海军是海上作战行动的主体力量，担负着保卫国家海上方向安全、领海主权和维护海洋权益的任务，主要由潜艇部队、水面舰艇部队、航空兵、陆战队、岸防部队等兵种组成。按照近海防御的战略要求，海军注重提高近海综合作战力量现代化水平，发展先进潜艇、驱逐舰、护卫舰等装备，完善综合电子信息系统装备体系，提高远海机动作战、远海合作与应对非传统安全威胁能力，增强战略威慑与反击能力。海军现有23.5万人，下辖北海、东海和南海3个舰队，舰队下辖舰队航空兵、基地、支队、水警区、航空兵师和陆战旅等部队。2012年9月，第一艘航空母舰“辽宁舰”交接入列。中国发展航空母舰，对于建设强大海军和维护海上安全具有深远意义。

　　空军是空中作战行动的主体力量，担负着保卫国家领空安全、保持全国空防稳定的任务，主要由航空兵、地面防空兵、雷达兵、空降兵、电子对抗等兵种组成。按照攻防兼备的战略要求，空军加强以侦察预警、空中进攻、防空反导、战略投送为重点的作战力量体系建设，发展新一代作战飞机、新型地空导弹和新型雷达等先进武器装备，完善预警、指挥和通信网络，提高战略预警、威慑和远程空中打击能力。空军现有39.8万人，下辖沈阳、北京、兰州、济南、南京、广州、成都7个军区空军和1个空降兵军。军区空军下辖基地、航空兵师(旅)、地空导弹师(旅)、雷达旅等。

The PLA Navy (PLAN) is China's mainstay for operations at sea, and is responsible for safeguarding its maritime security and maintaining its sovereignty over its territorial seas along with its maritime rights and interests. The PLAN is composed of the submarine, surface vessel, naval aviation, marine corps and coastal defense arms. In line with the requirements of its offshore defense strategy, the PLAN endeavors to accelerate the modernization of its forces for comprehensive offshore operations, develop advanced submarines, destroyers and frigates, and improve integrated electronic and information systems. Furthermore, it develops blue-water capabilities of conducting mobile operations, carrying out international cooperation, and countering non-traditional security threats, and enhances its capabilities of strategic deterrence and counterattack. Currently, the PLAN has a total strength of 235,000 officers and men, and commands three fleets, namely, the Beihai Fleet, the Donghai Fleet and the Nanhai Fleet. Each fleet has fleet aviation headquarters, support bases, flotillas and maritime garrison commands, as well as aviation divisions and marine brigades. In September 2012, China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning was commissioned into the PLAN. China's development of an aircraft carrier has a profound impact on building a strong PLAN and safeguarding maritime security.

The PLA Air Force (PLAAF) is China's mainstay for air operations, responsible for its territorial air security and maintaining a stable air defense posture nationwide. It is primarily composed of aviation, ground air defense, radar, airborne and electronic countermeasures (ECM) arms. In line with the strategic requirements of conducting both offensive and defensive operations, the PLAAF is strengthening the development of a combat force structure that focuses on reconnaissance and early warning, air strike, air and missile defense, and strategic projection. It is developing such advanced weaponry and equipment as new-generation fighters and new-type ground-to-air missiles and radar systems, improving its early warning, command and communications networks, and raising its strategic early warning, strategic deterrence and long-distance air strike capabilities. The PLAAF now has a total strength of 398,000 officers and men, and an air command in each of the seven Military Area Commands (MACs) of Shenyang, Beijing, Lanzhou, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu. In addition, it commands one airborne corps. Under each air command are bases, aviation divisions (brigades), ground-to-air missile divisions (brigades), radar brigades and other units.