2017: China's year in review

90th birthday of the PLA

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army. For the first time, a large-scale parade was staged as part of commemorations to mark the founding of the PLA.

The parade was considered a review of the military reform Xi had masterminded and presided over since he assumed leadership of the CPC in 2012.

Xi inaugurated reforms amid a high-profile anti-corruption campaign within the PLA in 2015. In the same year, he announced a 300,000-person cut in PLA troops and an implementation plan for command system reform.

Since then, the PLA has made a profound change in structure and strategic thinking, getting closer to what Xi envisions as a leaner, more capable and world-class modern military.