Chinese People’s Liberation Army (Halva, ALW, PLA) is considered to be one of the largest armies in the world. Chinese armed forces cover foot, aviation, nuclear weapons and cosmic forces. The weapons in the army cost around 2.25 million which is a whopping investment in any sector in the country. Soldiers including paramilitary forces add up roughly to 3.25 million. In the case of a threat, the forces are able to mobilize more than 7 million people. Moreover, it has 216 million reserved forces as well. Number of people fit for military service in China are aged 18-49 years and counts to 343 million. Chinese military budget is 78 billion U.S. dollars, and it represents 1.5% of GDP while the U.S. military budget is 4.4% of GDP.
In contrast to the armed forces in the West, the Chinese army is not controlled by Government but by Communist Party. The relationship between the Party and the army are complex and multilateral. Support of the army decides the game between factions within the party.
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The army was formed in August 1, 1927 year as Red Army (红军), armed wing Communist Party of China. The name Chinese People’s Liberation Army was adopted in June 1946. In 1949, after defeating the army in the Civil War of Kuomintang, it became the only Chinese army on the continent.
Various Campaigns of Red Army and People’s Liberation Army
- 1931–1945: World War II (Had fought alongside the troops Kuomintang in Second Sino-Japanese War)
- 1945–1950: Chinese Civil War against the Army Kuomintang; Seizure Tibet
- December 1951–1953: Korean War (Halva soldiers fought in the so-called. Branch volunteers)
- 1955: The first crisis in the Taiwan Strait
- 1958: The second crisis in the Taiwan Strait
- October 1962 – November 1962: Sino-Indian war
- 1969-1978: Border disputes with USSR
- 1974: Naval battle of South Vietnam close The Paracel Islands
- 1979: Sino-Vietnamese War
- 1986: A border clash with Vietnam
Strategic forces
The stock of Chinese nuclear weapons is not public. China maintains this information in strict confidence. In 2004 PRC authorities announced a reduction of their nuclear weapons stocks. Several non-governmental organizations primarily in the United States and Japan have estimated Chinese arsenal to about 400 warheads. United States estimates that the PLA has not more than 200 warheads. Over the past 20 years the PLA has made significant progress in the field of miniaturization and technology and purchased at least 20 modern Russian ss-100 missiles and Israeli control systems, which raised the technological level of Chinese arsenal to a level that could pose a serious threat to any potential adversary. PLA is also working hard to develop its strategic forces. At this time, it has 4 regiment’s of strategic bombers of various types and about 5 large atomic submarines (Class 092 and 094 Xia Yin). Now it may be able to attack using ballistic missiles.
PLA have neither chemical Weapon nor biological weapons. PLA has signed Chemical Weapons Convention on January 13 1993, pledging not to produce the spread and use of this kind of weapon. With regards to the biological weapons, PLA is also a signatory to international conventions; however, Russian sources have reported cases in northern China. That could be related to the production or testing of biological weapons. According to CIA PLA is suspected of having a small arsenal of both of these weapons.
Ground forces
Count to 300 000 soldiers, organized in seven military regions and 28 military districts. The structure of the military makes up to 24 integrated group armies, each numbering at 43 500 soldiers. The composition of each group have also three infantry divisions, brigade of tanks, artillery and air defense. Together they are: 84 infantry divisions, 10 armored divisions, 11 artillery support divisions, 14 armored brigades and two cavalry brigades. A total of around 8000 tanks, 4000 armored cars and 25,000 units of artillery are there. The Army still has a lot of obsolete Soviet and Russian arms. Currently, People’s Liberation Army is modernizing rapidly. China has numerous research programs. Since the past 15 years, it has been in the process of making various modern machines such as type-99 tanks and armored type-97. It has also developed the original system of laser field which is used to “dazzle” the enemy’s optical devices.
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