For collectors piecing together a PLA or PAP loadout, branch insignia is where a kit stops looking generic and starts telling a story. Each branch of the People's Liberation Army — and the separate People's Armed Police — carries its own shield patch, cap badge, and rank or qualification tabs, and knowing how to read them is half the fun of building a collection.
Here's a quick identification guide to the five branch sets we carry, followed by a few notes on how to display them.
Army (陆军)
The Army shield features the characters 中国人民解放军陆军 ("Chinese People's Liberation Army Army") in gold, framed by wheat sheaves and topped with the PLA star emblem. The branch tab uses a green colourway, distinguishing it from the other services at a glance.
View the Army Branch Insignia Patch Set
Navy (海军)
Instantly recognisable by the anchor motif beneath the star on both the shield and the branch tab. The Navy set uses a blue-and-white striped colourway on its qualification tab — a nod to naval tradition shared across many countries' maritime services.
View the Navy Branch Insignia Patch Set
Air Force (空军)
The Air Force shield carries a winged emblem beneath the star, and the branch tab repeats the wing motif in gold. Historically one of the more visually distinct branch sets thanks to the wing detailing.
View the Air Force Branch Insignia Patch Set
Rocket Force (火箭军)
The newest of the five branches represented here, the Rocket Force shield depicts a missile silhouette rising through the wheat sheaves — a clear departure from the more traditional emblems of the other services. The branch tab uses a yellow colourway.
View the Rocket Force Branch Insignia Patch Set
People's Armed Police (武装警察部队)
Distinct from the PLA proper, the PAP shield reads 中国人民武装警察部队 and features a five-star arrangement above a fortified gate motif — reflecting its internal security and law enforcement role rather than a specific service branch.
View the PAP Branch Insignia Patch Set