For the first time ever, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has hosted an Indian Army delegation in the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) area along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh sector of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian delegation was led by Colonel BS Uppal and the Chinese delegation by Colonel Song Zhoanli. The proceedings reflected the mutual desire of maintaining and improving relations at a functional level at the border.
Facts about People Liberation Army
- PLA is own by the Communist Party of China not the State, so it’s the largest private army in the world.
- PLA owes its allegiance to Communist Party of China, not People’s Republic of China.
- Ministry of Defense doesn’t control PLA. The Communist Party controls the PLA.
- The PLA consists of four professional service branches: the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force, the People’s Liberation Army Navy, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and the Second Artillery Corps.
- The PLA is the world’s largest military force, with a strength of approximately 2,285,000 personnel, 0.18% of the country’s population.
- Military service is compulsory by law; however, compulsory military service in China has never been enforced due to large numbers of volunteers from China’s population
Test Your Knowledge
Who is the current Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission?
