Once a regional force rooted in China’s revolution, the PLA is now stepping onto the global stage as a modern military power.
Established in 1927, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) came into being well before the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in 1949. Over the years, the PLA has grown into a vast and complex organization, made up of four main services: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force, along with two additional forces: the Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) and the Joint Logistics Support Force.
Under President Xi Jinping, China has pushed to build a “world-class military” by 2049, which marks the PRC’s centenary. To achieve this goal, the PLA has undergone rapid modernization and large-scale reforms. Today, it is transforming into a modern joint force that can handle a wide range of missions. In some areas, such as conventional missiles and the use of new technologies, the PLA already rivals the U.S. military. China’s navy is now the world’s largest, which highlights how far its capabilities have come.
A big reason behind this growth is China’s expanding economy and a defense budget that has steadily increased since the 1990s. In 2023, China’s official defense spending was about $225 billion, although the true figure is likely higher. China’s strategy also depends on “military-civil fusion.” This approach encourages using civilian technological advances for military purposes. Chinese defense firms benefit from foreign partnerships and technology transfers and sometimes from stealing technology, but China is also trying to make its defense industry more self-reliant.
China plans to complete the bulk of the PLA’s modernization by 2027. By then, the PLA aims to stand toe-to-toe with any potential rival, both in size and sophistication.
One major change is that the PLA is no longer focused only on defending Chinese territory. With its modern navy, China wants to operate far from its shores as a true blue-water fleet. The PLASSF, which covers electronic warfare, cyber operations, and space capabilities, further extends China’s reach worldwide.
This push aligns with the “new historic missions” introduced in 2004 under then-President Hu Jintao. These missions broadened the PLA’s role beyond just defending China’s sovereignty. Now, the PLA must also protect China’s global interests from safe access to the seas and space to securing the electromagnetic spectrum.
Beyond its military duties, the PLA often supports disaster relief inside China. For instance, after the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, PLA troops rescued tens of thousands of survivors and delivered critical aid. During the COVID-19 outbreak, PLA medical teams were quickly deployed to help overwhelmed hospitals in Wuhan. The PLA has also provided medical teams and supplies to other countries during emergencies, such as the Ebola outbreak and the Nepal earthquake.
China is now the largest troop contributor to UN peacekeeping missions among the UN Security Council’s permanent members. More than 2,500 PLA personnel serve in places like Mali, South Sudan, and Lebanon. The PLA Navy has also patrolled the Gulf of Aden since 2008 to help protect commercial ships from piracy.
All these developments show that the PLA is not only modernizing its weapons and technology but is also expanding its mission at home and abroad. If it meets its targets by 2027, the PLA will stand as one of the world’s most powerful and versatile armed forces, playing an ever-bigger role in shaping China’s position on the global stage.
