Military flags of the Peoples Republic of China

According to Zuixin Geguo Guoqi Guohui Junqi Junhui [kyj04] (National Flags, Emblems, Military Flags and Emblems of The World; 最新 各国 国旗 国徽 〓旗 〓徽) published in Beijing March 2004, these flags were promulgated on September 5th 1992.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 17 July 2004

---

Update

Today I saw a couple of Chinese warships visiting Sydney, and I must point out that both ships fly the plain red People's Liberation Army flag (proportions 4:5) as the ensign.

The PLA Navy's reversal from flying the striped "Navy Flag" back to the plain old PLA flag seems to be the result of following its flag protocol to the letter: according to the book Atlas of Flags in China, the Navy Flag (along with the Ground Force and Air Force Flags) are only intended to be used by Guards of Honour in branch-specific occasions. This means the plain red PLA flag remains de jure the sole War Flag and War Ensign of the Peoples Republic of China.

Also, the jackstaffs of these ships remain bare while in port; it is the PLA Navy practice to fly jacks only while dressing ships.
Miles Li, 30 September 2007

---

The flag of the armed forces of the People's Republic of China (the People's Liberation Army [PLA]) is red with a golden star in the upper hoist, but the star is smaller than on the national flag. Next to the star are three small lines, the Chinese numerals for "8" and "1", which stand for "August 1", to commemorate the establishment of the PLA in 1928, after the Nanchang Uprising (Crampton, The World of Flags, 1990, p.28). W. Smith adds that the star represents the victories of the Army in the fight against foreign imperial forces and unification of the land.
Roy Stilling, 24 June 1996

According to the Great Chinese Encyclopedia, the flag of the People's Liberation Army is in the proportion of 4:5.
Miles George Li, 09 April 1998

---

This is a 'tri-service' flag, used primarily as a ceremonial colour by regiments and larger units, as well as by defence academies.
Source: PLA Daily
Miles Li, 12 July 2004

[Ed: see update in Overview section]

The Ground Force Flag is similar to the PLA Flag, with the lower 40% being grass green.
Source: PLA Daily
Miles Li, 12 July 2004

---

Reports on 'The World' on BBC4 TV on 18 April about the visit of President Hu to the U.S. were accompanied by (no doubt stock) footage of a parade by the Chinese army. The flag being carried seems to be what is shown.

The green is lighter than we show, and the device at the upper hoist isn't self-evidently a gold star.
André Coutanche, 20 April 2006

[Ed: see update in Overview section]

The Chinese Navy jack is the same as Army flag except that the lower half has three blue and two white horizontal stripes of equal width. The Chinese Naval jack is also the Naval Ensign.
Miles George Li, 03 April 1998

---

Album des Pavillons, correction 29 specifies that the stripes are blue pantone 287c and white. The rendering by quadrichomie makes it seem dark blue. The proportions appear to be 2:3.
Armand Noel du Payrat, 09 April 1998

---

Before 1996, the People's Liberation Army flag, rather than the national flag, was the naval jack and ensign.
Miles Li, 8 June 2001

---

The PLA Navy has never had rank flags, and I believe this will remain the status quo for a long time. Ranks have always been a sensitive issue in the PLA, as it is associated with classes in a supposedly classless society. Between 1955 and 1965 there were Soviet-style ranks in the PLA, but these were abolished during the Cultural Revolution and beyond. It was not until 1988 a somewhat streamlined rank system was adopted to raise morale. Even so, it would still be politically correct for senior officials to have no special privileges (such as the use of rank flags). This is the reason why the PLA Navy apparently has never had rank flags.
Miles Li, 10 June 2001

[Ed: see update in Overview section]

There is also a flag for the Chinese air force: similar to that of the People's Liberation Army, but the lower half being air force blue.
Miles George Li, 15 June 1999