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Army Reserve
The PLA reserve force, together with the militia, constitute the reserve components of the PRC’s armed forces. The first reserve force was created in 1955, but it was disbanded in 1957. The current reserve force of the PLA was created in 1983. The reserve force as a component of the armed forces was first stipulated in the 1984 Military Service Law. In 1995, the PRC passed the Reserve Service Officer Law as a guidance for the organisation of reserve service personnel. In April 1996, reserve service officers were awarded with military ranks. During the 1999 National Day military parade held in Beijing, the reserve force appeared for the first time as one of the parade formations.
The reserve force is composed of part-time reserve soldiers, mostly militia and demobilised soldiers, as well as reserve service officers, which include both full-time active-duty PLA officers and part-time reserve officers. The PLA reservists are organised into reserve divisions, brigades, and regiments, which are subordinate to various military district headquarters. Regular training of the reserve service troops is organised by the military sub-district or garrison headquarters in each city and prefecture. Recruitment and registration of reservists are carried out by the people’s armed forces department in each county and city district. Reserve troops wear the reserve force uniforms and ranks during their training in peacetime, and wear the PLA uniforms and ranks once they are mobilised.
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Reserve force troops in mobilisation (Chinese Internet) |
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Currently the reserve force consists of infantry, tank, artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, surface-to-air missile, engineering, signal, pontoon bridge, chemical defence, and logistics support units. Over the past two decades, the reserve force has absorbed some deactivated PLA units, but also created new units that meet the demands of today’s battlefield. Additionally, the PLA Navy, PLA Air Force, and Second Artillery Corps have also created their own reserve force units. The total manpower of the PLA reserve force was reported to be “several hundred thousand”.
Strength
Infantry
- Infantry division X 17
- Infantry brigade X 5
- Infantry regiment X 1
Armour
Artillery
- Artillery division X 3
- Artillery brigade X 7
- Self-propelled anti-tank gun brigade X 1
Air-Defence
- Anti-aircraft artillery division X 18
- Anti-aircraft artillery brigade X 6
- Anti-aircraft artillery regiment X 5
- Surface-to-air missile regiment X 1
Engineering
- Pontoon bridge brigade X 1
- Pontoon bridge regiment X 3
- Engineer regiment X 13
Chemical Defence
- Chemical defence regiment X 7
Signal
Others
- Logistics support brigade X 9
- Costal garrison regiment X 2
- Reserve service officer training regiment X 2
Last update: 20 March 2009 |
