Structure of the People's Liberation Army Navy

The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is the naval branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The PLAN force consists of about 250,000 men and over a hundred major combat vessels, organized into three fleets: the North Sea Fleet, the East Sea Fleet, and the South Sea Fleet. Below is the organizational structure of the PLAN.

PLAN headquarters
PLAN headquarters is subordinate to the PLA General Staff Department and the Chairman of the Central Military Committee.

Information current as of March 2007
 * Commander-in-Chief of the Navy: Admiral Wu Shengli


 * Political Commissar of the Navy: Admiral Miao Hua

Deputy Commanders:
 * Ding Yiping
 * Jin Mao
 * Shen Binyi
 * Wang Yucheng
 * Zhang Yongyi
 * Zhang Zhannan
 * Zhao Xingfa
 * Gu Wengen

Deputy Political Commissars:
 * Kang Chengyuan
 * Fan Yinhua
 * Wu Huayang


 * Chief of Naval Staff: Ding Yiping
 * Director of Political Department: Xu Jianzhong

Fleet Commanders


 * North Sea Fleet: Rear Admiral Tian Zhong; Political Commissar Li Guang
 * East Sea Fleet: Vice Admiral Xu Hongmen; Political Commissar Xu Jianzhong
 * South Sea Fleet: Vice Admiral Gu Wengen; Political Commissar Huang Jiaxiang

Fleets
The People's Liberation Army Navy is divided into three fleets.


 * {| class="wikitable sortable"

! Fleet ! Status ! Parent Command ! Patrol Region ! Headquarters ! Flagship
 * +China PLA Navy Sea Fleets (2007)
 * - valign="top"
 * North Sea Fleet (NSF; )
 * Active
 * Northern Theater Command
 * Bohai Bay, Yellow Sea
 * Qingdao, Shandong Province
 * DDG 112 Harbin, Type 052 Luhu-class Destroyer
 * - valign="top"
 * East Sea Fleet (ESF; )
 * Active
 * Eastern Theater Command
 * East China Sea
 * Ningbo, Zhejiang Province
 * DDG 150 Changchun, Type 052C Luyang II-class Destroyer
 * - valign="top"
 * South Sea Fleet (SSF; )
 * Active
 * Southern Theater Command
 * South China Sea
 * Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province
 * AOR/AK Nanchang
 * }

Bases
North Sea Fleet Major bases: Qingdao (HQ), Huludao, Jianggezhuang, Guzhen Bay, Lushun, Xiaopingdao.Yuchi Minor bases: Weihai Wei, Qingshan, Luda, Lianyungang, Ling Shan, Ta Ku Shan, Changshandao, Liuzhuang, Dayuanjiadun, Dalian

East Sea Fleet Major bases: Ningbo (HQ), Zhoushan, Shanghai, Daxie, Fujian. Minor bases: Zhenjiangguan, Wusong, Xinxiang, Wenzhou, Wenzhou SE, Sanduao, Xiamen, Xingxiang, Quandou, Wuhan, Dinghai, Jiaotou

South Sea Fleet Major bases: Zhanjiang (HQ), Yulin, Huangfu, Hong Kong, Guangzhou (Canton). Minor bases: Haikou, Shantou, Humen, Kuanchuang, Tsun, Kuan Chung, Mawei, Beihai, Pingtan, San Chou Shih, Tang-Chiah Huan, Longmen, Bailong, Dongcun, Baimajing, Xiachuandao,

Branches
The PLAN is organised into five branches:
 * 1) People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
 * 2) People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force
 * 3) People's Liberation Army Navy Coastal Defense Force
 * 4) People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
 * 5) People's Liberation Army Marine Corps