The
People's Liberation Army Ground Force (
PLAGF) is the
land-based military service branch of the
People's Liberation Army and it is the largest and oldest branch of the entire Chinese armed forces. The PLAGF can trace its lineage from 1927, however it wasn't officially established until 1948. As of 2013, the PLAGF has a strength of 1,600,000 personnel making it the largest
standing army in the world. In addition, the People's Liberation Army Ground Force has an estimated 510,000 strong reserve force.