Xi Jinping Unveils Flags of New Military Branches Amid PLA Turmoil

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Dismantling of Strategic Support Force and creation of four new arms comes amid speculation of internal dissent in China’s armed forces

By TRH Global Affairs Desk

NEW DELHI, August 1, 2025 — In a move laden with symbolism and strategic intent, Chinese President Xi Jinping on July 31 officially unveiled the flags of four newly established branches of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), completing a sweeping overhaul that began with the abrupt disbanding of the PLA Strategic Support Force (PLASSF) in April 2024.

The unveiling ceremony was reported by Sinologist Frank Lehberger on LinkedIn, highlighting the event as a key moment in Xi’s ongoing campaign to restructure and tighten control over the military. According to Lehberger, the former PLASSF — itself a Xi-era creation from 2016 — was dismembered with little explanation, and its core departments reconstituted as four distinct and color-coded military branches: PLA Military Space Force — Midnight blue; PLA Cyber Space Force — Dirty grey; PLA Information Support Force — Cardinal purple; and PLA Joint Logistics Support Force — Army green

These transformations are viewed by analysts as part of Xi’s efforts to modernize and centralize command, but also to disrupt entrenched loyalties and dismantle internal power networks within the PLA.

Xi’s decision to overhaul the PLASSF follows a wave of high-level purges and unexplained disappearances in China’s defence hierarchy. Two defence ministers — including General Li Shangfu, who was dismissed in 2023 — were abruptly removed, with no official reason given.

The leadership of the PLA Rocket Force, which oversees China’s strategic missile arsenal, was also replaced in 2023 after reports of corruption and potential loyalty issues. Several senior aerospace and defence scientists have gone missing or been placed under investigation, stoking rumours of espionage concerns or internal sabotage.

These developments have sparked speculation of factionalism and dissent within the military, with Xi increasingly relying on non-traditional units, such as cyber and space divisions, to project strength and maintain control.

Experts say the flag ceremony is more than a bureaucratic milestone — it sends a clear message to China’s political elite, military leadership, and international observers. “This is classic Xi: destroy what you built to rebuild it in your own image, then wrap it in ceremony and symbolism,” said one Asia-Pacific defence analyst, adding that “it’s about ideological loyalty, not just operational readiness.”

The new branches reflect China’s push to dominate future warfare domains — especially space, cyber, and information — even as its traditional military wings face a crisis of morale and leadership clarity.

The PLASSF was originally established by Xi in 2016 as a hybrid command integrating cyber, space, and electronic warfare capabilities. Its sudden demise after just eight years raises questions about internal infighting, efficiency concerns, or Xi’s deepening distrust of autonomous power centers.

By fragmenting the PLASSF into specialized branches, Xi may be seeking to increase compartmentalization, reduce the risk of collusion among commanders, and enable tighter surveillance of military operations.

The restructuring also reflects a broader pattern under Xi Jinping — a relentless drive to centralize power, eliminate rivals, and assert total control over China’s state apparatus, from the Communist Party to the PLA.

With China facing growing geopolitical tension — particularly over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and US-led alliances in Asia — Xi appears determined to ensure that the military toe his ideological line, even if it means institutional disruption and internal churn.

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