NIDS China Security Report 2014 Diversification of Roles in the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police National Institute for Defense Studies, Japan NIDS China Security Report 2014 Diversification of Roles in the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police Published by: The National Institute for Defense Studies 2-2-1 Nakameguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8648, Japan Phone: +81-3-5721-7005 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.nids.go.jp Translated by Interbooks Copyright © 2015 by the National Institute for Defense Studies, Japan All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written, prior permission from the pub- lisher. This publication is a translation of the Japanese version originally published in March 2015. ISBN 978-4-86482-027-1 Printed in Japan NIDS China Security Report 2014 Contents Preface iii Chapter Summary iv Acronyms and Abbreviations vi Introduction Rising Tensions as China Grows Economically 2 China’s “Armed Forces” Pressed to Respond in Various Security Areas 3 Chapter 1: ‌The Establishment of the Central National Security Commission and its Background 1. Transition of Security Concept in China 6 2. The Role of the CNSC 10 Chapter 2: The History and the Future of The People’s Armed Police 1. ‌The History of the PAP and the Reorganization of the PLA 14 2. Current Structure of the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force 17 3. The Role of the PAP Force 20 4. Status of the PAP in the CPC 21 5. Public Security related Expenditures beyond National Defense Expenditure 25 Chapter 3: Disaster Relief Operations by the PLA 1. Possible Reduction in PLA Force under the Reform of National Defense and Military 28 2. Participation in Disaster Relief Operations in the Sichuan Earthquake 29 3. Development of Military-Local Government Cooperative Relations in Disaster Relief Operations 31 Chapter 4: UN PKO Policy as Military Diplomacy 1. Intensifying Military Diplomacy 36 2. The Purpose of Participating in UN PKO 38 3. Issues Ahead 40 Chapter 5: ‌Counter-piracy Operations off the Coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden 1. Participation in Counter-piracy Operations and China’s Intents 44 2. Enhancing Naval Capabilities through Counter-piracy Operations 45 3. Building on Experience 48 Conclusions 50 Column China’s Cyberwar Capabilities 52 Column China’s Space Capabilities 54 Endnote 56 i Preface The NIDS China Security Report is distributed widely in Japan and overseas to provide analysis of China’s security policy and military trends from the mid to long-term perspective conducted by NIDS researchers. Since the inaugural issue was released in 2011, the Report has attracted academic and media interests in Japan and overseas, and the analysis offered in these Reports has allowed NIDS to further exchange and dialogues with research institutions and experts of other countries including China. This 2014 issue of the Report focuses on the current Chinese security policy and military trends which reflect China’s increasing emphasis on non-traditional security issues, and provides analysis of the missions of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the People’s Armed Police (PAP). The 2014 Report marks the fifth anniversary since its first launch in 2011 and taking this opportunity, the format is updated. A subtitle, “Diversification of Roles in the People’s Lib- eration Army and the People’s Armed Police” is added to clarify this year’s theme. The name of authors is inserted at the end of each chapter and the sources of the publicly available texts, media reports and research materials used in the report are referenced in endnotes to meet academic needs. It should be noted that China collectively refers to its military force as “Armed Forces” which are composed of the PLA, PAP and the militia. While this Report focuses on the PLA and PAP showing their increasing roles and responsibilities in relation to the changes in perspective regarding the Chinese domestic and international security policy, it does not contain the analysis of the militia, partly due to limited space, but mainly because its positioning had only changed in a relatively minor way. Similarly, the China Coast Guard, despite of it receiving an extensive attention, is also not covered in this 2014 issue, since it is not positioned as a part of China’s “Armed Forces” and it has already been analyzed in NIDS China Security Report 2012 and 2013. This Report was authored by Rira Momma (lead author), Masafumi Iida and Yasuyuki Sugi- ura, with support from Masayuki Masuda, Shinji Yamaguchi and Yasuaki Hashimoto. In preparing the Report, analysis was carried out with reference to publicly available texts, media reports and research materials. The authors thank a number of scholars and affiliates from many countries and regions including China for sharing their views and valuable in- sights. Views expressed in the Report are those of the authors and do not represent the Min- istry of Defense or Government of Japan. Editorial work was conducted by Yoshiaki Sakaguchi (editor-in-chief), Sukeyuki Ichimasa, Eiko Iwata, Keiko Kono, Masaaki Shintaku, Toshio Yoshitake and Akira W. Jingushi. March 2015 Yoshiaki Sakaguchi Director, Policy Studies Department The National Institute for Defense Studies iii Chapter Summary Chapter 1 The Establishment of the Central National Security Commission and its Background Since the time of Mao Zedong, the PRC leadership has generally regarded the country’s military strength as playing a decisive role in maintaining national security. However, since the September 11 attacks in the United States and the spread of SARS in China, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of formulating a response to terror attacks, outbreaks of disease and other situations that go beyond the traditional idea of war or social upheaval. China has given the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) responsibility over non-traditional security is- sues, such as disaster relief operations and international “military operations other than war” (MOOTW), including United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKO) and anti-piracy operations. The Xi Jinping administration has presented a new “comprehensive national secu- rity concept”, and established the Central National Security Commission (CNSC) to handle new security challenges that arise. Many of the details regarding the commission remain un- clear, but it has a role that is more comprehensive than any party committee that has come be- fore it, and its function is expected to be in making high-level policy recommendations and policy coordination. Chapter 2 The History and the Future of the People’s Armed Police The modern People’s Armed Police (PAP) was split off from the PLA in 1983. This was brought about in line with Deng Xiaoping’s intension to have the PLA concentrate on its inher- ent military duties through removing its responsibility for maintaining public order. The PLA accelerates its modernization in order to better respond to the increasingly complex conflicts on the traditional battlefields of the land, sea, and air, but also in outer space and cyberspace. The PLA is also looking to better respond in non-military security areas, and to reduce its duty burden as much as possible. For these reasons, the PAP is beginning to take over PLA duties such as infrastructure building and internal security like riot control, which helps clearly com- partmentalize both its role of domestic missions and the PLA’s role of handling external military operations. The PAP’s position within the Communist Party of China is rising in conjunction with the increasing importance of the role it now plays. Chapter 3 Disaster Relief Operations by the PLA The national defense and military reforms pushed by Xi Jinping suggest that the PLA’s ground forces may see large-scale troop reduction in the future. However, with the army’s new MOOTW role, disaster relief operations conducted in cooperation with local government de- partments are providing an opportunity for the army to show how necessary it is. Since con- ducting disaster relief activities in response to recent large-scale earthquakes and building the legal framework to do so, cooperation and coordination between the PLA and local party com- mittees and governments have been steadily deepening. The rapid establishment of initial re- iv sponse frameworks and an increase in information sharing have resulted in the Chinese govern- ment now able to conduct disaster relief services much more effectively than ever before. Regarding command and control of the PLA’s disaster relief operations, the government is gradually acquiring greater authority for the command structure, while the PLA is pursuing exclusive command mechanism to put in place for specific activities. Chapter 4 UN PKO Policy as Military Diplomacy The PLA is now actively promoting military diplomacy—international peacetime activities on the part of the military that involve interaction and dialogue with foreign militaries, multi- lateral security dialogues, joint exercises with foreign armed forces, and international security cooperation. Military diplomacy can be roughly categorized into five fields: 1) human exchange, 2) security dialogue, 3) security cooperation, 4) education and training, and 5) public relations. Of these fields, China is actively participating in international security cooperation through UN PKO, anti-piracy operations, and disaster relief operations in response to disasters in foreign countries. This activities will lead China to improving its images in the global community and build cordial relationships with other major powers and neighboring countries, allow it to cre- ate a more desirable international environment, and also should result in the strengthening of its military capabilities. Particularly as it deepens its involvement in UN PKO, its objectives seem to include strengthening function and authority of the United Nations Security Council, in- creasing China’s influence in the UN as a whole, and serving as an advocate for the respect of national sovereignty and the non-intervention principle.