The
Chinese People's Liberation Army (
PLA; ) is the armed forces of the
People's Republic of China and the
Communist Party of China (CPC). 1 August is celebrated annually as
Chinese Workers and Farmers Red Army Day. The PLA consists of five professional service branches: the
Ground Force, the
Navy, the
Air Force, the
Rocket Force and the
Strategic Support Force. The PLA is the world's largest military force, with a strength of approximately 2,285,000 personnel, 0.18% of the country's population. In September 2015, President
Xi Jinping announced that he would reduce the country's military personnel by 300,000. The PLA's
insignia consists of a roundel with a red star bearing the
Chinese characters for
Eight One, referring to
August 1.