The Chinese People's Liberation Army Is 82 Years Old Today

Members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) march following the welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People for visiting Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari hosted by Chinese President Hu Jintao on October 15, 2008 in Beijing.(Getty Images)

The Chinese Army Is Called On To Keep The Order -- Yahoo News/AP

BEIJING – China's military celebrated its 82nd anniversary Saturday, with an editorial in the official paper calling on the armed forces to maintain social stability in the wake of unrest on the fringes of its territory.

The People's Liberation Army, the world's largest with 2.3 million members, should strengthen coordination with local governments to prepare to deal with all kinds of "unexpected" incidents, a front-page editorial in the official People's Liberation Daily said.

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My Comment: China's military modernization efforts will probably make the People's Liberation Army the #2 military force in the world within 25 years. While China's neighbors are understandably nervous with this trend, much of their military will still be focused internally.

For the Central Government in Beijing, the priority has always been their own self preservation, and the military has been their instrument to insure that the status quo remains.