PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

MILITARY & NAVAL ENSIGNS & FLAGS

Since 1949

Images Added March 2002

National Flag, Naval Ensign & Jack, 1949-96 (4:5 Proportions)
War Flag of the PLA (4:5 Proportions)
Naval Ensign & Jack Since 1996 (4:5 Proportions)

Notes

The national flag of the People's Republic of China (PRC), adopted in 1949, has a red field for Communism, a large yellow star symbolizing the leadership of the Communist Party, and four smaller stars symbolizing the four "revolutionary" classes of Chinese society. Up to 1996, the national flag also served as the PRC's naval ensign and jack.

The war flag of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) features a red field for Communism, a yellow star for the PLA's victories, and the Chinese characters for the numerals "1" and "8"--symbolizing its foundation date, 1 August 1928.

In 1996, some new military and naval flags were introduced, all based on the war flag of the PLA with stripes along the lower edge. The war flag with blue and white stripes is now the PRC's naval ensign and jack.

The armed forces of the PRC seem never to have adopted any rank flags for senior commanders, such marks of distinction being deemed incompatible with the state's socialist ideology. 

Flag Proportions: Most flags of the People's Republic of China have 2:3 proportions. However, both the national flag and the war flag of the PLA are also made in 4:5 proportions, as illustrated. The current naval ensign has also been reported in 4:5 proportions.

Note: There is some uncertainty as to the flag used as the PRC naval ensign between 1949 and 1996. Whitney Smith's Flags Through the Ages and Around the World (1975) shows the national flag as the naval ensign. However, FOTW Mailing List member Miles Li points out that there is photographic evidence showing the 1949 PLA war flag in use as the PRC naval ensign.

NATIONAL FLAG, NAVAL ENSIGN & JACK, 1949-96 (?)

Left: Variant (2:3 Proportions)          Right: Variant (4:5 Proportions)

 

WAR FLAG OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY Since 1949

Left: Variant (2:3 Proportions)          Right: Variant (4:5 Proportions)

 

NAVAL ENSIGN & JACK Since 1996

Left: Variant (2:3 Proportions)          Right: Variant (4:5 Proportions)

 

Left: PLA AIR FORCE FLAG Since 1996     Right: PLA GROUND FORCES FLAG  Since 1996

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