Editor's Note

The proper name and number for an army formation was used in a television report for the first time on Tuesday, a move seen by media and military watchers as indicating an increased level of transparency in the Chinese military. 

During CCTV coverage of a military drill in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, the report specifically referred to soldiers as “snipers from the 39th Group Army in Shenyang”, a clear break from the vague names previously used in news reports, such as “People’s Liberation Army” or “a group army”, a non-specific military unit.  

Later that night, CCTV followed with a post on its official Weibo account saying that “Specific PLA army units can be mentioned in reports instead of ‘a group army’, indicating the Chinese military is becoming more open and transparent.”

Latest News

People's Daily online, Jan. 17, 2013: Designation of China's group army no longer secret to public

The designation of China's group army is no longer confidential information to the public as of January 15, 2013, reported by CCTV news Tuesday.

 

The ground forces of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) consist of 18 group armies, according to the white paper on China’s National Defense in 2006 issued by the Information Office of the State Council on December 29, 2006.

Source: Changjiang Daily
Illustration: Globaltimes.cn

1. the 65th Group Army in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province
2. the 38th Group Army in Baoding, Hebei Province
3. the 27th Group Army in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province
4. the 16th Group Army in Changchun, Jilin Province
5. the 39th Group Army in Liaoyang, Liaoning Province
6. the 40th Group Army in Jinzhou, Liaoning Province
7. the 54th Group Army in Xinxiang, Henan Province
8. the 20th Group Army in Kaifeng, Henan Province
9. the 26th Group Army in Weifang, Shandong Province
10. the 12th Group Army in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province
11. the 1st Group Army in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province
12. the 31st Group Army in Xiamen, Fujian Province
13. the 42nd Group Army in Huizhou, Guangdong Province
14. the 41th Group Army in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
15. the 14th Group Army in Kunming, Yunnan Province
16. the 13rd Group Army in Chongqing
17. the 21st Group Army in Baoji, Shaanxi Province
18. the 47th Group Army in Lintong, Shaanxi Province

 

There are in all seven military area commands in China, according to the Xinhua News Agency: the PLA Beijing Military Area Command, the PLA Shenyang Military Area Command, the PLA Jinan Military Area Command, the PLA Nanjing Military Area Command, the PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command, the PLA Chengdu Military Area Command and the PLA Lanzhou Military Area Command.

The PLA Beijing Military Area Command: the 27th Group Army in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, the 38th Group Army in Baoding, Hebei Province and the 65th Group Army in Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province

The PLA Shenyang Military Area Command: the 16th Group Army in Changchun, Jilin Province, the 39th Group Army in Liaoyang and the 40th Group Army in Jinzhou, Liaoning Province

The PLA Jinan Military Area Command: the 20th Group Army in Kaifeng, Henan Province, the 26th Group Army in Weifang, Shandong Province, the 54th Group Army in Xinxiang, Henan Province

The PLA Nanjing Military Area Command: the 1st Group Army in Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, the 12nd Group Army in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, the 31st Group Army in Xiamen, Fujian Province.

The PLA Guangzhou Military Area Command: the 41th Group Army in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the 42nd Group Army in Huizhou, Guangdong Province

The PLA Chengdu Military Area Command: the 13rd Group Army in Chongqing, the 14th Group Army in Kunming, Yunnan Province

The PLA Lanzhou Military Area Command: the 21st Group Army in Baoji, Shaanxi Province and the 47th Group Army in Lintong, Shaanxi Province

Comments

People’s Daily online:

Zhu Chenghu, director-general and professor at the Department of Strategic Studies, National Defense University, told Strong China Forum (a People’s Daily online forum) during an interview that military transparency in China is increasing, but no country in the world can be completely transparent to the public.

Gmw.cn:

“To disclose China’s group army publicly is not only political disclosure, but also a way to bring the military and the public closer together, foster understanding and support of military affairs, and create a good environment for the army to develop."

Nanfang Daily:

Li Daguang, a professor at National Defense University, said that the disclosure is a positive signal that the Chinese army is becoming more open, transparent and confident.

Some soldiers said that public awareness of group armies would increase their sense of honor, responsibility and belonging.

Over the past few decades, China’s group army has been transformed many times, and our maintained records symbolize the glorious history of the Chinese armed forces, which we can feel proud to show to the public.

Changjiang Daily:

Military affairs commentator Wu Jian believes that the disclosure is actually part of a recent series of actions aimed at enhancing the military’s transparency. The Chinese army has become increasingly active in sharing new trends and showcasing equipment to the public.

“It is no longer necessary for China to rely on secrecy to deter potential rivals. Instead, it could use its advanced equipment and powerful military to strengthen the Chinese people’s sense of confidence and pride.

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