Atheater command (战区) is a multi-service formation ofChina'sPeople's Liberation Army subordinated to theCentral Military Commission. Theater commands are broadly responsible forstrategy,plans,tactics, andpolicy specific to their assignedarea of responsibility. In wartime, they will likely have full control of subordinate units; in peacetime, units also report to their service headquarters.[2] The services retain administrative and "constructive" control.[3] There are 5 theater commands:Eastern,Southern,Western,Northern, andCentral theater commands, organized by a geographical basis.[4]
In 2016, the seven military regions of China were reorganized into the present five theater commands and the term "military region" became obsolete. Chinese theater commands (TC) have been likened to thegeographic combatant commands of theUnited States military; however, China's theater commands do not extend beyond the nation's borders.[2] When listed by the government of the People's Republic of China, the theater commands are, by protocol, presented in order of precedence, as show below.[4][5]
Each theater command is led by both amilitary commander who is responsible for operations and an equally-rankedpolitical commissar who is responsible for ideological functions of the command in keeping with the values of theCCP. The staff of a theater command's headquarters participates in committee-based decision-making instead of a hierarchical command structure used by most other militaries. Under each theater command are the single-service headquarters for the Ground Force (PLAGF), Air Force (PLAAF), and Navy (PLAN) which adhere to a dual command structure wherein each subordinate service headquarters under a theater command reports to both the theater command it is assigned to and the service's national headquarters. In wartime it is believed these services will fall under the complete operational control of their theater command.[2] Neither the Central nor the Western Theater Command have an assigned PLAN service headquarters due to their smaller coastal profiles.
Alongside each service headquarters, a theater command has organically assigned anelectronic countermeasuresbrigade, an information operations support brigade, areconnaissance andintelligence support brigade, and a Joint Logistics Service Center (JLSC) from the PLA's Joint Logistic Support Force (JSLF).[2] Theater commands also own and operate most of the PLA'sdeep reconnaissance capabilities (forces intended to operate beyond a unit's firing range).[citation needed] Although control overintercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and long-rangeballistic missiles of thePLA Rocket Force (PLARF) remains with the ChineseNational Command Authority (NCA), theater commands maintain a contingent of PLARF personnel who aid in integratinglong-range ballistic missiles into theater command planning.Short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) brigades may also be attached to theater commands.[6]
The People's Liberation Army was originally organized bymilitary regions (Chinese:军区;pinyin:jūnqū). By July 1950, there were the Northwest Military Region,North China Military Region,Northeastern Military Region, Southwest Military Region,East China Military Region, and Central South Military Region.[7]
In December 1954, the existing six major military regions were reorganized into twelve regions: Shenyang (which traces history from the Northeastern Military Region), Beijing, Jinan,Nanjing, Guangzhou,Kunming,Wuhan, Chengdu, Lanzhou,Tibet,Xinjiang, andInner Mongolia.[8] The former Northwest Military Region, which became theBeijing Military Region, doubled as Beijing-Tianjin Garrison Command. Due tothe tension in theTaiwan Straits, the State Council ordered the establishment of theFuzhou Military Region on 22 April 1956. It included the provincial military districts of Fujian and Jiangsu, formerly under the Nanjing MR. The Fuzhou MR was officially established on 1 July 1956, withYe Fei as its commander and political commissar.[9]
The thirteen military regions established by 1956 were reduced to eleven in the late 1960s.[10] In 1967, the Inner Mongolia and Tibet Military Regions were downgraded and incorporated into the Beijing and Chengdu Military Regions.[11]
Those eleven military regions—Shenyang, Beijing, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou (including Hainan Island), Kunming, Wuhan, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xinjiang, and Fuzhou—were reduced to seven by 1985–88. From that point the active military districts includedLanzhou Military Region, incorporating the formerÜrümqi Military Region,Chengdu Military Region, incorporating the former Kunming MR,Nanjing Military Region, which includes the former Fuzhou MR,Beijing Military Region, andShenyang Military Region. FinallyGuangzhou andJinan Military Regions both appear to include parts of the former Wuhan MR.
The military regions are divided into military districts, usually contiguous with provinces, and military sub-districts.[12]
In January 2014, Chinese senior military officers revealed that the PLA is planning to reduce the number of military regions from seven to five "military areas" to have joint command with ground, naval, air, andSecond Artillery Corps forces. This change was planned to transition their concept of operations from primarily ground-oriented defense to mobile and coordinated movement of all services and to enhance offensive air and naval capabilities into theEast China Sea. The coastal Jinan, Nanjing, and Guangzhou regions became three military areas, each with a joint operations command, for projecting power into theYellow Sea, East China Sea, andSouth China Sea. The four other inland military regions were streamlined into two military areas mainly for organizing forces for operations.[13]
In February 2016, the seven military regions were reorganized into five theater commands, as part of the2015 People's Republic of China military reform.[14]
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