Reform of the Leadership and Command System

The reform of the leadership and command system is a significant measure in response to the call for a modern and specialized military capable of fighting and winning wars in the information age. The goal is to improve the operational effectiveness and development efficiency of the military. Adhering to the general principle of "the CMC exercising overall leadership, the theater commands (TCs) responsible for military operations, and the services focusing on developing capabilities," the PLA upholds the CMC's centralized and unified leadership and its functions of strategic command and management. The PLA has dismantled the long-established systems of general departments, military area commands (MACs) and the force composition with a dominating land force, and established new leadership, management and operational command systems.

The previous four general departments have been replaced by 15 functional organs under the CMC. Measures have been adopted to improve the leadership and management systems of the military branches.

The PLA has:

established the PLAA leading organs;

established the PLA Strategic Support Force (PLASSF); 

renamed the Second Artillery Force the PLARF; and 

established the PLAJLSF. 

Thus, a CMC-Services-Troops leadership and management system has been put in place.

Changes have also been made to the PAP by adopting a CMC-PAP-Troops system to put the PAP under the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and the CMC.

Measures to improve joint operations command system include improving the joint operations command organ of the CMC and establishing five TCs. A CMC-TCs-Troops command system is now in place. 

Also important is the improvement of law-based supervision system. The Chinese military has established the CMC Discipline Inspection Commission (CMCDIC, also the CMC Supervision Commission, CMCSC), the CMC Political and Legal Affairs Commission (CMCPLC) and the CMC Audit Office (CMCAO). Thus, power is exercised in a way that decision-making, execution and supervision check each other and function in coordination.

領導指揮體制改革

領導指揮體制改革是適應現代軍隊專業化分工和信息時代能打仗、打勝仗的要求，提高軍隊作戰效能和建設效益的重大舉措。按照“軍委管總、戰區主戰、軍種主建”原則，強化軍委集中統一領導和戰略指揮、戰略管理功能，打破長期實行的總部體制、大軍區體制、大陸軍體制，構建新的軍隊領導管理和作戰指揮體制。

調整組建新的軍委機關部門，由過去的四總部調整為軍委機關15個職能部門。完善軍兵種領導管理體制，成立陸軍領導機構，成立戰略支援部隊，第二炮兵更名為火箭軍，成立聯勤保障部隊，構建起“中央軍委—軍種—部隊”的領導管理體系。

調整武警部隊領導指揮體制，中共中央和中央軍委對武警部隊實行集中統一領導，實行“中央軍委—武警部隊—部隊”領導指揮體制。

建立健全聯合作戰指揮體制，健全軍委聯合作戰指揮機構，組建戰區聯合作戰指揮機構，成立5個戰區，構建起“中央軍委—戰區—部隊”的作戰指揮體系。

建立健全法治監督體系，組建新的軍委紀律檢查委員會（軍委監察委員會），組建新的軍委政法委員會，組建軍委審計署，形成決策權、執行權、監督權既相互制約又相互協調的權力運行體系。