ABSTRACT
The term People’s Liberation Army (PLA) encompasses China’s ground, naval, and air forces. Despite the fact that the PLA is behind other major armies in technical sophistication, mobility, and heavy equipment, students of the PLA agree that the Chinese military is quite capable of defending its homeland against invasion by conventional forces. The 1975 Chinese constitution stipulated that the commander in chief of the armed forces is the chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, a position which is currently held by Mao’s successor, Hua Kuo-feng. The Chinese Communist Party reigns supreme in the military as in other segments of society and government. Most of the PLA’s needs can be lumped under the general term “logistics.” The organization responsible for logistics, military pay, and medical care is the General Rear Services Department. The organizational system provides for checks and balances and specialization of function, and has a great deal of flexibility in accommodating modernization.
