PLA overhauls regional command system to improve joint capability

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, speaks at a ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 1, 2016. Xi on Monday conferred military flags on the five newly-established theater commands of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). [Photo/Xinhua]

At the end of December, the PLA Army Headquarters, PLA Rocket Force and PLA Strategic Support Force were set up.

Last month, the PLA's central departments — staff, politics, logistics and armaments — were dismantled and their functions and duties were reassigned to 15 new agencies under the Central Military Commission.

Zhang Junshe, a senior researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said the seven regional commands had been tied to the combat mode centered on ground forces, while the new system features joint operations and information capacity. The previous regional commands were formed in 1985 under a reform ordered by the then top leader Deng Xiaoping.

Lou Yaoliang, head of military strategy studies at the National Defense University, said the new regional commands will be responsible for performing military operations, while the headquarters of each service will take charge of managing and training troops.

Contact the writers at zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn