Fact check: Does the PLA 'belong to' the CPC?

Rumor: A recent article by US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, titled "The Pentagon Is Prepared for China" claimed that the PLA "is not a military that serves the nation," but belongs to and serves the Communist Party of China (CPC). 

Fact:

China's Constitution has made it clear the Chinese armed forces belong to the people. Led by the CPC, the PLA shares the purpose of the Party, which is to wholeheartedly serve the people, said Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense.

The armed forces have made huge sacrifices for national independence and the people's liberation, and made outstanding contributions to economic growth, disaster relief and safeguarding lives and property, Ren added.

This year alone, Chinese armed forces have played a key role in fighting the COVID-19 epidemic, battling floods and helping with disaster relief.

During the COVID-19 outbreak earlier this year, the PLA deployed more than 4,000 medical personnel to join in epidemic control efforts in Wuhan starting Jan 24.

Aside from the Wuhan mission, 63 military hospitals nationwide were tasked with receiving patients who had contracted the coronavirus and provided nearly 3,000 beds, said Major General Chen Jingyuan, top health official at the Central Military Commission's Logistics Support Department.

More than 10,000 medics at those hospitals were involved in the battle with the disease, he noted.

This summer, China has suffered the most severe floods since 1998. As of Aug 19, more than 1.2 million personnel from the PLA and the People's Armed Police Force and more than 300,000 from the militia have been dispatched on flood control missions in 17 provincial-level regions.

They evacuated more than 170,000 residents, handled over 3,900 breaches and piping emergencies and reinforced embankments of more than 900 km.