Ground Forces

Abstract

The PLA ground forces are in transition from their traditional preoccupation with guerrilla and light infantry operations towards a modern combined arms capability. China intends to defend itself against Soviet attack by ‘people’s war under modern conditions,’ a strategy combining guerrilla warfare, positional defence, and mobile operations principally conducted by the militia, regional forces, and main forces, respectively.¹ Guerrilla and light infantry operations are not to be abandoned by any means. The Chinese recognise, however, that positional and mobile defence conducted by modern combined arms forces would play the decisive role against a Soviet invasion.