ABSTRACT
Visitors to China may rightly be confused by the number of people they see on the streets wearing military-looking uniforms. People in various shades green, blue, beige, and camouflage are everywhere. A possible conclusion is that these uniforms are all part of the Chinese army—after all, it is “the largest army in the world.” In fact, in addition to military personnel who wear uniforms both on and off duty, as in most countries, police and paramilitary forces wear uniforms. Unlike some other countries, however, many government officials who have non-military or security functions, such as in the legal, transportation, and health and sanitation systems, also may wear military-appearing dress. Moreover, parts of military uniforms, which are relatively cheap and sturdy, are available for sale to civilians, although purchase of military insignia requires presentation of proper identification. 1 Green military overcoats in particular are popular among the poor. The problem of identifying who is who among the many different uniforms underlies an important question: Just what exactly is the PLA? In order to understand the role of the PLA in contemporary Chinese society, it is just as important to understand what the PLA is not.
