Major events in PLA’s history 1987-1996
The year of 1987
The PLA Hero and Model Representatives Conference was held in Beijing from July 27 to 31, 1987. The conference was another gathering of outstanding servicemen since the National Combat Hero Representatives Meeting of the PLA held in 1950.
A space flight control building, which was the most advanced in 1980s in the world, passed the acceptance check of the National Defense Technological and Industrial Commission in the Xi’an Satellite Tracking and Control Center on Dec. 7, 1987.
The year of 1988
In January, China’s biggest modern naval port witnessed its completion of construction. This large naval port, with an area of 10.7 square kilometers including a water surface of 3.9 square kilometers, is able to afford berths for tens of missile destroyers at the same time and provide rapid replenishment of POL, water, electricity, heating and cartridge for naval ships.
The PLA’s first army aviation contingent under the group army organization came into existence in north China on 8th January, 1988.
In early March, 1988, the Land-water-air three-dimensional transportation network of the PLA was set up. With the operation of the network, the military transportation of the PLA began to break through the traditional land-water transport pattern and switch into a new comprehensive transport pattern featured with a rapid, highly efficient and mobile and cost-effective three- dimensional transportation network.
The Central Military Commission made a decision on July 25 to ratify the March of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) as the Song of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.
On November 6, 1988, Senior General Tan Zheng passed away. Born in Xiangxiang County of Hunan Province in 1906, Tan Zheng ever assumed the office of member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, counselor of the Central Military Commission, deputy defense minister, member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, etc.
The year of 1989
On March 29, 1989, Senior General Xiao Jinguang passed away in Beijing. Xiao Jinguang, born in Changsha, capital of Hunan Province in 1903, ever took the office of commander of the PLA Navy, deputy defense minister and vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, etc.
From Dec. 11 to 17, 1989, the Political Work Conference of the PLA was held in Beijing. At the conference, a document on the enhancement and improvement of the political work in the PLA under the new situations was amended. The document required the PLA to further reinforce and improve its political work to ensure the absolute leadership of the Communist Party of China to the PLA.
The year of 1990
The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Military Installations was ratified in the 12th session of the Standing Committee of the 7th National People’s Congress on February 23, 1990.
In order to poor more excellent people for the PLA, the Education Committee of the Chinese People’s Republic and the General Political Department of the PLA jointly promulgated in April, 1990 the Decisions on the Recruitment of High School Graduates by Military Academies.
On April 6, 1990, the Central Military Commission promulgated the Regulations of the PLA on the Military Training.
On April 12, 1990, the Central Military Commission promulgated the Provisions on the Management of Weapons and Armaments of the PLA.
On June 9, 1990, the Central Military Commission promulgated the amended regulations on routine service, discipline and formation.
Marshal Xu Xiangqian passed away on September 21, 1990. Born in Wutai County of Shanxi Province on November 8, 1901, Marshal Xu ever assumed the office of member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, vice premier and defense minister.
On December 6, 1990, the Academic Degree Commission of the State Council ratified the first batch of military institutions authorized to confer master’s degree of military science.
The year of 1991
Upon the approval of the Central Military Commission, the new Regulations of the PLA on Political Work was promulgated in January 1991.
In February, 1991, the Provisional Regulations on Capital Construction Auditing of the PLA was promulgated. This was the first statutory document on the capital construction auditing of the PLA.
On April 24, 1991, the spokesman of the PLA troop units garrisoning Fujian Province declared under orders that from that very day, all the wired broadcast stations and affiliated sub-stations should cease broadcasting call to the Kuomintang troops stationed on the Jinmen island and other islets, so as to further ease up the situations across the Taiwan Strait.
Upon the approval of the State Council and the Central Military Commission, the National “Double Supports” Work (supporting the government and cherish the people; supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen and martyrs) Leading Group was officially established in July 1991. The members of the group consist of leaders of related departments and commissions of the CPC Central Committee and central government, PLA general headquarters/departments and the Armed Police Force.
The year of 1992
On February 20, 1992, the Provisional Regulations on Garrison Duty Service of the PLA promulgated.
On April 24, 1992, a destroyer flotilla of the PLA Navy held a grand retirement ceremony for the first destroyer of the People’s Republic of China, which was also the Navy’s last destroyer in active service made in the Soviet Union. Thus, all the modern guided missile destroyers of the PLA Navy destroyer formations were homemade.
Marshal Nie Rongzhen passed away on May 14, 1992. Nie Rongzhen, born in Jiangjin County of Sichuan Province in 1899, was ever the member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, vice premier and concurrently the director of the National Science Commission.
The first award-giving meeting of the PLA for the outstanding military scientific research achievements held in Beijing on July 28, 1992. a total of 148 research fruits won prizes.
The year of 1993
The Regulations of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army on the Military Service of Soldiers in Active Service promulgated on April 27, 1993. The military rank grades of non-commissioned officers were added into the revised Regulations.
The year of 1994
On July 22, 1994, the National “Double Supports” (supporting the government and cherish the people; supporting the army and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen and martyrs) Model City (County) naming meeting was held in Beijing. At the meeting, the title of National Double Supports Model City (County) was given to 136 cities (districts) and counties.
The State Council and the Central Military Commission jointly made a decision on October 26, 1994 that the placement policy for demobilized servicemen was revised in some important issues as of winter of 1994.
The year of 1995
On May 10, 1995, the 13th session of the Standing Committee of the 8th National People’s Congress ratified the Reserve Officers Law of the People’s Republic of China.
The Central Military Commission authorized to promulgate the newly revised Regulations on the Political work of the PLA on May 10, 1995.
From July 21 to 26, the PLA conducted in the high seas of the East China Sea ground-to-ground missile launch exercise in which the 6 missiles all hit the targets in the designated sea area.
The Central Military Commission held a grand symposium attended by veterans from the troop units stationed in Beijing to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
The year of 1996
The Regulations of the PLA on Surveying and Mapping was promulgated on January 10, 1996. This is the first basic statute made by the PLA to regularize military surveying and mapping activities.
On February 28, 1996, the Ordinance of the PLA on POL promulgated. This is the first basic statute of the PLA on the criterions of POL work.
The Central Military Commission issued the newly revised Regulations of the PLA on Secrecy on March 24, 1996. the new regulations made an adjustment on the scope of military secrecy and supplemented provisions on foreign exchange, academic exchange and technology security and secrecies as well as secrecy education and supervision.
On April 26, 1996, the presidents of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan signed an official agreement in Shanghai on strengthening military trust in border areas.
