Friday, March 16, 2018

Crouching PLA, Hidden PAP

After decades of shedding light infantry to the People's Armed Police, the Chinese official army seems to want to bring the "police" closer again.

Well that's interesting:

After the recent takeover of China’s 1.52-million-strong Armed Police Force by the Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, which is also the PLA’s command and control center, further militarization of training and management of the armed police have become a new emphasis.

It has been reported by Chinese media that themed war games of armed police units versus PLA regiments have been arranged, and some observers believe that the majority of the paramilitary police could be absorbed by the PLA.

Exercises for the Armed Police Force have been put at the center of strategies, Bao Yingxiang, commander of the armed police corps of Tianjin, told People’s Daily.

The Chinese seem to want to make sure their "police" light infantry can work with their army. Which they used to be part of.

Although perhaps just as interesting, making these police units capable of carrying out their former army role and practicing fighting PLA regiments makes those party-controlled troops capable of ... fighting PLA regiments.

Like I said, every threat to the Communist Party's control of China is part of a continuum of threats to be dealt with.