Report to Congress on the People’s Liberation Army

USNI News

China’s People’s Liberation Army is undergoing a sweeping structural reorganization to transition into a high-technology, joint-operations force capable of global power projection. This modernization effort, initiated during the highly ambitious 2015 reforms under President Xi Jinping, aims to secure absolute political loyalty to the Communist Party of China.

Historically established in 1927 as an infantry-heavy ground force, the military now encompasses four distinct services and four specialized service arms, including the newly designated Aerospace, Cyberspace, and Information Support Forces. The Central Military Commission, chaired by Xi Jinping, directly oversees these branches alongside the People’s Armed Police and the China Coast Guard. However, the systematic purge of over 100 senior officers since 2022 has left this supreme military decision-making body with only one sitting member besides its chairman, raising critical international concerns regarding the institution's political cohesion and immediate combat readiness.

Comment

The concentration of decision-making power within a depleted Central Military Commission reveals how the Communist Party of China prioritises political loyalty over institutional stability. By reducing the commission to a single active member alongside Xi Jinping, the regime has compromised the collective leadership model designed to manage complex joint operations. This extreme centralisation of command structures likely introduces severe bottlenecks in rapid decision-making during high-intensity conflicts, particularly within the newly established Aerospace and Cyberspace Forces. Consequently, the ongoing purges of senior officers since 2022 suggest that internal security concerns continue to override the operational requirements of the 2015 military reforms.

To read in details click here