For the Chinese Military, a Modern Command System

February 16, 2016 | 09:00 GMT

The redrawing of China's military theater command districts will incorporate the restructuring of the military's command systems, for the first time putting army, navy and air forces under a unified combined command. (Getty Images)

China may have more or less finished the broader steps to restructuring its military. On Feb. 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the inauguration of five new theater commands, replacing China's seven former military regions. While not the first time China has cut down the number of its military regions and redrawn their borders, this particular reform is the first instance in which the function and role of the military regions have been drastically altered by unifying the chains of command of its military forces. These changes are intended to reinforce China's ability to conduct effective joint military operations, an important development if it wants to compete with the world's most advanced militaries.