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)