Central Military Commission (China)

In 1925, the CCP's Central Military Department, was renamed the Central Military Commission. It was first led by Zhang Guotao who was replaced by Zhou Enlai in 1926 as head of the CMC. People's Republic of China After the proclamation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949, military leadership was transferred to a government body, the People's Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People's Government. During this period, there was no separate supreme military leadership organ of the CCP. In 1954, the CCP Central Military Commission was re-established, while state military authority was transferred to the National Defense Commission chaired by the Chairman of China with the adoption of the 1954 constitution. As Mao Zedong was also the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and led military affairs as a whole, the CMC and NDC's day-to-day work was carried out by its first-ranking vice-chairman, a post which was occupied by Lin Biao until his death in 1971, then by Ye Jianying. As a consequence of the Cultural Revolution, the Party CMC became the sole military overseeing body, and the National Defence Council was abolished in 1975. Deng Xiaoping's efforts to institutionally separate the CCP and the state led to the establishment of today's State CMC, which was created in 1982 by the state constitution in order to formalize the role of the military within the government structure. Both the National Defense Commission and State CMC have been described as 'consultative' bodies. Contrarily to the National Defense Council, however, the party and state CMCs are almost identical in leadership, composition, and powers. The CMC began a broad effort to reform its doctrine, operations, and equipment in anticipation of what Chinese leadership expected would be an increasingly hostile United States. The Commission included the post of secretary-general until 1992. This post was held by Yang Shangkun (1945–1954), Huang Kecheng (1954–1959), Luo Ruiqing (1959–1966), Ye Jianying (1966–1977), Luo Ruiqing (1977–1979), Geng Biao (1979–1981), Yang Shangkun (1981–1989), Yang Baibing (1989–1992). In 2016, the four traditional general departments were dissolved by order of Chairman Xi Jinping, and in their place 15 new departments were created as part of the ongoing modernization of the PLA. == Functions ==

According to the Law of the People's Republic of China on National Defense, the CMC exercises leadership over border, maritime, air and other critical security defense. The CMC has the ultimate command authority over the armed forces of the People's Republic of China, including the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the People's Armed Police (PAP), and the Militia. == Structure ==

There are two separate commissions; the Central Military Commission of the Chinese Communist Party and the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China. including issuing directives on senior appointments, troop deployments and arms spending. The CMC is extremely opaque, and its meetings are almost never publicized. The CMC is composed of a chairman, vice chairpersons, and other members. Other members of the CMC are the chairman's top aides to assist his final say over key CMC matters. The chairman is the decision-maker regarding the decisions to enter war, formulates China's national defense strategy, orders troop deployments, and decides on research and development and the induction of strategic weapons. The chairman also has the exclusive right to appoint of CMC members and commanders up to the level of a headquarters department, military region, and service command. According to CMC work rules, other members of the commission are required to maintain absolute political loyalty to the chairman and implement all directives issued, as well as seek approval for travel, leave and public appearances and provide regular reports of their activities. Election The members of the Party CMC are elected by the CCP's Central Committee. but is in practice indistinguishable from the Party CMC. The new 15 departments are: • General Office (Deputy Theater Grade) • Joint Staff Department (CMC Member Grade) • Political Work Department (CMC Member Grade) • Discipline Inspection Commission (CMC Member Grade) • Politics and Legal Affairs Commission (Theater Grade) • Logistic Support Department (Deputy Theater Grade) • Equipment Development Department (Deputy Theater Grade) • Training Administration Department (Deputy Theater Grade) • National Defense Mobilization Department (Deputy Theater Grade) • Science and Technology Commission (Deputy Theater Grade) • Office for Strategic Planning (Corps Grade) • Office for Reform and Organizational Structure (Corps Grade) • Office for International Military Cooperation (Corps Grade) • Audit Office (Corps Grade) • Agency for Offices Administration (Corps Grade) The Joint Staff Department is the nerve center of the entire Chinese military command and control system, responsible for daily administrative duties of the CMC. The General Office processes all CMC communications and documents, coordinate meetings, and convey orders and directives to other subordinate organs. Joint control organs The Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center was separated from the Joint Staff in the 2015 reforms and made directly commanded by the CMC. As well as serving as the command center for overall PLA joint operations, it supervises the Joint Operation Command Organs of each of the five command theaters. == Members ==

According to military regulations, the chairman of the CMC shall be conferred with no military rank, while vice chairmen and members of the CMC are conferred the rank of general or admiral by the virtue of their office. The make-up of the current Central Military Commission of the CCP was determined at the 20th Party Congress held in October 2022; the state commission was confirmed at the 1st Session of the 14th National People's Congress. ; CMC Chairman: : Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, President of China ; CMC Vice Chairmen (2) • General Zhang Youxia, member of the 19th Politburo and the 20th Politburo • General Zhang Shengmin, also Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission ; CMC Members (1) • General Liu Zhenli, Chief of Staff of the Joint Staff Department == High command ==

, China's Ministry of National Defense lists its high command as: == Notes ==