Chinese military hub · updated Oct. 30, 2026
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is China’s armed forces: about 2 million active troops, answering to the Communist Party through the Central Military Commission, which Xi Jinping chairs.
This page explains how the PLA is organized, what it fields, who leads it after years of purges, and where to follow the latest Chinese military news on Peter’s World.
Quick answer: The PLA is the military wing of the Communist Party of China, founded in 1927. It has four services (Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force) and four support arms, and the party commands it through the Central Military Commission (CMC). The Congressional Research Service puts active personnel at about 2 million (CRS), and the Pentagon calls its navy the largest in the world by number of ships (DoD).
How the PLA is organized
The CMC sits at the top. CRS describes it as serving some functions similar to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and it also oversees the People’s Armed Police, the China Coast Guard and the militia (CRS). Below it are four services and four service arms.
PLA Army
The ground force. Group armies are assigned to the theater commands; the Eastern Theater has the 71st, 72nd and 73rd Group Armies facing Taiwan (DoD).
PLA Navy (PLAN)
The world’s largest navy by ship count, with three carriers, large Type 055 warships, the Type 076 drone carrier and 12 nuclear-powered submarines (CRS).
PLA Air Force
CRS counts a fighter fleet of about 2,200, mostly fourth-generation jets plus the J-20 and J-35 stealth fighters (CRS).
PLA Rocket Force
Runs the land-based missiles: about 2,750 short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles, 400 ICBMs and 300 ground-launched cruise missiles (CRS).
Four service arms (2024)
In April 2024 the Strategic Support Force was dissolved. The Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force and Information Support Force now report directly to the CMC, alongside the Joint Logistics Support Force (DoD).
The five theater commands
| Theater | Main focus (DoD) |
|---|---|
| Eastern | Taiwan and the East China Sea. Much of China’s conventional missile firepower is based here to support a Taiwan contingency. |
| Southern | The South China Sea, plus support to the Eastern Theater in a Taiwan contingency. |
| Western | The largest theater by area, covering a conflict with India, the Central Asian borders, Tibet and Xinjiang. |
| Northern | The northern periphery: border security with North Korea, Russia and Mongolia, plus the Bohai Gulf and Yellow Sea. |
| Central | Defending the capital and the leadership, and acting as a strategic reserve for the other four. |
Source: 2025 China Military Power Report. For the line the Eastern and Southern theaters are built to push past, see What Is the First Island Chain?
Key numbers
Official Chinese figures are limited, so estimates vary. Each range below names its source.
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Active personnel | About 2 million | CRS R46808 |
| Navy battle force | 332 to 370+ ships; DoD projected 395 by 2025 and 435 by 2030 (the U.S. Navy had 296 in Sept. 2024) | CRS IF11719; CRS RL33153 |
| Submarines | 6 ballistic-missile, 6 nuclear attack and 48 diesel attack boats | CRS RL33153 |
| Fighter aircraft | About 2,200 | CRS IF11719 |
| Missiles | 2,750 short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles, 400 ICBMs, 300 ground-launched cruise missiles | CRS IF11719 |
| Nuclear warheads | Low 600s through 2024; over 1,000 expected by 2030 | DoD 2025 |
| ISR-capable satellites | More than 500 | DoD 2025 |
| Defense spending | Official 2026 budget of 1.94 trillion yuan (+6.9%). Estimates of real spending: $304 billion to $377 billion in 2024 (DoD) and $336 billion in 2025 (SIPRI) | China MND; DoD; SIPRI |
For how China’s budget compares with other countries, see Largest Military Budgets by Country.
Key systems
| System | What it is | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Fujian (CV-18) | China’s third carrier and first with electromagnetic catapults, about 80,000 tons. It was commissioned in Sanya on Nov. 5, 2025 (gov.cn). | China’s air drones |
| Type 076 Sichuan | An amphibious assault ship of about 50,000 tons with a drone catapult, launched Dec. 27, 2024 (CRS). | GJ-21 lands on the Sichuan |
| J-20 | China’s main stealth fighter, in three versions. | J-20 explained |
| J-36 and J-50 | Prototype sixth-generation combat aircraft tested in 2025 (SIPRI). | Sixth-generation fighters |
| DF-17, DF-26, DF-27 | Rocket Force missiles. DoD gives ranges of 1,500–2,000 km for the DF-17, 3,000–4,000 km for the DF-26 and 5,000–8,000 km for the DF-27. | Hypersonic missiles |
| Nuclear forces | More than 100 silos likely loaded with DF-31-class ICBMs, plus submarine and bomber legs (DoD). | China’s nuclear count |
| Cyber units | The Cyberspace Force and state-linked hacking campaigns. | Salt Typhoon vs Volt Typhoon |
| Space forces | The Aerospace Force and China’s counterspace weapons. | Space War hub |
Goals and milestones
- 2015: Xi launches the largest PLA reorganization since the 1950s (CRS).
- 2024: A second round of restructuring adds three support arms (see structure above).
- 2027: Interim goal to “accelerate” informatization and intelligentization (CRS).
- 2035: Military modernization to be “basically” complete (CRS).
- 2049: A “world-class” force by the 100th anniversary of the People’s Republic (CRS).
Leadership and purges
Xi Jinping has chaired the CMC since 2012 (CRS). Defense Minister Dong Jun, appointed in December 2023, is not a CMC member (DoD). Since 2022, Xi appears to have removed or sidelined more than 100 senior officers. The CMC, which had 11 members when he took power, had one sitting member besides Xi as of July 2026 (CRS).
- Oct. 17, 2025: CMC Vice Chairman He Weidong, CMC member Miao Hua and seven former senior officers were expelled from the party and the military (gov.cn).
- 2026: CMC Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia and Joint Staff chief Liu Zhenli were placed under investigation in January and expelled in September, as Xinhua reported. Dates and sources are in our PLA purge tracker.
- Oct. 2026: The party’s Fifth Plenum confirmed further military expulsions. See China’s Fifth Plenum.
DoD assessed in 2025 that the purges could improve readiness over the long term but “very likely risk short term disruptions” (CRS). For analysis of what the removals mean for readiness, read the Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli purge.
Latest China military news
- GJ-21 Stealth Drone Lands on China’s Type 076 Ship SichuanChina’s GJ-21 stealth drone has made its first landing on the Type 076 Sichuan. We trace the ship’s trials and compare it with U.S. amphibious ships.
- Trade War Oct 30, 2026: Canada Tariff Lists, G20 Shipping PushTrade war news: new US duty lists on Canadian goods take effect, Rubio signs energy and minerals deals, and the US bans Chinese testing labs.
- China Taiwan News Oct 30, 2026: Kim’s Drone Push, Shoal DrillsChina Taiwan news: Kim Jong Un demands drone superiority at a weapons demo, and China’s coast guard drills near Philippine-claimed shoals.
- What Is the First Island Chain? China, Taiwan and the Pacific LineWhat is the first island chain? How Congress’s researchers define the line from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines, and why it shapes US-China strategy.
- Xi Jinping’s PLA Purge: Generals Removed, 2014–2026 TrackerXi Jinping’s PLA purge, tracked: 41 generals with posts, dates and official wording, from Xu Caihou in 2014 to the record Fifth Plenum of Oct. 29, 2026.
- Trade War Oct 29, 2026: Robot Import Talks, Russian Diesel DealTrade war news: Trump orders robot and machinery import talks, Russia seeks sanctions relief, and the UN vote against the Cuba embargo weakens.
Related hubs
- Taiwan–China news hub
- Indo-Pacific security update (Oct. 30, 2026)
- Space War hub
- Countries with nuclear weapons
- Military technology 2026
FAQ
What is the PLA?
The People’s Liberation Army is the armed force of the Communist Party of China. It was founded in 1927 and includes the Army, Navy, Air Force and Rocket Force, plus four support arms.
How big is China’s military?
It is one of the world’s largest: roughly 2 million active troops, by the CRS estimate. The Pentagon says China has the world’s largest navy by ship count, with more than 370 battle-force ships.
Who controls the Chinese military?
The Central Military Commission, a party body chaired by Xi Jinping. The PLA answers to the party rather than to the state government.
What are China’s five theater commands?
Eastern, Southern, Western, Northern and Central. The Eastern Theater Command is responsible for Taiwan and the East China Sea.
How much does China spend on its military?
China’s official 2026 defense budget is 1.94 trillion yuan, about $281 billion. Outside estimates are higher: SIPRI put 2025 spending at $336 billion.
How many aircraft carriers does China have?
Three: the Liaoning, the Shandong and the Fujian, which was commissioned in November 2025 as China’s first carrier with electromagnetic catapults.
Why has China purged so many generals?
Officials cite corruption and party discipline violations. CRS says more than 100 senior officers have been removed or sidelined since 2022.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Defense: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2025 (Dec. 23, 2025)
- Congressional Research Service: China Primer: The People’s Liberation Army (IF11719, July 22, 2026)
- Congressional Research Service: China Naval Modernization (RL33153, April 24, 2025)
- Congressional Research Service report R46808
- Ministry of National Defense of China: 2026 defense spending arrangement (March 10, 2026)
- gov.cn (Xinhua): Xi attends commissioning of China’s Fujian aircraft carrier (Nov. 7, 2025)
- gov.cn (Xinhua): China expels 9 senior officials, former officials from CPC, military (Oct. 17, 2025)
Additional sources
- SIPRI: Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2025 (April 2026)
- Wikimedia Commons: U.S. Navy photo RIMPAC 160720-N-KM939-167
By Peter. Figures are estimates from the sources named and will change; this hub is updated as new reports are published.
