The naval arm of the
People's Liberation Army, the military of the
People's Republic of China. Until the early 1990's, the navy
performed a subordinate role to the PLA land forces. The strategy of
the PLAN was a combination of [Maoist guerilla warfare]
? and the Soviet [young officers school]
?.
In recent years, the PLAN has become more prominent oweing to a change
in Chinese strategic priorities. The possibility of a massive land attack by the Soviet Union has receded, and the new strategic threats
include conflict with the United States or a resurgent Japan in areas such as Taiwan or the Spratly Islands.