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China's National Defense in 2004
Updated: 2004-12-28 09:52 Chapter VI National Defense Mobilization and Reserve
Force Building
China adheres to the principle of having all people
engaged in national defense with an aim at giving full play to the overall
advantages of the present-day people's war so as to promote the national defense
mobilization and reserve force building on the basis of the overall national
strength.
Mobilization of National Economy
As an important component of the national defense
building and economic construction, China's economic mobilization follows the
strategic thinking of soldiers and the people being the foundationfor victory
and the strategic concept of the people's war.
The mobilization of national economy refers to
activities whichimprove, in a planned and organized way, the emergency reaction
capabilities of national economy for national security. In peacetime, as an
important measure to build up the economic potentials for national defense and
to cope with contingencies, the mobilization of national economy balances the
proportion of the permanent power of the defense economy to the national
economy,and constitutes a powerful deterrence to war. In wartime, the
mobilization of national economy is an important guarantee to transfer the
national defense economic potentials into national defense capabilities to win
the war by way of a rapid and orderly shift of the national economic system from
a peacetime state to a wartime state. The mobilization of national economy
includes mobilizations in the areas of industry, agriculture, communicationand
transport, post and telecommunications, science and technology,medical care and
health, urban construction, commerce and trade, and finance. The capacity to
mobilize national economy is an important indicator of the level of both
national defense modernization and the overall national strength.
Under the leadership of the State Council and CMC, the
PRC Development and Reform Commission is responsible for the mobilization of
national economy. The National Economy Mobilization Office is the administrative
organ which is primarilyresponsible for: organizing and implementing the
mobilization of national economy throughout the country; coordinating relations
between the military and economic work, between government organizations and
military systems and between the Central Government and the local governments in
the process of mobilization; properly combining peacetime needs with wartime
needs and integrating military purposes with civilian ones in the development of
national economy; improving the mechanism for mobilization of national economy
and the capabilities to shift from peacetime to wartime footing. All services
and arms of the PLA and all military area commands as well as the ministries and
commissions concerned under the State Council along with all provinces
(including autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central
Government) have set up corresponding offices for mobilization of national
economy.
China initially established a
system for mobilization of national economy after the founding of New China in
1949. In the 1960s and 1970s, China undertook the construction of mobilization
of national economy with preparations against war as the primary task. In the
1980s, the national economy mobilization began transformation in four fields:
transformation from purely serving the war demands to serving both national
defense and economic construction, focusing on the combination of both military
effectiveness and economic efficiency; transformation from playing a unitary
administrative role under the planned economy to that of an overall regulation
and control under the socialist market economy to gradually form a management
mechanism using multiple means related to law, economy and administration;
transformation from building the military production capacity in the pre-war
state to enhancing the converting ability from peacetime production to wartime
production with the emphasis on building up economic potentials for national
defense; and transformation from general mobilization preparations to partial
mobilization preparations with priority given to rapid mobilization against
contingencies in major directions and key areas.
At the new historical stage, following the principles of
combining peacetime needs with wartime needs and having military and civilian
purposes compatible with each other while reserving the military capabilities in
civilian potentials, China's national economy mobilization makes great progress
in the construction of national economy mobilization and steadily improves the
capacity of national economy mobilization by observing the principles of
centralized leadership, responsibility at different levels, overall planning,
construction of key projects, long-term preparations and gradual development. A
three-level (central, provincial and prefectural) management system to mobilize
national economy has initially taken shape with the attention paid to handling
major contingencies and emergencies, thus creating conditions, in terms of
system, for national economy to turn rapidly from peacetime production to
wartime production. Making full use of advanced information technologies, China
has initially established a digital information platform for national economy
mobilization, thus improving the speed and efficiency of turning peacetime
production to wartime production. The capability of national economy to turn
peacetime production into wartime production in 2003 was 12.44 percent higher
than that of the previous year. The contributions made by science and technology
to national economy mobilization rose by 3.53 percentage points compared with
that of the previous year.
Civil Air Defense (CAD)
As an important part of the national defense and an
important aspect of the economic and social development, China's civil air
defense (CAD) refers to measures and actions to mobilize and organize the
Chinese people to be prepared against enemy air raids and disastrous events, and
to deal with the aftermath of enemy air raids and disastrous events. Resorting
to preventive means such as camouflage, cover and evacuation, and adopting
measures such as emergency rescue and rush-repair, the CAD serves the purpose of
securing the people's lives and property, reducing losses of national economy
and preserving the war potentials. The CAD is built and managed strictly in
accordance with the Civil Air Defense Law of the PRC. The CAD adopts a system of
joint leadership by the people's governments and the military organs with the
local people's governments and the military organs at the county level and above
exercising leadership over the CAD work within their respective administrative
areas. The basic task of the CAD is to organize the people in CAD building in
peacetime and to organize and direct people to fight against air raids in
wartime.
The CAD bases itself on making preparations against air
raids under the informationalized conditions by adhering to the guideline of
long-term preparation, construction of key projects and combination of peacetime
footing with wartime footing. In recent years, major cities throughout the
country have set up joint, streamlined and highly efficient CAD command systems.
They have made their municipal anti-air-raid plans, improved their urban air
defense (AD) early-warning-alarm networks, and sped up the construction of the
auxiliaries to the AD protection facilities while strengthening the protection
of key economic targets, the construction of evacuation areas, and the building
of specialized AD contingents among the people. In some provinces and
municipalities, the people's governments have organized many anti-air-raid
exercises, in which the AD alarm sirens were tested. They have also carried out
education in the common sense of protection in case of air raids, and conducted
training in protection skills. Consequently, the people's AD awareness has been
generally raised and the overall urban anti-air-raid capabilities have been
noticeably improved.
The CAD actively safeguards public security based on the
needs of comprehensive national security. It has continuously improved its
leading organs; established emergency rescue systems; set up a unified,
coordinated and highly-efficient joint-action mechanism; formulated detailed
backup emergency plans; provided services for emergency rescue and disaster
relief by using CAD's communication, alarm and command facilities; organized
specialized AD contingents to undertake tasks entrusted by the people's
governments, such as comprehensive coordination, command support, and
specialized rescue and assistance in emergency rescue and disaster relief; and
made every effort to set up an integrated civil defense system that combines
peacetime and wartime footing, and is capable of carrying out both anti-air-raid
and disaster-preventing missions. Many factories, mines, enterprises and
communities have established volunteer teams for civil defense.
Mobilization of Communications for National Defense
The Chinese government attaches great importance to the
mobilization of communications for national defense. Under the leadership of the
State Council and the CMC, the state-level organs in charge of national defense
communications are responsible for national defense communications mobilization
across the country; the organs of the military area commands in charge of
national defense communications are responsible for national defense
communications mobilization within the areas under their jurisdiction; the
organs of the people's governments at the county level and above in charge of
national defense communications are responsible for national defense
communications mobilization in their respective administrative regions; and the
departments of the State Council in charge of communications management are
responsible for national defense communications mobilization of their own
industries.
In recent years, with the rapid development of national
transportation and communication and the constant improvement in the
informationalization of transportation and communication, China's national
defense communications systems have been further improved, and the capacity to
mobilize national defense communications has been greatly enhanced. Construction
of the national and local infrastructure for transportation, communication and
postal service is undertaken in pursuance of the principle of combining
peacetime needs with wartime needs, fully taking into account the defense and
military needs. Some railways, highways and ports of national defense
significance are listed as key construction projects of the state. The support
contingents and plans for transportation and communication have played an
important role in emergency rescue and disaster relief in peacetime. In 2003,
China's mileage of railways and highways in operation reached 73,000 km and
1,809,800 km respectively, including 29,700 km of expressways, and the annual
volume of freight handled at the major coastal ports reached 2.01 billion tons.
In railway transportation, the management of goods in transit has been
informationalized, and the marshaling has been computerized. In water
transportation, the positioning, tracking and control of ocean freighters have
been brought into reality. In highway transportation, the positioning, tracking
and control of some heavy trucks have been realized. In air transportation,
real-time information processing has been realized with regard to ticket
booking, departure, air routes as well as freight traffic and security
monitoring. Database management has been initially implemented in terms of basic
information and communications mobilization information concerning major railway
stations, harbors, airports, airline companies and transportation companies
Following the publication of the Regulations on
Communications for National Defense, the State Council and the CMC promulgated
the Regulations on Mobilization of Civil Transport for National Defense in
September 2003, and the mobilization of civil transport for national defense has
been put on the track of law. Peacetime preparations of civil transport
mobilization are made in accordance with the principle of emphasizing key
projects and focusing on actual effects. In this respect, the work includes the
drafting of an overall plan for newly-built civil vehicles and related equipment
to meet the demands of national defense, acquisition of information regarding
the potentials to mobilize civil transport for national defense, and formulation
of plans for national defense mobilization. Wartime mobilization of civil
transport is conducted according to the mobilization order issued by the
President of the state. Under special circumstances in peacetime, the
mobilization of civil transport is implemented upon the decision on mobilization
of civil transport made by the State Council and the CMC. All organizations and
individuals possessing or managing civil transport capacity are obliged by the
law to fulfil their duties and responsibilities for civil transport
mobilization.
Militia Force Building
As an important component of the Chinese armed forces
and the assistant and backup forces of the PLA, the militia force is an armed
organization composed of the masses not released from their regular work. The
militia is divided into two categories - the ordinary and the primary militia.
The primary militia comprises rapid reaction detachments, infantry detachments,
specialized technical detachments and detachments with corresponding
specialties. There are now 10 million primary militia members throughout the
country.
In recent years, based on the principle of controlling
quantity and improving quality, and emphasizing key components and laying good
foundation, priority has been given to the quality of the militia organizations
in building the militia force while keeping its mass and universal character.
Infantry detachments have been reduced, specialized technical detachments
increased, and technical detachments specialized in areas of AA artillery
(machine-guns), missiles, field artillery, communication, chemical defense,
engineering, reconnaissance and information reinforced. Enterprises and
institutions with corresponding specialties have established their militia
detachments with a high technological content. Also established therein are
militia detachments with specialties corresponding to different services and
arms responsible for combat and logistic support, and militia support
detachments responsible for fuel and other military supplies. The organizational
structure of the militia force has been optimized. The scientific and
technological quality of the militia force has been continuously improved, and
the capability of the militia force has been apparently enhanced for rapid
mobilization and operations.
The primary militia members aged 18-22 receive 30-40
days of military training. The training duration for specialized technical
militia members will be extended if necessary. Upon approval by the CMC, the
General Staff Headquarters assigns military training tasks to the militia
throughout the country. Military training for militia members will be conducted
collectively at the militia military training bases in administrative regions at
the county level. In some provinces and municipalities specialized technical
training centers and people's military schools have been set up.
The nationwide militia work comes under the centralized
leadership of the State Council and the CMC. The provincial commands (garrison
commands), military sub-commands (garrison commands) and the people's armed
forces departments of counties, autonomous counties, cities and municipal
districts are responsible for militia work in the areas under their respective
jurisdictions. The people's armed forces departments at the level of townships,
ethnic townships, towns and sub-districts are responsible for militia work in
their own areas. The people's armed forces departments of enterprises and
institutions, set up in accordance with relevant provisions of the government,
are responsible for their own militia work. Enterprises and institutions with no
people's armed forces department shall designate a department or personnel to
handle their militia work.
The Suggestions on Strengthening and Improving Militia
Work in Cities, jointly issued in August 2002 by the Central Committee of the
CPC, the State Council and the CMC, defines the strategic status and role of the
urban militia force and calls for strengthening and improving the urban militia
work, so as to be prepared for winning people's wars under high-tech conditions
with cities as important bases. In consideration of local conditions and wartime
assignments undertaken by the militia, adjustments and reforms are steadily
underway with respect to urban militia work.
Reserve Force Building
As an important component of the PLA, the reserve force
constitutes the focal point of the defense reserves building. It consists of
active servicemen as its backbone and reserve officers and men as its
foundation. It is organized according to the PLA's unified organizational
structure.
After more than 20 years of development, the reserve
force has grown from purely a land force into an important composite reserve
force consisting of the Army reserve, Navy reserve, Air Force reserve and the
reserve of the Second Artillery Force. The reserve force adopts the system of
dual leadership by the military and the local Party committees and governments.
The Army reserve is under the leadership of the provincial commands (garrison
commands) in peacetime, and the Navy reserve, Air Force reserve and the reserve
of the Second Artillery Force are placed under the joint leadership and control
of both the provincial commands (garrison commands) and the Navy, Air Force and
Second Artillery Force units. The reserve force is under the command of the
designated troops inactive service after wartime mobilization.
Under the new historical conditions, China persists in
combining the building of the reserve force with that of the armedforces in
active service. China improves the quality of the reserve force while enhancing
the reserves' capabilities for rapidmobilization and operations so as to build a
reserve force properly sized, reasonably structured, scientifically organized
and credibly effective. In recent years, the key aspects of building the reserve
force have been further highlighted. Combat readiness has been enhanced and
training levels have been raised step by step. Based on the wartime chain of
command, training systems linked with the active PLA troops have been
established, and on-base training, simulated training and network training
havebeen conducted on a wide scale.
National Defense Education
In accordance with the National Defense Education Law of
the PRC, governments and relevant departments at all levels conduct national
defense educational activities of various forms to enhance the national defense
awareness of the people. A favorable situation in national defense education has
just arisen, in which the government attaches great importance to it, the
general publicprovides support to it, and the people take an active part in it.
The Central Government has set up the National Defense
Education Office while organs or offices for national defense education have
been established accordingly in provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities
directly under the Central Government, and in most cities and counties.
Twenty-six provinces,autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the
Central Government have formulated or revised their national defense education
regulations. The State National Defense Education Officehas organized the
drafting of the national defense education program.
China conducts its national defense education mainly
among civil servants, young students, militia members and reservists. National
defense education is absorbed into the curricula for civil servants and Party
schools of the CPC. More than 2,500 Partyschools throughout China have offered
courses on national defense education. Such educational forms as special
lectures, Military Day on camp and short-term training programs are adopted. As
a result, the awareness of government functionaries in performing national
defense duties is enhanced. National defense education has been incorporated
into the courses of all kinds of schools at different levels to provide students
with national defense knowledge and education in patriotism. Some primary and
secondary schools have also introduced activities in the form of juvenile
military schools with national defense education as the theme. National defense
education for the militia and reserve forces is conducted in connection with
political education, intensified disciplining and military training.
In accordance with the Military Service Law of the PRC
and the National Defense Education Law of the PRC, colleges, universities,senior
high schools and their equivalents should develop their national defense
education by linking their curricula with military training. When studying at
colleges and universities, students are obliged to receive basic military
training. The PLA Student Military Training Office, together with the Ministry
of Education, has formulated a program to strengthen guidance on military
training for students throughout the country. In 2003, some 1,100 colleges and
universities and 11,500 senior high schools throughout China conducted military
training as required and more than eight million students received such
training.
On major holidays, commemoration days and military
recruitment occasions, national defense education is conducted in all parts
ofChina in the form of exhibitions, lectures, cultural and art performances,
knowledge competitions and military summer camps. Special columns or programs in
such media as newspapers, magazines,radio, TV and web pages are devoted to
national defense education.There are now nine provinces and municipalities that
have published newspapers or magazines on national defense education and more
than 30 regions have set up websites on national defense education. With such
platforms like cemeteries of revolutionary martyrs, revolutionary sites, and
memorial halls and museums whichcan be used for this purpose, national defense
education has been provided in all parts of the country with nearly 200 million
people educated every year.
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