The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) serves as the comprehensive military organization encompassing China’s terrestrial, maritime, and aerial defense forces. Its origins are officially recognized as stemming from the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927, an event commemorated annually as PLA Day. As one of the globe’s most substantial military entities, the PLA boasts a membership exceeding two million individuals. Mandatory military service is required for all male citizens upon reaching 18 years of age, while female citizens are permitted to enlist in non-combatant roles such as medical, veterinary, and technical services. Those who have completed their service remain in a state of readiness as part of a reserve force, which is augmented by a secondary reserve composed of veterans and the militia.

The PLA operates under the direct authority of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), despite the existence of a nominally equivalent commission within the government structure, which lacks distinct operational autonomy. The CCP’s commission wields considerable influence over the armed forces, overshadowing the Ministry of National Defense, which itself functions under the auspices of the State Council. The political echelon has been actively engaged in shaping a professional military, dedicated to national defense, support in domestic economic development, and emergency response. This vision necessitates the advancement of officers adept in modern warfare technology and the coordination of combined arms operations. Military personnel are strategically deployed across seven military regions and numerous districts nationwide. Despite efforts to modernize, the PLA’s conventional military capabilities, logistics, and command-and-control systems remain less advanced compared to other leading global military powers due to budgetary constraints and other limitations.

The role of China’s Public Security forces has undergone significant transformation since the late 1970s. There has been a narrowing in the classification of security threats and a reduction in the breadth of the security forces’ operations. The scale of political repression, which previously affected millions, has been curtailed, leading to the release of a substantial, though undisclosed, number of individuals from labor and other camps under Public Security jurisdiction. The 1980s saw a more lenient approach by the Public Security forces towards foreign nationals within China, influenced by the country’s “open-door” policy. Nonetheless, from 1990 onwards, there has been a general shift towards more stringent policies and reinforced controls.

Organizational changes and policy reforms have also impacted the Public Security forces’ role. The progression towards a codified legal framework and the establishment of a judicial system governed by such laws have diminished the previously unchecked authority of the Public Security apparatus, which, by the 1970s, had the unilateral power to arrest, convict, sentence, and detain individuals without external intervention. Furthermore, the Public Security Ministry has ceded administrative oversight of counterespionage and economic crime investigations to the Ministry of State Security.