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Hong Kong garrison holds reception marking 99th anniversary of PLA’s founding

PLA 99th Anniversary

The PLA at 99: how China’s military went from ragtag rifles to world-class force

‘I didn’t want to miss it’: Hongkongers see off PLA warships after 5-day port call

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA)

People’s Liberation Army guards of honour march in Beijing at a September 2025 military parade marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. Photo: Xinhua

News

China

Military

Illustration: Davies Christian

China’s military has been working for decades towards the goal of becoming a world-class force by 2049. Photo: Reuters

China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier takes part in a military drill in the western Pacific Ocean, in April 2018. Photo: Reuters

The PLA’s anti-ship missile formation takes part in a military parade in Beijing, in September 2025. Photo: Xinhua

A formation featuring 80 honorary flags from historical units passes through Tiananmen Square in September 2025, commemorating the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II. Photo: Xinhua

Type 055 guided-missile destroyers of the PLA Navy, assigned to the East China Sea including Taiwan waters, take part in a training exercise in March. Photo: Handout

Chinese President Xi Jinping reviews PLA troops during a military parade in September 2025. Photo: Xinhua

China’s J-20 stealth fighter is one of the PLA Air Force’s most advanced combat jets, designed for long-range, high-speed operations and enhanced radar evasion. Photo: Handout

From revolutionary group to hi-tech machine, the PLA’s transformation has been a long pursuit of strength and self-reliance.


The numbers game: why the US is losing ground to China in the first island chain

Illustration: Henry Wong

The PLA Navy aircraft carrier Shandong and its strike group leave Hong Kong waters on July 7. Photo: Sam Tsang

The PLA is rapidly progressing towards its 2027 ‘world-class military’ goal in ways that could challenge US defence lines, analysts say.


From Mao to now: why China’s Communist Party is  intent on control over the military

Chinese leader Mao Zedong, flanked by his deputy Lin Biao (right) and premier Zhou Enlai, in Beijing in October 1967. Photo: AFP

Arrested just after the death of Mao Zedong, the leaders of the Cultural Revolution known as Gang of Four are seen here during their trial in 1981. Photo: Reuters

Beijing’s anti-corruption clean-up of the military reflects a historic commitment to party control, ensuring the armed forces strictly serve party goals.


As the People’s Liberation Army marks its 99th anniversary on August 1, one year from the deadline for its centenary goals, its evolution highlights the past, present and future of China’s military strategy.


China’s military

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