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Glite Dictionary
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PLA

PLA

3 5.2
The armed forces of the People's Republic of China
  • noun
: Ejército Popular de Liberación
  • In Beijing's judgment, it is the PLA that, in the final analysis, must defend socialism on the Chinese mainland.
  • PLA (People's Liberation Army)
  • PLA troops stationed
  • PLA forces

Some will later be confirmed as true by PLA veterans themselves.

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Examples

  • Top priority has been given to building up the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

    Academic text (2013)

  • The regime has enjoined the PLA to resolutely carry out its function of suppressing class enemies.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Only 20 percent would be willing to have the PLA in urban areas.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Compared to any Western power, for example, the personnel costs of the PLA are very, very low.

    Academic text (1991)

  • According to U.S. government estimates, "up to 50 percent of all PLA training time is now focused on politics and ideology."

    Academic text (1993)

  • Nonetheless, the PLA has never had problems in recruiting women soldiers.

    Academic text (1993)

  • The image of the PLA, by no means good before the Tiananmen incident, became much worse after that.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Another notes that 136,000 women worked in the PLA at the end of 1987.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Enormous pressure from the PLA caused Britain to soften its position and give China more facilities.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The PLA has increased its presence in international waters to showcase military strength.

Surface Forms

PLA singular
PLAs plural

Morphology

PLA = P + L + A

PLA is an initialism (People's Liberation Army); the letters themselves are not meaningful morphemes in English for learners without knowing the expansion.

Etymology

The word PLA stands for People's Liberation Army. The parts People's and Liberation mean 'the people' and 'to free', so the name paints the picture of an army for the people, which is why it is used for the armed forces of China.