Is PLA an army of CPC's army and not China's Army?

[suryakiran]

Hello folks, I saw this news about PLA.

Is PLA the Communist Party of China's army rather than China's army?

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BEIJING, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is resolutely opposed to nationalizing the military, a senior PLA officer has said, urging the PLA to unswervingly uphold the principle of the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the military.

The officer said that "domestic and foreign hostile forces" have a purpose in criticizing the principle with calls for "nationalization of the military" and "non-affiliation between the military and the CPC and depoliticizing the military."

The criticism is fundamentally an attempt to divorce the PLA from the CPC's leadership so as to overthrow the CPC's ruling position and subvert the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, said General Li Jinai, a member of the Central Military Commission.

"We must resolutely reject these false political ideas and unswervingly listen to and follow the Party," said Li, who is also the director of the PLA General Political Department, in an opinion piece on the front page of Monday's PLA Daily.

He said that the absolute leadership of the CPC over the military is the soul of the army as well as an important political advantage of the party and the state. It's relevant to the enhancement of the CPC's ruling position and improves its governing, as "the military is the cornerstone of the regime, and the ruling party must have a firm grip on the military," Li said.

Moreover, Li said that the CPC's absolute leadership over the military is important to China's long-term stability and security, as the military shoulders the responsibility to secure peace for the development of the country during an important period of strategic opportunities.

He noted that China's basic military system, the CPC's absolute leadership over the military, serves the fundamental interest of the overwhelming majority of the people, which distinguishes itself from some Western countries' military that safeguard the interests of the bourgeoisie.

Li added that China will not copy the military systems of some Western countries, in which political parties exercise indirect control over the armed forces, because these systems are products of the historical and political conditions in these countries.

In a similar way, China's military system is determined by the country's specific conditions and the CPC's progressiveness, according to Li.

One major aspect of upholding the Party's absolute leadership over the military is to adhere to a set of basic systems that can guarantee the leadership.

For example, the supreme authority and command over the PLA must belong to the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, according to Li.

"On the fundamental political principle of the upholding the Party's absolute leadership over the military, we must be especially clear in mind, outright in attitude, and resolute in action," he said.

The CPC established its own military, the PLA's predecessor, in 1928, seven years after its own founding.

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No nationalization of military in China: senior PLA officer

 

[ao333]

Yes. The People's Liberation Army is the military arm of the Communist Party of China, not the country. The military in Taiwan is called the Republic of China Armed Forces. However, it is noteworthy that the CPC is the incumbent party on the mainland, thus for as long as the CPC is in power, the PLA is the national army and therefore enjoys a share of the national budget. In otherwords, if the CPC cedes its power to another party, mainland China will be left with no legal military, unless changes are made to the PLA.

It really is not surprising as:

The Communist Party of China exercises constitutional control over all branches of the government including, legislative, executive, and judiciaries. Therefore, there is no rule of law in China as the party inacts, enforces and rules on all laws in China. The party stands above law.

China or the mainland is an exemplary case of a single party dictatorship where 9 members of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China have de jure and facto control over the three pillars of mainland China namely, the State Council (civilian government), the Communist Party of China, and hence the People's Liberation Army.

Notwithstanding, recent news pertaining to how the PLA has become increasingly independent eptomizes a flaw in the political structure of the nation. The civilian leadership is losing control over the military. This illustrates a fracture in the politiburo where the military is making sizable gains.

As the politiburo is a conglomerate of the highest ranking officials in the Council, Party and Military, the PLA has the channel to overtake the buro and therefore the entirety of mainland China, a military junta, if the current trend does not reverse.

To put things more clearly, the party does not rule China. Although the organ ruling the country varies throughout history, it is as of now a 9 persons concensus rule. They appoint the president and all vital state and party positions (their successors).

 

[suryakiran]

I' am really surprised... Is PLA the Communist Party of China's army rather than China's army? How can CPC spend and maintain the party's Army with the fund acquired from Chinese government's budget and China's people?

Is this the setup for all the Communist governments thru out the world or just in China only? Was USSR's army kept under Party's control? Even in Vietnam and Cuba?

 

[ao333]

I' am really surprised... Is PLA the Communist Party of China's army rather than China's army? How can CPC spend and maintain the party's Army with the fund acquired from Chinese government's budget and China's people?

Is this the setup for all the Communist governments thru out the world or just in China only? Was USSR's army kept under Party's control? Even in Vietnam and Cuba?

1)

Yes. The People's Liberation Army is the military arm of the Communist Party of China, not the country. The military in Taiwan is called the Republic of China Armed Forces. However, it is noteworthy that the CPC is the incumbent party on the mainland, thus for as long as the CPC is in power, the PLA is the national army and therefore enjoys a share of the national budget. In otherwords, if the CPC cedes its power to another party, mainland China will be left with no legal military, unless changes are made to the PLA.

2) The structure is similar for PRC-backed or historically-backed communist regimes such as North Korea and Vietnam. The Communist Party of the Soviet Union had de facto rule over the military but differed in that the party controlled the military through state departments and personels rather than direct intervention. Cuba is a military junta where the military controls the party and state.

 

[Akasa]

As we can see from the number of warlords, rebellions, mutinies, and infighting throughout China's history, it's best to acknowledge that this situation for now is the best option.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

The PLA is the People's Liberation Army.

And they are directly controlled by the civilian government, i.e. the CPC.

 

[suryakiran]

The PLA is the People's Liberation Army.

And they are directly controlled by the civilian government, i.e. the CPC.

If i look at the news again, it seems PLA is completely controlled by the communist Party and not the civilian government.The government does not have any control on it. What i understood is, CPC is the party, not the government and it runs the government without any opposition party. What will happen if CPC looses the power in the future and some other party comes to power? Theoritically, China will not have an army to defent it?

 

[iniesta]

no,china's society rule is different from the west . You will get the wrong conclusion ,if you are in west model.

 

[lem34]

If the chinese are happy and they seem to be happy with the status quo who are we to knock them.

 

[suryakiran]

If the chinese are happy and they seem to be happy with the status quo who are we to knock them.

We are not trying to knock them down.

 

[daiyu]

any differences?

 

[suryakiran]

any differences?

Yes, there is. Think about the terms China Communist Party's Army and China Government's Army. This is the difference. But, seems this is the structure followed by few other communist nations also.

 

[lcloo]

China is a one party government sytem, CPC is the government, thus no matter how you turn and twist with the question, PLA is the party's army as well as the government's army.

It is as simple as that. Only people who do not understand China's system tend to make thing complicated. There are no other political party now, and if in future other parties are allowed to contest, there will be due changes, but that scenario is unlikely to happen in, may be, our life time.

 

[dingyibvs]

The CPC is not a political party in the western sense. It is, for ALL purposes, the civilian government of China. People often tries to view the CPC through the lens of a western political system, and what they see is a single political party dominating the government. However, they need to realize that the political party IS the government. The difference is subtle, but significant, because overthrowing the CPC would mean overthrowing the entire government, including the government's military.

 

[khanz4996]

what does PLA stands for PEOPLES LIBERATION ARMY the army which liberated people from westren interference and japans cruel rule its the army who fought the UNO forces under Chairman Mao to liberate its people from foriegn occupation while the traitors fled to taiwan due to overwhelming force of chinese people and support for PLA. CHINA BELONGS TO CHINESE.and chinese people made this one party system we are no one to criticsize people for their free will.china was devastated by second world war they got independence and they made the whole country from scratch in between the jaws o aligator one side USSR and otherside India and otherside taiwan another side japan and US.PLA has the right to do what ever it wants as it the Army of the People