1. Headquarters
The Headquarters of the General Staff, General Political
Department, General Logistics Department, and General Armament
Department, which are not only working organs of the CMC, but also
leading organs for military, political, logistics and armament
affairs of the entire army. They undertake the primary tasks of
ensuring the implementation and realization of strategic decisions,
policies and principles of the CMC on military warfare and army
building.
The Headquarters of the General Staff is responsible for organizing
and leading the building of the armed forces in the nation, and
organizing and commanding military actions of the armed forces. It
is made up of offices and departments for war operations,
information, communication, military training, army affairs,
mobilization, armament, security, mapping and surveying, foreign
affairs, as well as the affairs of the various armed services and
arms.
The General Political Department is responsible for Party work in
the military, and organizes political work. It is made up of
departments or offices for organization, officers, publicity,
security and discipline inspection.
The General Logistics Department is responsible for leading the
work of all logistic matters of the armed forces. It is made up of
departments or offices for finance, military supplies, health,
transportation, oil and materials and barracks construction.
The General Armament Department is responsible for leading the work
concerned with armament supply. It is made up of departments and
offices for general planning, research and ordering for armaments
for the various services and arms of the armed forces,
communication equipment and its guarantee.
2. Ministry of Defense
It
is the organ for military affairs in the State Council. The
ministry was set up according to a decision adopted by the 1st
Session of the 1st National People's Congress in 1954. Its primary
responsibilities are to exercise unified administration over the
building of the armed forces of the country such as the recruiting,
organizational setup, equipment, training, military scientific
research of the people's armed forces and the ranking and
remuneration of the officers and men. The work of the ministry is
conducted respectively by the Headquarters of the General Staff,
the General Political Department, the General Logistics Department
and the General Armament Department. The Ministry of Defense does
not command the armed forces. Exchanges in the military field with
foreign institutions are usually conducted in the name of the
Ministry of Defense.
3. Headquarters of the various branches of the armed
forces
(1) Headquarters of the Navy
The headquarters of the Navy was established in December 1949, as
an organ of the CMC for the administration of the navy as well as a
leading body for the naval force, its scientific research,
logistics and armament affairs. Its basic tasks are to oversee the
building of the navy, its war preparation work, and to command the
military operations of the navy, according to the policies and
principles of the CMC for the building and war operations of the
navy. The headquarters is made up of the commanding headquarters,
political department, logistics department, technology and war
preparation department, war preparation and maintenance department,
and the naval air force department. Naval fleets are stationed in
strategic sea zones along China's coast.
(2) Headquarters of the Air Force
The headquarters of the Air Force was established in July 1949, as
an organ of the CMC for the administration of the air force as well
as a leading body for the air force, its scientific research,
logistics and armament affairs. Its basic tasks are to oversee the
building of the air force, its war preparation work and to command
the military operations of the air force, in accordance with the
policies and principles of the CMC for the building and war
operations of the air force. The headquarters has experienced
reorganizations on several occasions. In 1985, such organizations
as the commanding headquarters, political department, logistic
department, and air-engineering department were set up. Since
August 1950, various area military commands in the country have
established headquarters of their air forces which are under the
dual leadership of the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army
and the various area military commands. Since 1951, various area
military commands have organized their own air force and commanding
organs of the air force at the army level.
(3) Headquarters of the 2nd Artillery Corps
The headquarters of the 2nd Artillery Corps was established in July
1966, which was then made up of the commanding headquarters,
political department and logistics department. In December 1975, a
scientific research department was added. The headquarters
underwent a major reform in June 1985, as overlapping organizations
were dismissed and commanding control and automation control
departments established.
4. Area military commands
Headquarters of the various area military commands are the highest
commanding bodies of consolidated military forces in each strategic
region. Usually they are made up of the commanding headquarters,
political departments, logistics departments and armament
departments.
The primary jobs of the headquarters of the area military commands
are: being responsible for the commanding of the war operations of
the army, navy and air force in the areas under their jurisdiction
as well as the military, political, logistic and armament affairs
of the forces under their command. They are also responsible for
the militia, military service, mobilization and construction of
military facilities and sites in areas under their respective
jurisdiction.
(China.org.cn May 20, 2003)