August 1, 1927 Nanchang Uprising; Zhu De & Zhou Enlai form new army October 1927 Mao Zedong names forces Workers and Peasants Red Army July 11, 1933 August 1 designated Army Day October 1935 Long March ends November 11, 1948 All CPC forces designated People's Liberation Army April 14, 1950 PLA Navy established May 1965 Formal military ranking abolished October 1, 1988 Ranking system reinstated December 21, 1999 Macau's return to China; PLA Macau Garrison assumes defensive responsibilities August 1, 2012 The PLA 85th anniversary

September 9, 1927 Mao Zedong leads Autumn Harvest Uprising April 1928 Mao Zedong's Red Army Zhu's forces join in Jinggang Mountains March 1934 Long March begins August, 1937 CPC Eighth Route Army and KMT New Fourth Army form Second United Front against Japan November 11, 1949 PLA Air Force established September 1955 Formal military ranking system instated July 1966 Strategic missile troops established; named Second Artillery Forces July 1, 1997 Hong Kong's return to China; PLA Hong Kong Garrison assumes defensive responsibilities October 10-11, 2002 China-Kyrgyz joint military drill; first joint drill with foreign army