I. The Big Story: CMC’s Outlines to Strengthen Primary-level Units
China’s Central Military Commission (CMC) released a set of outlines to strengthen the military at the primary level. The outlines, approved by President Xi Jinping, will take effect from February 1. The newly revised outlines adhere to Xi’s thought of ‘socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era.’ CMC issued the first formal outline in 1990, providing basic guidelines for the grassroots construction of the armed forces. Since then, it has been revised five times in 1993, 1995, 2003, 2009 and 2015. This is the second revision since Xi became the President of the People’s Republic of China.
The PLA and CMC are undergoing reforms since late 2015. “There are requirements of a new system, new functions and new missions, the grassroots construction is facing many new situations, and some difficulties need to be solved urgently. It is necessary to come up with a radical solution,” claims the organising bureau of the Political Work Department of CMC in an interview to the PLA Daily.
The outlines insist on the establishment of grassroots-level party organisations in important positions. It puts forward specific requirements around strengthening the political advantage of "branch construction on the continuum," sets new standards for building the "four teams" and gives new roles of two mass organizations.
“The grassroots party organisations must implement the general requirements for party building, profoundly grasp the political implication, internal mechanism, and requirements of the times established by the outline. It must strengthen the management of party members, cadres, and ideology,” claims a reviewer in the PLA Daily.
Objectives: Xi clearly states that it was necessary to forge a solid grassroots level organisation that adheres to the party’s commands. A solid grassroots level organisation that can fight and win informatised local wars and provide a solid foundation for the advancement of the military. “The comprehensive forging of the "three strong" grass-roots units is the mission and practical requirements for pushing the party's goal of a strong army in the new era to achieve the end goal of building a world-class army,” says Xi.
He further adds that strengthening grassroots construction is key to making the army combat-ready. “The grassroots party organisation is the backbone of the party, and it is a strong fighting army that realises the party's absolute leadership and completes various tasks allotted to it,” says Xi.
Process: The revision work of outlines started since February 2019, and a task group was formed to focus on intelligence.
- Xi’s discussed the importance of grassroots construction of the army.
- Relevant CMC documents, Xi’s speeches, instructions to the military leaders, ideologies, theories and weapons were analysed.
- In-depth investigation and research adhering to the linkages between the top and bottom, point-to-surface, military commission organs, large-scale research projects, squad investigations, and more were conducted
- More than 20 symposiums were held in institutions, colleges and military units to listen to the opinions of more than 1,100 leading cadres and grass-roots officers and soldiers.
The three waves solicited opinions from large units, military commission organs and departments, and research groups on military policy and system reform were taken after drafting of the outlines. Finally, it was submitted to CMC for a conference for discussion.
I had a brief discussion with Manoj Kewalramani, the head of China Desk at The Takshashila Institution. He opines that it sounds like essentially political work to ensure loyalty. There's a lot of Party-speak in this stuff, which is normal for the Chinese. But essentially, it sounds like greater ideological work is needed at the grassroots level to ensure political loyalty of troops. That makes sense when you consider that the key is to control the PLA since it is the deciding factor in who controls power.
II. Developing Stories
Trial Regulation on Military Supervision
Last week, Xi signed an order for releasing the trial regulation on military supervision work. This regulation will also take effect on February 1, 2020. The regulation intends to establish a sound and efficient military supervision system with complete coverage under a unified command. Xi has already installed the secretary of discipline inspection commission in CMC’s Central Committee in the third phase of the PLA reforms. The decision will further regulate the army discipline, strengthen the supervision of the exercise of power by military personnel and advance the army's fight against corruption.
The regulation has a total of 10 chapters and 62 articles, covering various aspects such as the establishment of supervision committees, supervision scope and jurisdiction, supervision, investigation, disposal, coordination of supervision work, supervision of supervision committees and supervisors. It emphasises that military surveillance must adhere to combat effectiveness standards and serve for war, adhere to the unified powers and responsibilities, persist in treating both the symptoms and root causes, and comprehensive management, build a long-term mechanism that does not dare to rot, cannot rot, and does not want to rot and more. It stipulates that the supervisory committees at all levels of the military are the specialised agencies performing supervisory functions duties in accordance with the law.
Supervision committees carry out supervision under the leadership of Party committees at the same level and supervisory committees at higher levels. Therefore the regulation specifies that the supervisory committee should improve the internal control mechanism, strictly educate and manage supervisors, strengthen self-supervision and build a loyal, clean and responsible supervisory team.
Questioning India’s Indigenous Defence Capabilities
China Military Online published an article questioning India’s indigenous defence capabilities. This was at the backdrop of India’s underwater ballistic missile test. It conceded that this missile test marks a critical step forward on India’s way of laying a solid foundation for it to establish the Indian-style missile defence network and maintain its strategic superiority in South Asia. However, it claims that India’s technology is completely left behind, and its R&D has had too many twists and turns. “It has conducted too few tests, far from enough for it to fully understand the technology,” claims the article.
Read the full article.
China’s Military Aircraft Fly close to Taiwan
A group of China’s military aircraft, which included H-6 bombers and KJ-500 early warning and control aircraft, flew close to the southernmost tip of Taiwan on Thursday, reports SCMP. They passed through the Bashi Channel near Taiwan’s Orchid Island en route to the western Pacific Ocean. The report didn’t mention the number of aircraft involved but claims that aircraft had taken off from different air bases in southern China. Taiwan’s armed forces remained on high alert over the Lunar New Year holiday, which started this Friday.
Information Point: China’s Eastern Theatre Command is responsible for Taiwan and the East China Sea.
Xi meets PLA Soldiers and Officers in Yunnan
During his visit to Yunnan, Xi met a border battalion stationed in the southwestern border of China. He visited the soldier's dormitory, health centre and cafeteria. He also met the leading cadres at the deputy division level or above and leaders of regiment-level units in the Yunnan Army in Kunming.
III. Military Hardware
J-20 Combat Formation
China’s most advanced fighter aircraft, the J-20, flew with the J-16 and J-10 C in a combat formation while conducting a real scenario training session. The same combination was previously tested in 2018. While the J-20 is more advanced than the J-16 and J-10C, they share advanced technologies like avionics and active electronically scanned array radars.
SCMP reports that China would need between 100 and 200 J-20s at least to maximise mission flexibility. China was thought to have been built about 50 J-20s by the end of 2019, but problems with the jets’ engines delayed production plans.
The J-20 made its first test flight in 2011, its public debut at Airshow China 2016 and entered military service in 2017.
DF-26 in Eastern China
Pictures taken recently by Maxar Technologies’ satellites show a large number of DF-26 launchers, an intermediate-range missile, operating at a training site approximately 9 km south of Qingzhou City in China’s Shandong Province. The DF-26 is dual-capable, which means it can deliver both nuclear and conventional warheads and is thought to have a range of approximately 4,000 km. It was first fielded in 2016 and the Pentagon’s 2019 report on Chinese military developments estimated China has up to 80 DF-26 launchers with 80-160 missiles.
Besides Qingzhou, the DF-26s have appeared in Xinyang (Henan), Dengshahe (Liaoning), Korla (Xinjiang), possibly Jinhua (Anhui), and the large training area at Jilantai (Inner Mongolia). In Inner Mongolia, they continue to train with the DF-17s, 31s and 41s. Read about its implications here.
Xinjiang gets Border Patrol Drones
Xinjiang MR gets border patrol drones to conduct border patrol missions. This is after one surveillance camera spotted unidentified personnel attempting to cross through border wire fences, reports CCTV. China is popularising the use of drones for the PLA and PAP. The PLA operates GJ series armed reconnaissance drones, including the standard GJ-1, the more powerful GJ-2 and the stealth GJ-11, claims the report. Military observers suggest that China deploys large armed reconnaissance drones in Xinjiang to boost its counter-terrorism efforts.
IV. Research Paper
Elsa B. Kania published a paper titled, Minds at War: China’s Pursuit of Military Advantage through Cognitive Science and Biotechnology. She argues that Xi has highlighted the importance of military innovation to “keep pace with the times” (与时俱进) and is adapting to the global revolution in military affairs. She argues that the PLA is looking to improve its capabilities to leverage academic and commercial developments through China’s “military-civil fusion” (军民融合) strategy. Brain science, artificial intelligence (AI), and biotechnology are three sectors, according to her, where Chinese innovation is poised to pursue synergies. This will have far-reaching implications for its future military power and aggregate national competitiveness.
“Today, China possesses a stronger technological foundation for future military power, despite confronting continued challenges in the development of “key and core” (关键核心) technologies, and the PLA is looking to improve its capacity to leverage academic and commercial advancements to enable future military capabilities, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and quantum technology,” writes Kania.
V. Jiefangjun Bao (解放军报) Liberation Army News
Xue Jinfeng, Command Commander of the PLARF, writes about the military training series and sharpening of the battlefield in the PLA Daily. This is with the background of Xi’s directive at the start of the year to train more and in harsh conditions. He argues that confrontational training in real combat conditions has become a new normal for the PLA. Furthermore, he says that PLA’s red vs blue training is entering a new realm of scaled-up phase. The confrontation training helps the PLA to study the opponents, deepen the use of warfare training methods and tools, test the quality of troops and sharpen the hard work for future battlefield confrontation.
“In order to temper the ability to prepare for war in the new era, whether it is tactical exercises, campaign exercises, or strategic exercises, it is necessary to strengthen confrontation training,” writes Xue.
He concedes that there are many gaps in PLA’s current system of combat training. The blue army standards don’t match with the real enemy’s capabilities. But he implies that the ongoing series of reforms are leading the PLA in the right direction. He emphasises on the fact that the PLA should improve the standards of the blue army. This would help the PLA to get real combat experience and make it battle-ready.
VI. Emerging Technologies
China’s New Killer Robot Ship goes through its First Sea Trial
China’s new killer robot ship that can carry out anti-submarine and anti-ship missions has undergone its first sea trial. Called the JARI, the unmanned surface vessel is said to be the world’s first USV with multiple roles – anti-submarine, air defence and surface combat – and powerful weaponry. The report first got published in Ordinance Industry Science Technology, a leading PLA periodical. Reportedly, the vessel is equipped with an active phased array radar and other advanced electronic systems – similar to those on the US Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer or China’s Type 052D, guided-missile destroyer. Its weaponry gives it the scope to carry out anti-submarine, air defence and anti-ship missions.
The JARI was first revealed in 2018 by its developers at the CSIC, the 716 and 702 research institutes. It drew international attention when they took it to the International Defence Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi last year.
World’s First 3 Engines Drone
The world’s first large three-engine drone recently made its first flight in China. The drone is developed by Chengdu-based Tengden Technology Company. The drone has a width of 20 meters and a length of 11 meters. It is equipped with three-piston engines, with one under each wing and one on its tail, enabling it to have an endurance of 35 hours. It can also be used in areas such as disaster relief, forest fire fighting, geographic mapping, meteorological observation and aerial communications relay.
VII. Training, Exercises and Drills
China Tanzania 25-day Joint Military Exercise
China and Tanzania wrapped its 25-day long joint military training this week, coded “Sincere Partners 2015.” Starting December 23 2019, the training covered command post exercise, explosive operations, light weapons shooting and search of residential areas. The joint training reinforced pragmatic cooperation between the two militaries and upgraded their capabilities to conduct military missions. The joint training is the first of such kind involving only the ground forces of China and Tanzania.
VIII. News Updates
China Starts 2020 Military Conscription of Female Soldiers
After changing the military conscription of recruitment earlier this month, China started this year's military recruitment of female soldiers. This year's first recruitment of female soldiers ends on February 15. The recruitment drive mainly targets college graduates and students. The second drive will run from June 26 to August 15, primarily recruiting female students with high school degrees or above. The recruitment includes signing up procedures, physical examination and political assessment. Family members of martyrs and soldiers are given priority.
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