China’s Goldwater-Nichols? Assessing PLA Organizational Reforms

Authors

Phillip C. Saunders, Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University
Joel Wuthnow, Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University

Files

Description

In the past few months, China has announced a series of major reforms to the organizational structure of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA): the Central Military Commission (CMC) has been revamped, the four general departments dissolved, new service headquarters created, and five new theater commands established in place of the seven military regions (MRs). These changes are part of a sweeping transformation of PLA institutions, force structure, and policy that will be ongoing through 2020. In pursuing these reforms, China’s leaders hope both to tighten central political control over a force that was seen as increasingly corrupt and to build the PLA into a credible joint warfighting entity. Yet important obstacles remain, and it may be years before the implications of these reforms come into full view.

Document Type

Policy Brief

Publication Date

4-2016

Publication

Strategic Forum

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Recommended Citation

Saunders, Phillip C. and Wuthnow, Joel, "China’s Goldwater-Nichols? Assessing PLA Organizational Reforms" (2016). Strategic Forums. 94.
https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/strategic-forums/94