The 78th Group Army is one of thirteen total group armies of the PLAGF, the largest echelon of ground forces in the People's Republic of China, and one of three assigned to the nation's Northern Theater Command.

After People's Republic of China was established, it belonged to the 62nd Group Army for a while.

Yin Xianbing (尹先炳) was appointed army commander.

(Source Blasko, Tradition and Transformation of the PLA, 2013, 89) In 2017, the formation consisted of the: General Xu Caihou, former vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) who was detained as part of a high-profile anti-corruption campaign, was a former member of the 78th Group Army.

[10] Lieutenant General Bi Yi, the incumbent commander of the People's Liberation Army Information Support Force, was a former deputy commander of the unit.