The first Chinese to go abroad in support of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK) did so well before China’s official entry into the war on October 19, 1950. Crossing at night, the first to report were senior cadre (officers) of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who wore completely sanitized Korean People’s Army(KPA) officer’s uniforms. Likewise, junior personnel wore regular enlisted KPA uniforms, again absent any insignia, until the main thrust of the Chinese Northeast Frontier Defense Army crossed the Yalu kitted out with China’s standardized Type 50 family of uniforms. Chinese that were embedded directly within KPA units wore Korean uniforms for the duration of their assignment.
To Mao’s right is Xu Muyuan, a member of Mao’s staff whom this photo originally belonged.
After the armistice was signed, those Chinese personnel directly embedded within KPA units would begin wearing full insignia and accoutrements.
