Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief.

Last year, we explored what life is like for soldiers in the People’s Liberation Army. This week, in lieu of our usual news coverage, we’re turning our attention to the officer corps and what their jobs entail—especially in some of the Chinese military’s more unique roles.

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s China Brief.

Last year, we explored what life is like for soldiers in the People’s Liberation Army. This week, in lieu of our usual news coverage, we’re turning our attention to the officer corps and what their jobs entail—especially in some of the Chinese military’s more unique roles.

What Exactly Is a PLA Officer?

Chinese President Xi Jinping is married to a major general in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)—sort of.

Xi’s second wife, Peng Liyuan, is a famous singer who joined the PLA’s entertainment corps in 1980, at the age of 18. She spent her career working within the military’s vast entertainment apparatus, which performs for troops as well as operating record labels, film studios, and other commercial media businesses.

Peng never commanded soldiers or wielded a weapon, yet when she was appointed head of the PLA Academy of Art in 2012, she was granted the formal military rank of major general—a title commonly given to entertainers who work for the military. Comedian Huang Hong, for instance, was also made a major general in 2012 after being hired to run the PLA’s August First Film Studio.

These examples are a reminder of just how sprawling the concept of an officer can be in the world’s largest military, where they........

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