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The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

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Echelon which consists of the Central Military Commission<br />

<strong>and</strong> associ<strong>at</strong>ed offices <strong>and</strong> entities. This upper<br />

level can be dubbed the ‘comm<strong>and</strong> <strong>PLA</strong>.’<br />

Figure 1. <strong>The</strong> <strong>PLA</strong> Pyramid <strong>and</strong> Doctrinal<br />

Discourse.<br />

Discourse in the vertical dimension involves interaction<br />

between these three echelons; discourse in<br />

the horizontal dimension entails interaction within<br />

any one of these echelons; discourse in the outward<br />

projecting dimension consists of intercourse with audiences<br />

<strong>and</strong> actors external to the pyramid. While the<br />

<strong>PLA</strong> is clearly a military organiz<strong>at</strong>ion th<strong>at</strong> has become<br />

increasingly distinct <strong>and</strong> differenti<strong>at</strong>ed from other entities<br />

<strong>and</strong> groups in China, fundamentally it remains a<br />

politico-military organism intertwined with the ruling<br />

political elite of the PRC. This key aspect of civil-military<br />

rel<strong>at</strong>ions is especially important to underst<strong>and</strong>ing<br />

the configur<strong>at</strong>ion of the Higher Echelon. At the apex<br />

of the pyramid is the CMC, which is where the uppermost<br />

link in the politico-military chain of comm<strong>and</strong><br />

is loc<strong>at</strong>ed. While the Communist Party is supposed<br />

102

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