Grades of the armed forces of China
{{Short description|Core command structure of China's armed forces}}
The organization of the armed forces of the People's Republic of China is based on grades. Each military formation, institution, billet, and officer has a grade. Personnel grades flow from the institution's grade. For example, the grade of a unit commander billet is the same as the unit's, and the officer in that billet receives that grade. Historically, grade, rather than rank, determined or indicated an officer's authority, and various professional and career factors.
Overview
= Hierarchy =
Grades determine the command hierarchy from the Central Military Commission (CMC) to the platoon level. Since 1988, all institutions, billets, and officers in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police (PAP) have a grade.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=18}} Entities command lower-graded entities, and coordinate with like-graded entities.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}} An institution shares its grade with its leading officers, and all sub-ordinate institutions and officers have lower grades. Under the dual-command structure, an institution's military commanding officer and political officer have the same grade.{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|p=74}}
Civil–military relations within the wider state bureaucracy is also influenced by grades. The grading systems used by the armed forces and the government are parallel, making it easier for military entities to identify the civilian entities they should coordinate with.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}}
= Personnel management =
An officer's authority, eligibility for billets, pay, and retirement age is determined by grade{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|pp=73-74}}{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}} ("position grade".) Career progression includes lateral transfers between billets of the same grade, but which are not considered promotions.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=17}}{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|p=73}} An officer retiring to the civil service has their grade translated to the civil grade system;{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}} their grade continues to progress and draw retirement benefits through the civil system rather than the armed forces.{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|p=74}}
Historically, personnel grade — or position ({{zh|s=职务等级|p=zhíwù děngjí}}{{Cite web |last1=Wuthnow |first1=Joel |last2=Saunders |first2=Phillip C. |date=16 March 2021 |title=A New Step Forward in PLA Professionalization |url=https://jamestown.org/program/a-new-step-forward-in-pla-professionalization/ |access-date=22 June 2024 |website=Jamestown Foundation |language=en |archive-date=22 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240622160617/https://jamestown.org/program/a-new-step-forward-in-pla-professionalization/ |url-status=live }}) — was more important than rank ({{zh|s=军衔|p=jūnxián}}).{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}} Historically, time-in-grade and time-in-rank requirements{{Cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Kenneth |date=22 July 2010 |title=Assessing the PLA's Promotion Ladder to CMC Member Based on Grades vs. Ranks – Part 1 |url=https://jamestown.org/program/assessing-the-plas-promotion-ladder-to-cmc-member-based-on-grades-vs-ranks-part-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511105015/https://jamestown.org/program/assessing-the-plas-promotion-ladder-to-cmc-member-based-on-grades-vs-ranks-part-1/ |archive-date=2024-05-11 |access-date=2024-05-12 |website=Jamestown Foundation |language=en-US}} and promotions were not synchronized;{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=17}} multiple ranks were present in each grade{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=19}} with all having the same authority.{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|p=74}} Rank was mainly a visual aid to roughly determine relative position when interacting with Chinese and foreign personnel.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}} PLA etiquette preferred addressing personnel by position rather than by rank.{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|p=77}} Reforms to a more rank-centric system began in 2021. In 2023, a revised grade structure associated one rank per grade, with some ranks spanning multiple grades.{{Cite web |title=中国公务员的级别和职级 |trans-title=Chinese civil service grades and ranks |url=http://www.dltdjw.gov.cn/ywgz/gwygl/202303/t20230309_3357858.html |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Dalate Banner Party Building Network |archive-date=2024-06-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614215401/http://www.dltdjw.gov.cn/ywgz/gwygl/202303/t20230309_3357858.html |url-status=live |language=zh }}
= Civilians =
The highest grade is CMC chairman; the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, a civilian, is the CMC's chair which makes them the armed forces' representative in the Politburo Standing Committee, the country's ruling body.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=87}} Civilian CMC members have personnel grades but do not have military ranks.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=18}} During the drafting of the 1988 system, Deng Xiaoping - then CMC chairman - refused the rank of (depending on the report) marshal{{cite web |last1=Kan |first1=Ke |date=5 May 2016 |editor1-last=Le |editor1-first=Yi |editor2-last=Qin |editor2-first=Jing |title=形成中央军委主席不授予军衔的惯例 |trans-title=It has become a practice that the Chairman of the Central Military Commission does not confer military ranks |url=http://cpc.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0505/c69113-28326425.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109132105/http://cpc.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0505/c69113-28326425.html |archive-date=2020-11-09 |accessdate=2018-06-02 |website=People's Daily |publisher=中国共产党新闻网 |language=zh |agency=Guang'an Daily}} or "first class general"; first class general was the highest rank under the 1988 system and intended for the top leadership.{{Cite web |last1=Gao |first1=Xin |editor1-last=Guo |editor1-first=Du |date=2 August 2017 |title=习近平的下一个头衔怎么说也该是元帅了 |trans-title=Xi Jinping's next rank should be marshal, I'd say! |lang=zh |url=https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/zhuanlan/yehuazhongnanhai/gx-08022017141728.html |access-date=2024-07-02 |website=Radio Free Asia |quote="一级上将军衔在87年条例中是高于上将，是全国最高军衔，主要授予军委主席，也可以授予副主席。但87年设置一级上将时，说白了，就是给邓的。但是邓主动要求不授衔。这个军衔也就一直空着。而且当时也规定一级上将在战时授予军委主席，后来又觉得战时再搞个授衔什么的很麻烦军委主席直接就是军队最高领导，没必要特意授衔，所以后来就取消了"}} The practice of an unranked CMC chairman was formalized in 1994 and the rank of first class general was abolished.
History
= Early systems =
The Chinese Red Army, and later the PLA, did not use grades or ranks during the Chinese Civil War. Personnel were addressed by job titles.{{sfn|Kaufman|Mackenzie|2009|p=46}} During the Second United Front period, the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army were officially part of the Kuomintang's National Revolutionary Army, and therefore formally used its system of ranks from 1937 to 1946; this was not official Chinese Communist Party policy. After the establishment of the PRC, a 21-grade system was adopted in 1952. In 1955, this changed to 20 grades, combined with 15 Soviet-based military ranks; the ranks were abolished in 1965. The number of grades changed to 27 in 1965, 23 in 1972, and 18 in 1979; the 1965 and 1972 changes were based on the State Administrative Grade System.{{cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Kenneth |date=30 January 2017 |title=China Announces Reform of Military Ranks |url=https://jamestown.org/program/china-announces-reform-military-ranks/ |access-date=23 June 2024 |website=Jamestown Foundation |archive-date=13 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191013094755/https://jamestown.org/program/china-announces-reform-military-ranks/ |url-status=live }}
= 1988 reforms =
The 1988 system had 15 grades and 10 ranks. The grades paralleled the civil grade system.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=16}} The system had a many-to-many relationship between grades and ranks because grade and rank promotions were unsynchronized. From 1988 to 1994, there were three ranks allowable per grade; by 2021 there were two ranks per grade.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=18}} A rank could also appear across grades; for example, major general could appear from division leader to military region deputy leader grades.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=21}}
The vague relationship between grades and ranks was not the only problem. Further difficulties appeared with the Deepening National Defense and Military Reform - particularly the operational reorganization around theater commands - and the disruption of career paths with the conversion of many divisions and regiments into brigades.{{Cite web |last1=Char |first1=James |date=31 March 2021 |title=What a Change in China's Officer Rank and Grade System Tells Us About PLA Reform |url=https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/what-a-change-in-chinas-officer-rank-and-grade-system-tells-us-about-pla-reform/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240511105015/https://thediplomat.com/2021/03/what-a-change-in-chinas-officer-rank-and-grade-system-tells-us-about-pla-reform/ |archive-date=2024-05-11 |access-date=2024-05-11 |website=The Diplomat |language=en-US}}
Theater command leader and theater command deputy leader replaced military region leader and military region deputy leader respectively. Brigade leader and deputy brigade leader were also added; they may have been equivalent to division leader and deputy division leader in 2016{{Cite web |last1=Allen |first1=Kenneth |last2=Blasko |first2=Dennis J. |last3=Corbett |first3=John F. |date=4 February 2016 |title=The PLA's New Organizational Structure: What is Known, Unknown and Speculation (Part 1) |url=https://jamestown.org/program/the-plas-new-organizational-structure-what-is-known-unknown-and-speculation-part-1/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113175056/https://jamestown.org/program/the-plas-new-organizational-structure-what-is-known-unknown-and-speculation-part-1/ |archive-date=2020-11-13 |access-date=2024-06-13 |website=Jamestown Foundation |language=en-US}} and then to deputy division leader and regiment leader in 2020.
| class="wikitable"
|+ 1988 officer grades and ranks{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=18-19}} |
| rowspan="2" | Grade
! colspan="2" | Ranks |
|---|
| Most common
! Less common |
| CMC chairman CMC Vice-chairman | colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | None |
| CMC member
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | General |
| Military region leader
| Lieutenant general/Vice admiral |
| Military region deputy leader
| Lieutenant general/Vice admiral | Major general/Rear admiral |
| Corps leader
| Major general/Rear admiral | Lieutenant general/Vice admiral |
| Corps deputy leader
| Major general/Rear admiral |
| Division leader
| Senior colonel/Senior captain | Major general/Rear admiral |
| Division deputy leader
| Colonel/Captain | Senior colonel/Senior captain |
| Regiment leader
| Colonel/Captain | Lieutenant colonel/Commander |
| Regiment deputy leader
| Lieutenant colonel/Commander | Major/Lieutenant commander |
| Battalion leader
| Major/Lieutenant commander | Lieutenant colonel/Lieutenant commander |
| Battalion deputy leader
| Major/Lieutenant commander |
| Company leader
| Captain/Lieutenant | First lieutenant/Lieutenant (junior grade) |
| Company deputy leader
| First lieutenant/Lieutenant (junior grade) | Captain/Lieutenant |
| Platoon leader
| First lieutenant/Ensign |
= 2021 reforms =
Changing to a rank-centric system was being considered by 2016 and became policy as part of the 2021 "interim" reforms to officer management and recruitment policies to improve professionalism. The reforms created a four-grade structure for technical specialists (senior professional, deputy senior professional, intermediate professional and junior professional), a separate pay level structure, and linked pay and benefits to rank rather than grade.{{Cite web |editor1-last=Huang |editor1-first=Panyue |title=Regular Press Conference of the Ministry of National Defense on January 28 |url=http://eng.mod.gov.cn/xb/Home/Focus/4878336.html |date=1 February 2021 |access-date=5 July 2024 |website=Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China}}
The revised officer grade system associated each grade to one rank, although a rank could be associated with multiple grades. The implementation of the new rank-based system seems to be ongoing at a slow pace, starting by equating TC appointments with full General rank, and deputy TC positions with Lt Generals, but the change is still not quite applied to lower posts and to field and company posts.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=Assessment of Simultaneous PLA 3-Star and Theater Command Leader-grade Promotions since 2019 |url=https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/CASI/Display/Article/3826912/assessment-of-simultaneous-pla-3-star-and-theater-command-leader-grade-promotio/ |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=Air University (AU) |language=en-US}}
Insignia
Grade was indicated on a uniform by the Type 07 ribbon bar system, and the total number of ribbon rows. The system also marked years of service.{{sfn|Pollpeter|Allen|2012|p=20}}
The current system is called the Type 23 system, and includes post grades for NCOs and technical officers.{{Cite web |last1=Francis |first1=Edward |last2=Chang |first2=Jennifer |last3=Allen |first3=Ken |date=2024-08-01 |title=The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Type 23 Military Ribbons: Turning Chicken Ribs into Chicken Drumsticks |url=https://exovera.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/EXOVERA-PLA-Type-23-RibbonsFINAL.pdf |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=Exovera}}
= 2023 grade ribbon bars =
PLA rank ribbon CMC VC.svg|CMC Vice-Chairman
PLA rank ribbon CMC member.svg|CMC member
PLA rank ribbon theatre command.svg|Theater Command leader
PLA rank ribbon theatre command deputy.svg|Theater Command deputy leader
PLA rank ribbon corps.svg|Corps leader
PLA rank ribbon corps deputy.svg|Corps deputy leader
PLA rank ribbon division.svg|Division leader
PLA rank ribbon division deputy.svg|Division deputy leader
PLA rank ribbon regiment.svg|Regiment leader
PLA rank ribbon regiment deputy.svg|Regiment deputy leader
PLA rank ribbon battalion.svg|Battalion leader
PLA rank ribbon battalion deputy.svg|Battalion deputy leader
PLA rank ribbon company.svg|Company leader
PLA rank ribbon company deputy.svg|Deputy company leader
PLA rank ribbon platoon.svg|Platoon leader
PLA rank ribbon STO lv1.svg|Senior specialist technical officer
PLA rank ribbon STO lv2.svg|Deputy senior specialist technical officer
PLA rank ribbon STO lv3.svg|Intermediate specialist technical officer
PLA rank ribbon STO lv4.svg|Junior specialist technical officer
PLA rank ribbon staff MSG.svg|Staff sergeant
PLA rank ribbon section.svg|Platoon leader
PLA rank ribbon section deputy.svg|Deputy platoon leader
PLA rank ribbon squad.svg|Squad leader
PLA rank ribbon squad deputy.svg|Deputy squad leader
See also
References
= Citations =
{{Reflist}}
= Sources =
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite report |last1=Kaufman |first1=Alison A. |last2=Mackenzie |first2=Peter W. |date=2009 |title=The Culture of the Chinese People's Liberation Army |url=https://publicintelligence.net/mcia-pla-culture-study/ |publisher=Marine Corps Intelligence Activity |access-date=2024-06-23 |archive-date=2024-06-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623194841/https://publicintelligence.net/mcia-pla-culture-study/ |url-status=live }}
- {{cite report |editor1-last=Pollpeter |editor1-first=Kevin |editor2-last=Allen |editor2-first=Kenneth W. |date=14 June 2012 |title=The PLA as Organization v2.0 |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD1082742 |publisher=China Aerospace Studies Institute |access-date=23 June 2024 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126115751/https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD1082742 |url-status=live }}
{{refend}}
Category:People's Liberation Army
Category:Military units and formations of the People's Republic of China