The Central Theater Command is one of the five theater commands of the People's Liberation Army of China. Founded on 1 February 2016, its predecessors were the Beijing Military Region, Jinan Military Region, Guangzhou Military Region and Lanzhou Military Region.
The International Institute for Strategic Studies attributes to the command of 300,000 personnel, consisting of three group armies 81st Group Army, 82nd Group Army, 83rd Group Army (Formerly 27th Group Army, 38th Army, and the 65th Army), two armoured divisions, one mechanised infantry division, five motorised divisions, one artillery division, three armoured, seven motorised infantry, four artillery, a total of five various anti-aircraft brigades, and one anti-tank regiment.[1] The command is also augmented by the PLA Beijing Garrison, which consists of the 1st Guard and the 3rd Guard Divisions, and the Beijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalion and Color Guard Company, both of them are charged with public duties, and is also home to the PLA Navy (PLAN) North Sea Fleet and the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) 10th Air Force Corps. In addition to guarding the capital, the CTC is the main military theater command in charge of training key personnel for leadership positions through the numerous military academies in the region.
Area of responsibility
The Central Theater Command's area of responsibility (AOR) consists of the previous Beijing Military Region, including the capital Beijing and the neighboring provinces and directly governed municipalities of Tianjin, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan and Hubei.[2]
The command's primary responsibility is the defense of the nation's capital, Beijing, and it serves as the national strategic military reserve.[3]
Organizational Structure
PLA Ground Forces
83rd Group Army
- 11th Heavy Combined Arms Brigade
- 58th Medium Combined Arms Brigade, located in Xuchang Prefecture, Henan Province
- 60th Medium Combined Arms Brigade, located in Minggang Town Area, Xinyang Prefecture, Henan Province
- 113th Combined Arms Brigade, located in Baoding Prefecture, Hebei Province
- 131st Combined Arms Brigade
- 193rd Medium Combined Arms Brigade, located in Xuanhua District, Zhangjiakou Prefecture, Hebei Province
PLA Beijing Garrison
- 1st Guard Division, located in Haidian, Beijing
- 3rd Guard Division, located in Tongzhou, Beijing
- 11th Guards Regiment (showcase unit)
- 13th Guards Regiment (special security unit)
- Armored Regiment
- Artillery Regiment
- Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment
- Support Battalion
- 17th Guard Regiment
- Reserve Unit
- Reserve Officer Training Corps
- Reserve Artillery Division, located in Huairou, Beijing
- Reserve Chemical Defense Regiment, located in Xicheng, Beijing
List of leaders
Chiefs of staff
| English name |
Chinese name |
Took office |
Left office |
Notes |
|---|
| Jia Jiancheng |
贾建成 |
|
|
|
| Huang Xucong |
黄旭聪 |
|
Incumbent |
[9] |
References
- ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2006
- ↑ Teo, Cheng Wee (3 Feb 2016). "Military rezoning shows China's focus is on winning wars". The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
[see map graphic for list of provinces]
- ↑ Army Techniques Publication (ATP) 7-100.3 Chinese Tactics. Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, Department of the Army (United States). 2021. p. 36. ISBN 9798457607118.
- ↑ "President Xi announces establishment of five PLA theater commands". Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
A grand inauguration ceremony was held to mark the founding of the five theater commands of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing on Feb. 1, 2016....and Han Weiguo and Yin Fanglong, commander and political commissar of the Central Theater Command....
- ↑ "原七大军区调整为五大战区 北京湖北等隶属中部战区". hb.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
- ↑ Zhen, Liu (January 4, 2018). "Xi Jinping calls for battle readiness as troops stage massive winter drills across China". South China Morning Post. Retrieved January 4, 2018.
Dressed in a winter camouflage uniform and flanked by the other members of the supreme Central Military Commission, Xi issued the call from a military base in the Central Theatre Command, one of the country's five military zones, as troops in 4,000 sites across the country took part in simultaneous drills in the armed forces' annual new year exercises on Wednesday.
- ↑ "Update: Xi presents orders to promote two military officers to rank of general". english.news.cn. Retrieved 2025-12-22.
- ↑ "Assessment of PLA Leaders at the End of 2024". jamestown.org. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ↑ Ntirenganya, Emmanuel (2024-08-10). "PHOTOS: Kagame, China's Lt Gen Huang discuss greater military cooperation". The New Times. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
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China
People's Liberation Army
Structure of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force