People's Liberation Army Cyberspace Force
| People's Liberation Army Cyberspace Force | |
|---|---|
| 中国人民解放军网络空间部队 | |
| Founded | 19 April 2024 |
| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Allegiance | Chinese Communist Party |
| Type | Cyber force |
| Role | Cyberwarfare |
| Part of | People's Liberation Army |
| Commanders | |
| Commander | Lieutenant General Zhang Minghua |
| Political Commissar | Lieutenant General Han Xiaodong |
| Insignia | |
| Symbol | |
| Flag | |
| Sleeve badge | |
The People's Liberation Army Cyberspace Force is an arm of the People's Liberation Army. It was established on 19 April 2024, followed by the dissolution of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF). The Cyberspace Force received the functions of the former PLASSF's Network Systems Department.
History
The Cyberspace Force was established on 19 April 2024 following as one of the new successor branches which followed the dissolution of the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force (PLASSF).[1][2]: 226 The Cyberspace Force has the functions of the former PLASSF Network Systems Department.[2]: 226 The other new branches created were the PLA Aerospace Force and the PLA Information Support Force.[2]: 226
At the creation of the Cyberspace Force, the Ministry of National Defense stated in relation to its role that "developing the Cyberspace Force and cyber security and defense means are important for reinforcing national cyber border defense, promptly detecting and countering network intrusions and maintaining national cyber sovereignty and information security."[2]: 226
The Cyberspace Force operates five Technical Reconnaissance Bases that align with the PLA's five theater commands.[1] The force's Cyberspace Operations Base oversees the country's offensive cyberwarfare, psychological warfare, and advanced cybersecurity research.[1]
The PLA Cyberspace Force made their first public appearance at the 2025 China Victory Day Parade on September 3, 2025.[3]
Structure
The Cyberspace Force is broken down into the General Staff Department, and the Political Work Department. Below these two departments is the following breakdown:
Logistics Department
Unit 32047 is part of the Logistics Department.
Equipment Department
The Equipment Department is broken down into seven local military representative offices located in:
Bureaus
There are also two bureaus under the Cyberspace Force: the Network Bureau, and the Information Bureau.
PLA Information Engineering University
The PLA Information Engineering University (IEU) is the PLA's research institute for the study of information warfare.
Leadership
Commander
- Zhang Minghua (April 2024 – present)
Political Commissar
- Han Xiaodong (April 2024 – present)
Ranks
- Officer ranks
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA Cyberspace Force |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 上将 Shàngjiàng |
中将 Zhōngjiàng |
少将 Shàojiàng |
大校 Dàxiào |
上校 Shàngxiào |
中校 Zhōngxiào |
少校 Shàoxiào |
上尉 Shàngwèi |
中尉 Zhōngwèi |
少尉 Shàowèi | |||||||||||||||
- Enlisted and NCO ranks
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA Cyberspace Force |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 一级军士长 Yījí jūnshìzhǎng |
二级军士长 Èrjí jūnshìzhǎng |
三级军士长 Sānjí jūnshìzhǎng |
四级军士长 Sìjí jūnshìzhǎng |
上士 Shàngshì |
中士 Zhōngshì |
下士 Xiàshì |
上等兵 Shàngděngbīng |
列兵 Lièbīng | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
See also
References
- ^ a b c Constello, John (25 April 2025). "The Cyberspace Force: A Bellwether for Conflict". China Brief. Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d Cunningham, Fiona S. (2025). Under the Nuclear Shadow: China's Information-Age Weapons in International Security. Princeton University Press. doi:10.2307/jj.16040335. ISBN 978-0-691-26103-4. JSTOR jj.16040335.
- ^ "影/九三閱兵登場！解放軍「信息支援部隊」等3支部隊首亮相" (in Chinese). ctinews.com. 3 September 2025. Retrieved 4 December 2025.