Central Military Commission

The Central Military Commission (CMC) is the People’s Republic of China’s highest national defence organisation and military leadership body, headquartered in Beijing. Operating under a “one institution with two names” arrangement for both the Party and State, its primary mission is to command all armed forces, including the People’s Liberation Army, the People’s Armed Police and Militia. The CMC oversees military strategy, development, personnel and equipment, focusing on modernising the PLA and ensuring the Chinese Communist Party’s absolute leadership over the military. It is pivotal in China’s national security and defence.