Type-85 (85式军服). The Type-85 uniform is based on the 1955 military uniform. The red buttonholes have been removed from the uniform. Soldiers and officers wear hats with visors, women wear caps. The coat of arms of the armed forces, shoulder straps and the sign of the branch of service are worn on the uniform. The summer uniform has short sleeves.
Army cuts
Since the victory in the civil war and the formation of the PRC, the number of the PLA has been constantly declining, although it remains the largest army in the world. At the same time, the level of training of troops and technical equipment is constantly improving, and the combat potential of the Chinese army is steadily growing.
First cut (1950)
By the time of the proclamation of the PRC on October 1, 1949, the number of the PLA was 5.5 million people. These were ground forces, which were based on peasants armed with rifles, there were very few mechanized units, there were no air force and navy. In April 1950, the Central Committee of the party decided to reduce the size of the army to 4 million people. However, in connection with the outbreak of the Korean War, work on the reduction was canceled, and the size of the army was increased to 6.27 million people - the largest number in the history of the PRC and the PLA.
Second cut (1952)
In 1951, a large-scale operation to eradicate banditry in the country was completed, the Korean War also entered the stage of a truce, the situation in China stabilized, and prerequisites appeared for a new reduction in troops. By the end of 1952, when the work on the reduction was completed, the number of PLA was 4 million people.
Third cut (1953)
Chinese soldiers leave Korea In 1953, the Korean War ended, success was also achieved in the fight against rebels inside the PRC, and the Central Military Council at a meeting on August 28, 1953 decided to reduce the army again. The drawdown was completed in 1955, and the size of the army reached 3.2 million.
Fourth cut (1956)
In September 1956, at the Eighth National Congress of the CPC, a decision was made to reduce the share of military spending in the PRC. To implement this decision, the Central Military Council at an expanded meeting in January 1957 decided to reduce the army by one third. The ordering of the army was completed at the end of 1958, the number was 2.4 million people, and the share of the fleet and aviation in the army increased to 32%.
Fifth cut (1975)
During the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s and 1970s, the military expanded again, reaching 6.1 million by 1975. In order to reduce the greatly bloated army, the Central Military Council in June and July 1975 decided within the next three years reduce the army by 600 thousand soldiers. However, with the beginning of the "French for the rehabilitation of the fight against the right deviation", the work on the reduction was canceled.
Sixth cut (1980)
In March 1980, the Central Military Council decided to reform the army, the administrative apparatus was reduced, and the provincial military districts were abolished.
Seventh cut (1982)
In September 1982, the Central Military Council issued decrees on the reassignment of a number of units, as well as the reduction of the army to 4 million people.
Eighth cut (1985)
On July 11, 1985, the Central Military Council ordered a new reduction of 1 million soldiers. The drawdown was completed in 1987, bringing the PLA to 3 million. At the same time, electronic warfare units were introduced into the troops, and the number of mechanized units for the first time exceeded the number of infantry.
Ninth cut (1997)
In September 1997, at the Fifteenth National Congress of the CPC, it was decided to reduce the army by another 500,000 people, to 2.5 million soldiers. The reduction was completed in 1999.
Tenth cut (2003)
In 2003, a new reduction was announced, by 200,000 people. By 2005, the PLA had 2.3 million soldiers.
Eleventh cut (2015)
On September 3, 2015, at the parade dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory over Japan, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the reduction of the army by 300,000 people. Upon completion of this reduction, the PLA will have a strength of 2 million.
If the world were perfect, then no armies and weapons would be needed and there would never be wars. But the reality is that threats both abroad and within the state put national security at risk. This reality forces many states to have a powerful army in the form of human potential and weapons.
There are several outstanding armies that are widely known for their size in combat experience and military equipment. They are among the ten largest armies in the world.
1. China
No wonder the world's most populous country, the Chinese People's Army, ranks first in the world in terms of army size. This nation is known not only for its large territory, but also for its huge population and, accordingly, the largest army. The Chinese People's Liberation Army was founded in 1927.
Its main part consists of citizens aged 18 to 49 years. The number of 2300000 people. Budget $129 billion per year. Approximately 240 start-ups nuclear missiles. The Chinese army is well trained and has large resources for weapons and mobilization resources in the event of a war, it can put 200,000,000 people under arms. It is armed with 8,500 tanks, 61 submarines, 54 surface ships and 4,000 aircraft.
Russian army
The Russian army is one of the most experienced in the world. Its number is 1,013,628 military personnel (according to the presidential decree of March 28, 2017). The annual budget is 64 billion dollars and ranks 3rd in the world in terms of spending on the army. In service are 2867 tanks, 10,720 armored vehicles, 2,646 self-propelled guns, 2,155 towed artillery pieces. Russia also has the most a large number of nuclear warheads in the world.
3.United States of America
US Army
The US Army was founded in 1775. The United States currently has 1,400,000 active military personnel and 1,450,000 active personnel. The defense budget is what really sets the US apart from all the other countries on the list, at over $689 billion a year.
The United States also has the most trained troops and a powerful arsenal. Its ground forces use 8,325 tanks, 18,539 armored combat vehicles, 1,934 self-propelled guns, 1,791 towed artillery pieces, and 1,330 nuclear warheads.
indian army
Located in southern Asia, India is the largest arms importer in the world. With a population of 1.325 thousand soldiers and officers. The army's military budget is $44 billion a year. Also in service are about 80 nuclear warheads.
5. North Korea
Army of North Korea
North Korea has a well-trained and well-coordinated army of 1,106,000, as well as a large number of reservists of 8,200,000 as of 2011. It also has a large number of weapons which include: 5400 tanks, 2580 armored vehicles, 1600 self-propelled guns, 3500 towed artillery pieces, 1600 air defense systems and other powerful weapons. Military service in this state is mandatory for all the term of service in the army is 10 years.
While the totalitarian regime North Korea built a large army, most of its military equipment is considered obsolete. However, they have nuclear weapons, which in turn threatens the stability of the world in this region.
6. South Korea
Photo of the South Korean army
Next on the list of the largest armies in the world is the South Korean army. In this state, the draft age is from 18 to 35 years, the term of service is 21 months.
Its armed forces are called the Army of the Republic of Korea. It uses both domestic weapons and imported ones. It is armed with 2,300 tanks, 2,600 armored vehicles, 30 air defense systems and 5,300 artillery pieces. The number of its troops reaches approximately 1,240,000 people.
7. Pakistan
pakistani army
The Pakistan Army rightfully ranks among the largest armies in the world. Its headcount is 617,000 people and the personnel reserve is about 515,500 people as of 2011.
Its ground forces use a wide range of weapons: 3,490 tanks, 5,745 armored vehicles, 1,065 self-propelled guns, and 3,197 towed artillery pieces. The Air Force is armed with 1,531 aircraft and 589 helicopters. The naval forces consist of 11 frigates and 8 submarines. With a budget of just over $5 billion, it is the smallest budget of the top ten military powers. Pakistan may be a small country in size, but it is undoubtedly one of the largest armies in the world in terms of size and military prowess. Also, this army is a permanent ally of the United States.
Iranian army
It is said that the most powerful army in the Middle East is the Iranian army. Iran is also known for its large troop strength. It has about 545,000 men, divided into 14 infantry divisions and 15 air bases. Their army is equipped with 2895 tanks, 1500 armored vehicles, 310 self-propelled guns, 860 air defense systems, 1858 aircraft and 800 helicopters. The defense budget is just over $10 billion.
Turkish army
Türkiye has the largest army at the point of contact between Asia and Europe. Citizens are called up for service from the age of 20. The call lasts approximately from 6 to 15 months, depending on the educational level of the students. The number of the Turkish army is 1,041,900 people, of which 612,900 are regular military personnel and 429,000 are in the reserve. Its army is also well armed and has 4460 tanks, 1500 self-propelled guns, 7133 armored vehicles, 406 air defense systems, 570 aircraft and helicopters. The annual budget of this army is 19 billion dollars.
10 Israel
Israeli army
The army of the State of Israel is known as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Every year men who have reached the age of 18 are subject to conscription. Every year about 121,000 men can be drafted into the army to serve in any of its military units. Currently, the Israeli army consists of 187,000 regular soldiers and a reserve of 565,000 people. As a result, the number of troops of the Israel Defense Forces is about 752,000. The army is equipped with the latest technology and is armed with 3870 tanks, 1775 armored vehicles, 706 self-propelled guns, 350 towed artillery pieces, and 48 air defense systems.
Not all countries in the world need a large army to reliable protection. However, the maintenance of peace and order would not be possible without a well-organized and well-armed army.
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The Chinese army is considered the largest in the world. Today, over 2 million privates and officers serve in its ranks. Troops are formed on the basis of conscription. Young people from 18 to 24 years old serve in the active army. The service life is 2 years. The Chinese armed forces also include a people's militia, where men aged 18 to 35 serve as privates. Persons who have undergone army training form the core of the militia and form its officer corps.
The military craft in China is considered very prestigious and respected, so many conscripts continue to serve after two years, but already under a contract. Military personnel can count on the provision of a number of benefits, housing, increased pensions, special conditions life and health insurance, state support in finding a job after retirement.
According to the latest orders of the Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China, draft boards must give preference to young people with higher or completed secondary education. Many high-ranking Chinese military men in interviews note that now for China it is not so much a physically developed as an educated soldier that is important.
Story
The Chinese army grew out of separate army detachments that supported the Communist Party of China in the summer of 1927 and opposed the Kuomintang government. Until 1949, the Chinese Red Army was the mainstay of the communists in the civil war. Also, the Chinese military distinguished themselves in repelling the aggression of the Japanese invaders during the Second World War. In 1946, the Chinese army received its official name - the PLA (National Liberation Army of China).
The USSR played a major role in the formation and formation of the PLA. The Soviet military gave the Chinese side all the weapons left after the defeat on Far East Kwantung Army. Soviet specialists repeatedly came to China to help organize the army command and control system and bring with them latest designs weapons.
Since 1949, the PLA has taken part in the following military conflicts:
- Korean War (1950-53);
- Sino-Vietnamese War (1979);
- border conflicts with India in 1962 and 1967;
- several border conflicts with Vietnam (between 1974 and 1990);
- conflict with the USSR over Damansky Island (1969);
- clashes with Taiwan, where the Kuomintang leaders settled, after the end of the Civil War.
In the 1990s, reforms were carried out in the army aimed at modernization. In 2015, Xi Jinping announced the start of a new reform that continues to this day.
Structure
The administration of the PLA is entrusted to the Central Military Council of the People's Republic of China. In fact, the composition of the military council of the country always coincides with the composition of another, already purely party body - the military council of the CPC Central Committee. The current chairman of both structures is Xi Jinping. Central Air Force of the People's Republic of China - government agency, which has no analogues in the world. Not only the army, but also the police, the people's militia and detachments of combatants are subordinate to the council. In fact, the Communist Party controls all power structures in the country.
It is curious that the PRC Ministry of Defense performs secondary functions and is much inferior in importance to the military council. It is responsible for conducting peacekeeping missions and organizing international military cooperation.
At the moment, the PLA includes five types of troops:
- ground troops. The most numerous branch of the armed forces. Includes infantry, armored, airborne, border, engineering, chemical, reconnaissance troops, etc.
- air Force. Until the end of the 1970s, the main task of the Chinese Air Force was only to support the ground army in combat in the country. But since the 1990s, aircraft have become capable of more diverse missions, such as strikes against land and sea targets outside of China. Today, the Celestial Empire has 4,000 combat aircraft and 700 launchers for anti-aircraft guided missiles.
- naval forces. The Chinese Navy includes three fleets (the North, East and South Seas). Each of these fleets consists of smaller units: the Coast Guard, the submarine and surface fleet, and naval aviation.
- rocket troops. One of the youngest branches of the military, which appeared only in 2016. Everything related to the activities of this military unit is kept a top secret by the Chinese government. Western powers show the greatest interest in China's nuclear potential and the volume of weapons of mass destruction, so American and European experts regularly put forward their assessments of the Chinese arsenal.
- strategic support troops. Another structure that emerged after the announcement of the 2015 reform. Very little is known about the VSP. The main task of the division: ensuring the superiority of China over the enemy in space and cyberspace. It is likely that the troops are responsible for intelligence activities, information gathering, satellite and radar systems.
PLA reform 2015-2020
In 2015, China began a large-scale military reform, designed for 5 years. World experts note the depth and significance of this reform. Many believe that it means not only fundamental changes in army life, but also opens a new stage in political life the entire state. The preparation of the reform went on for about 7 years, a huge theoretical and practical work was done, requiring the involvement of both military and civilian specialists. Chinese experts note that for its development they used the experience of many powers (primarily Russia and the United States).
The main goals of the reform are:
- eliminating corruption and abuses in the army, and strengthening the CCP's control over the military. These two directions can be considered the main tasks of army modernization;
- the creation of a single headquarters for all branches of the armed forces, the reorganization of the PLA command system;
- removing some non-core tasks from the sphere of responsibility of the military;
- improving the professionalism of officers;
- changing the boundaries of military districts and improving internal system control of the military forces of individual provinces;
- the design of the structure responsible for conducting cyber warfare;
- the growing role of the Navy and Air Force;
- using the latest information technologies.
The features of this reform are associated not only with the technological breakthrough that began in China in the 21st century, but also with a change in Chinese foreign policy doctrine. If for almost the entire second half of the twentieth century, the Chinese were preparing for armed conflict with the USSR and therefore highest value attached to ground forces, now the priority direction of Chinese foreign policy is the protection of its territorial waters and dominance in the Pacific Ocean. This explains the mass layoffs of the military who served in the ground forces, and the enhanced development of the Navy and Air Force.
The change in the command structure of the army comes down, first of all, to the concentration of all resources in the hands of the Central Military Council. Until January 2018, four completely independent headquarters operated under the authority of the council. Under the reform, they were replaced by fifteen departments with narrower powers and a lower level of independence.
Many high-ranking officials and the military lament that the Chinese army is "stricken with a peaceful disease." The PLA has not taken part in real military action for many years, which some see not as a merit of Chinese diplomacy, but as a serious omission. By order of Xi Jinping, the army should regularly conduct regular real-time exercises. The conduct of such tests will be tightly controlled by the state, since in the early 2000s, almost all such activities in China resulted in grandiose money laundering scams.
Technological innovations
So far, Chinese military equipment is somewhat inferior to Russian and American, but it is obvious that over the next decade this gap will rapidly decrease, and then disappear altogether.
Today, the Chinese defense industry fully provides its army with the necessary weapons. Moreover, recently China has been increasingly winning tenders for the supply of weapons to other states, leaving behind European countries and USA. Many powers prefer to buy Chinese weapons, even if they are more expensive than competitors' products.
At first, Chinese weapons were copied by Soviet and Russian products, and now they are European, American and Israeli ones. However, it would be fundamentally wrong to say that only copies are made in China and there are no own military developments. The main task now facing Chinese specialists is to eliminate dependence on foreign technologies.
One of the latest important Chinese military developments has been the latest submarine detection devices. Unlike traditional sonar, Chinese instruments are much more sensitive and accurate. They react to the slightest magnetic vibrations.
The Chinese managed to achieve no less success in the development of an aerial surveillance system. In 2018, a radar was successfully tested, which makes it possible to detect aircraft based on stealth technology at a great distance. The principle of operation of the radar is based on the use of T-rays (one of the varieties of electromagnetic radiation). T-beam generators have been used in industry before, for example, to detect hidden defects in products. But so far, no country has been able to create a generator of such power that would allow detecting an aircraft at a distance of more than 100 km.
In 2016, two of China's latest missiles, the TL-2 and TL-7, were unveiled at the Military Achievement Exhibition in Singapore. The TL-7 is an anti-ship missile that can be launched from the air, land, or ship. The TL-2 is designed to be launched from a rig or drone.
Another Chinese novelty, designed to bomb the enemy, grew out of Soviet developments. In the 1950s Chinese leadership received from the USSR the technical documentation necessary for the assembly of MiG-19 fighters. Aircraft assembled in China were named J-6 and until recently were the most popular combat vehicle in the arsenal of the PLA Air Force. Because the this model is now outdated, Chinese engineers have begun to develop the latest kamikaze drones based on the J-6. Each such aircraft is a ground-based cruise missile.
The Taihan aircraft engine is also a unique Chinese development. The first such engines appeared back in the 1980s, but then they were significantly inferior to American and Soviet designs. For a long time aircraft engines for the PLA Air Force were purchased abroad, but recently the Chinese side began to equip their aircraft with their own engines.
In parallel with military developments in China, space technologies are rapidly developing. In 2011, the first Chinese orbital station, Tiangong-1, was launched into orbit, modeled on Soviet stations. To date, two more similar Chinese vehicles have been in space. In 2022, Chinese engineers plan to launch the first multi-module manned orbital station.