The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is the Naval branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the navy of the People's Republic of China. The PLAN force consists of approx. 250,000 men while the ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy number over a hundred major combat vessels, organized into 3 fleets : the North Sea Fleet, the East Sea Fleet, and the South Sea Fleet.
Chinese President Hu Jintao, also chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), inspects the guard of honor on the aircraft carrier "Liaoning" at a naval base in Dalian, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sept. 25, 2012. (Photo/Xinhua)