The People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps (PLANMC), also known as the People's Liberation Army Marine Corps (PLAMC), is the marine force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and one of five major branches of the PLA Navy (PLAN) responsible for amphibious warfare, expeditionary operations and rapid responses. It currently consists of seven 6,000-man combined armed brigades and four other supporting brigades including aviation, engineering & chemical defense, artillery and service-support brigades for a total of 40,000. It further includes a brigade-level special operations unit called "Jiaolong Commando Unit" ()
History
The present PLAN Marine Corps was originally established in April 1953c by Communist Chinese troops to conduct amphibious operations against islands held by the Nationalists. By the end of the Korean War, the PLAN Marine Corps numbered 110,000 personnel organized in eight divisions. However, the organization was disbanded in October 1957 when the leadership of China abandoned any plans to seize the island of Taiwan. Following the disbanding of the Marine Corps, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) did maintain a naval infantry force, which consisted of several infantry and amphibious tank regiments.
In 1979 the Central Military Commission of China re-established the Marine Corps and organized it under the PLAN. On 5 May 1980, the 1st Marine Brigade was activated on Hainan.
In view of the growing tension between Mainland China and the Republic of China during the 1990s, the number of PLAN Marine Corps units was again increased. 1st Marine Brigade China was reinforced and rearmed. In July 1998, the 164th Motorized Infantry Division of the PLA Ground Force's 41st Group Army had been transferred to the PLAN South Sea Fleet and became the 164th Marine Brigade, with its homebase in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province. In February 2017, it was reported that the 77th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the 26th Group Army was transferred to the PLAN.
The PLAN Marine Corps participated in multiple international exercises, including participation in RIMPAC, and engaged with USMC in mutual training and friendly cultural exchanges during the Bush and Obama administrations as part of its "tranquility and good order" policy according to its navy chief. However, with the Trump administration the PLA Navy and PLANMC were dis-invited from the 2018 Rim of the Pacific and the US Marines are trained to fight against the PLANMC.
Organization
The PLAN Marine Corps is subordinate to the PLA Navy Headquarters, the Joint Staff Department and the Central Military Commission (CMC).
18,000 marines are under the Southern Theater Command, with 6,000 being under Eastern Theater Command and 12,000 being under Northern Theater Command. These brigades possess combined arms units, including armor, artillery, missile, air defense, and logistics.
The Six brigades are as follows: 1st and 2nd (ex-164th) Marine Brigades – both based in Zhanjiang 3rd Marine Brigade based in Jinjiang 4th Marine Brigade based in Jieyang 5th Marine Brigade in Laoshan 6th Marine Brigade based in Haiyang .
Each Marine Brigade is organized into the following elements: 1 × Brigade HQ and Service Company 3 x Marine Combined Arms Battalion (1 x Heavy with ZTD-05 Amphibious Tank, 1 × Medium with ZBD-05 Amphibious IFV and 1 × Light with VP4 ATV ) 1 x Air Assault Battalion 1 x Marine Artillery Battalion 1 × Air Defense Battalion Marine Reconnaissance Battalion Combat Support Battalion Service Support Battalion
PLAN Marine Corps is not the only force capable of amphibious operations in People's Liberation Army. Marine Corps are primarily composed of light infantry, supplementing the heavily armed PLA Ground Force amphibious combined-arms brigades. Under the joint-operation command structure, Marine Corps will establish landing parameters before the ground force engages.