Xi shows power by centralising China’s paramilitary police force
Beijing — China’s paramilitary police force will soon be commanded by the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) armed forces, a report said on Wednesday, the latest sign of the leadership’s resolve to centralise power. The move puts the force, which maintains domestic security, squarely under the command of President Xi Jinping, who is also head of the military. The 660,000-strong force is responsible for border patrol, counter terrorism and fire-fighting, as well as maintaining domestic stability and other tasks. It is currently under the dual leadership of the government’s cabinet, the state council, and the party’s central military commission. By contrast, and unlike most countries, China’s armed forces are permanently under the control of its ruling political party, the CCP, rather than the state. "From January 1 2018 ... the armed police will be a division under the central military commission only," the official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a central committee st...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.