At the tail end of 2015, Beijing introduced the ambitious first wave of Chinese President Xi Jinping's comprehensive plan for military reform . The changes — which include an organization called the Strategic Support Force, a more powerful strategic weaponry command and a new ground force headquarters— are the culmination of a decadelong effort to improve the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The focus is on military capability and overcoming the deep-rooted political intransigence that has stymied the development of China's armed forces. As of Dec. 31, 2015, China's ground forces had never had their own headquarters. The establishment of an army headquarters will improve the Four General Departments' ability to serve as a joint staff and also help equalize the standing of the four branches of the PLA.