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Military flags of the Peoples Republic of China

Last modified: 2003-08-09 by phil nelson
Keywords: china | military flag: china | naval ensign: china | star: yellow |
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The People's Liberation Army

[People's Liberation Army] by Zeljko Heimer
Proportions: 4:5 [FIS Code]

The flag of the armed forces of the People's Republic of China (the People's Liberation Army) is red with a golden star in the upper hoist, but the star is smaller than on the national flag. Next to the star are three small lines, the Chinese numerals for "8" and "1", which stand for "August 1", to commemorate the establishment of the PLA in 1928, after the Nanchang Uprising (Crampton, The World of Flags, 1990, p.28). W. Smith adds that the star represents the victories of the Army in the fight against foreign imperial forces and unification of the land.
Roy Stilling, 24 June 1996


According to the Great Chinese Encyclopedia, the flag of the People's Liberation Army is in the proportion of 4:5.
Miles George Li, 09 April 1998


Naval Ensign

[China - Naval Ensign] by Zeljko Heimer
Proportions: ~2:3 [FIS Code]

A variant of the above flag has been reported: red, yellow star and "1-8" marks in canton, 5 narrow horizontal stripes below (blue-white-blue-white-blue).
Jan Zrzavy, 16 January 1998


The Chinese Navy jack is the same as Army flag except that the lower half has three blue and two white horizontal stripes of equal width. The Chinese Naval jack is also the Naval Ensign.
Miles George Li, 03 April 1998


Album des Pavillons, correction 29 specifies that the stripes are blue pantone 287c and white. The rendering by quadrichomie makes it seem dark blue. The proportions appear to be 2:3.
Armand Noel du Payrat, 09 April 1998


Before 1996, the People's Liberation Army flag, rather than the national flag, was the naval jack and ensign.
Miles Li, 8 June 2001


The PLA Navy has never had rank flags, and I believe this will remain the status quo for a long time. Ranks have always been a sensitive issue in the PLA, as it is associated with classes in a supposedly classless society. Between 1955 and 1965 there were Soviet-style ranks in the PLA, but these were abolished during the Cultural Revolution and beyond. It was not until 1988 a somewhat streamlined rank system was adopted to raise morale. Even so, it would still be politically correct for senior officials to have no special privileges (such as the use of rank flags). This is the reason why the PLA Navy apparently has never had rank flags.
Miles Li, 10 June 2001


Air Force Ensign

[China - Air Force Ensign] by Zeljko Heimer

There is also a flag for the Chinese air force: similar to that of the People's Liberation Army, but the lower half being air force blue.
Miles George Li, 15 June 1999