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Beijing Announces Incentives to Recruit College Students into the Military

Amid rising employment challenges for Chinese graduates, Beijing is encouraging college students to join the military. On August 28, China’s Defense Ministry announced the preferential policies:

  1. Family honor – Local governments provide annual subsidies and display honor plaques for soldiers’ families.
  2. Career development – Incoming or current college students can apply to military academies; qualified full-time bachelor’s degree holders or higher may be directly commissioned as officers. Outstanding student soldiers in units at or below the division level may be recommended for military school admission. All student soldiers have opportunities for promotion, long-term service, and advancement to non-commissioned officer ranks.
  3. Education & employment – Incoming freshmen can defer admission, and current students may retain enrollment, with the option to resume studies within two years after discharge. Student soldiers receive tuition compensation, state loan repayment, or tuition waivers. After service, they receive extra points or priority for college transfers, graduate exams, civil service recruitment, and military civilian positions.

Source: Xinhua, August 28, 2025
http://www3.xinhuanet.com/politics/20250828/9378479441b74f7cacf15846cd203a42/c.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Reports Surface on PLA Debate Over “Nationalizing the Military”

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long upheld the principle that “the Party commands the gun.” However, reports suggest that the idea of “military nationalization” is once again circulating within China’s political and military circles.

One of the most vocal advocates is Liu Yuan, son of former CCP leader Liu Shaoqi, who argues that China’s fundamental problems stem from the military remaining a “party army” loyal to individuals rather than serving as a national defense force.

According to an independent commentator, at an expanded Politburo meeting in May, Liu Yuan called for reforms: abolishing the Central Military Commission (CMC) and creating a National Defense Commission under the state president, eliminating Party committees within the armed forces, and requiring soldiers to swear allegiance to the Constitution rather than to the Party.

Observers note that as Xi Jinping’s control over the military appears to weaken, Party and military media have stopped explicitly rejecting the notion of military nationalization.

{Editor’s Note: In light of widespread reports of factional infighting within the CCP, the push for “military nationalization” may be less about democratization and more about ensuring that the military does not align with any particular faction, or as a counter to the system of “(CCP) CMC Chairman responsibility (军委主席负责制)” imposed under Xi Jinping.}

Source: Epoch Times, September 13, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/9/12/n14593398.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Government/Politics

China Reveals Espionage Cases Involving Foreign Recruitment and Infiltration

Russian outlet Sputnik reported that China’s Ministry of State Security has warned of increasingly sophisticated methods used by foreign intelligence agencies – including money, seduction, emotional manipulation, and intimidation – to infiltrate targets and steal sensitive information.

One case involved “Xiao Zhe,” an 18-year-old Chinese exchange student in Taiwan. He was drawn into a romantic relationship with a woman posing as a senior student, who later coerced him into passing on sensitive research after he began working in a classified defense laboratory. Over time, he provided nearly 100 pieces of defense-related intelligence in exchange for payments before being exposed.

Another case centered on Zhang, a former Chinese ministry official cultivated by a foreign diplomat while stationed overseas. Zhang eventually spied for that country, fathered two children with a female official there, and secretly hoarded more than 5,000 classified documents, including dozens marked top secret. In 2019, he was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for espionage and illegally obtaining state secrets.

The ministry also cited examples from Guangdong, where two nationals, Li and Huang, were recruited online with offers of high pay. Li was tasked with reconnaissance near military facilities, while Huang used his job as a wedding photographer near a naval port to take almost 400 photos of warships. Both were arrested and sentenced, with Huang receiving 14 years in prison and the confiscation of his assets.

Source: Sputnik, September 4, 2025
https://sputniknews.cn/20250904/1067271620.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Government/Politics

Leaders from 26 Countries to Attend China’s Military Parade, including Russia, North Korea, Iran, and Cuba (Updated)

China has officially announced that 26 foreign heads of state and government have been invited to attend the September 3 military parade. On August 30, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto cancelled his trip due to domestic protests in Jakarta; but in the end he still managed to go to China to attend the military parade.

Analysts highlight that a notable feature of this list is the absence of developed countries. Most attendees come from Asia and a few other regions, while major Western nations are collectively absent; Japan and South Korea are also not included. Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31–September 1, but will skip the military parade, which most other SCO leaders will remain to watch.

Ongoing tensions between China and Western countries over trade, technology, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and human rights likely influenced their decision to abstain from participating. Serbian President Aleksandar Vuči and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico are the only leaders from European countries, but their pro-Russia stance contrasts with mainstream Western positions. Only two African nations – Congo and Zimbabwe – are attending, marking a sharp departure from China’s historically strong engagement with Africa.

People’s Daily has listed the 26 foreign leaders as:

  • Russia – President Vladimir Putin
  • North Korea – Kim Jong Un, General Secretary of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission
  • Cambodia – King Norodom Sihamoni
  • Vietnam – President Luong Cuong
  • Laos – Thongloun Sisoulith, General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos
  • Indonesia – President Prabowo Subianto
  • Malaysia – Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim
  • Mongolia – President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh
  • Pakistan –  Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
  • Nepal – Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli
  • Maldives – President Mohamed Muizzu
  • Kazakhstan – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
  • Uzbekistan – President Shavkat Mirziyoyev
  • Tajikistan – President Emomali Rahmon
  • Kyrgyzstan – President Sadyr Japarov
  • Turkmenistan – President Serdar Berdimuhamedov
  • Belarus – President Alexander Lukashenko
  • Azerbaijan – President Ilham Aliyev
  • Armenia – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
  • Iran – President Masoud Pezeshkian
  • Congolese (Brazzaville) – President Denis Sassou Nguesso
  • Zimbabwe – President Emmerson Mnangagwa
  • Serbia – President Aleksandar Vučić
  • Slovakia – Prime Minister Robert Fico
  • Cuba – Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba
  • Myanmar – Acting President Min Aung Hlaing

Sources:
1. People’s Daily, August 29, 2025
https://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/pc/content/202508/29/content_30100885.html
2. Central News Agency (Taiwan), August 29, 2025
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202508290174.aspx

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

Speculations on the 82 Group Army

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Daily recently published an article titled “Rebuilding the Authority of Political Cadres in the 82nd Group Army.” The piece was notable for three reasons: it did not mention Xi Jinping, it emphasized “democratic centralism” (implicitly critiquing Xi’s more autocratic approach to government), and it advocated for restoration of the political authority of CCP cadres (hinting at a fix to Miao Hua’s military-political work).

The article stated: “When democratic centralism becomes the ‘golden key’ to consensus, when the fighting spirit becomes the ‘scalpel’ against entrenched problems, and when truth-telling becomes the ‘yardstick’ of combat readiness, the image and authority of political cadres will stand firm.”

Recently, reports surfaced online that during this year’s Beidaihe meetings, the 82nd Group Army (formerly the 38 Army) was deployed to Beijing and its neighboring area and also took over the defense of the Beidaihe venue. Large stockpiles of weapons and ammunition were reportedly stored in Beijing’s Zhongshan Park, with numerous barracks set up, and many military vehicles and tanks were stationed inside the city. The authorities said the activities were to prepare for a military parade scheduled for September 3, but in previous years’ military parades only saw defense deployments in suburban areas. There were reports that several buses blocked a line of tanks when they entered the city.

Commentator Chen Pokong noted that the PLA Daily ran this weighty article, conspicuously omitting Xi, rather than denying the rumors of (that a power struggle over the military could be ongoing).

Historically, the 38th Army played a major role in combat during the Korean War. It was repeatedly used in CCP power struggles. During the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989, it was deployed to suppress and kill protesters. In 2012, amid the power struggle between Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, Hu’s faction deployed the 38th Army to Beijing to confront Jiang’s ally Zhou Yongkang, forcing Zhou into retreat. In 2015, Zhang Youxia led the 38th Army into Zhongnanhai to assist Xi Jinping in disarming the Central Guard Bureau and remove its chief Cao Qing and deputy chief Wang Qing.

Sources:
1. PLA Daily, August 16, 2025
http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/wzll/yw_214068/16402940.html
2.  China News Center, August 20, 2025
https://chinanewscenter.com/archives/49294

Briefings | | |   @CS Defense/Military Government/Politics

Ministry of State Security Reveals an Energy Sector Employee Espionage Case

China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the Ministry of State Security has arrested an energy-sector employee, identified as Yu, on charges of espionage for a foreign intelligence agency. According to officials, Yu was first approached in 2017 by a foreign contact who posed as a professional associate. Over time, Yu agreed to provide sensitive internal company information in exchange for financial compensation.

The case came to light in 2019 when Yu attempted to transition into a government position and sought to conceal his past activities during background checks. Investigators uncovered evidence of his cooperation with foreign intelligence, leading to his prosecution.

Chinese authorities stressed that espionage crimes cannot remain hidden indefinitely, and concealment only increases the severity of punishment. Officials further emphasized provisions under China’s Counter-Espionage Law, noting that individuals who voluntarily admit wrongdoing, cooperate with investigators, or make contributions to national security may face reduced penalties. “The public should report suspicious behavior through official hotlines and security platforms.”

Source: CCTV, August 20, 2025
https://news.cctv.com/2025/08/20/ARTIWHFWeIbJ78dnyn5WjjUX250820.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Social Stability

Taiwan Joins U.S.-Led “Northern Strike” Exercise in the State of Michigan

The United Sates’ two-week “Northern Strike” exercise concluded on August 16, with more than 7,500 service members from 36 U.S. states and territories participating, representing all U.S. military branches except the Space Force, along with nine international partners.

This year’s drills placed greater emphasis on maritime operations. Planners have indicated that future exercises will expand further in this direction. One scenario involved delivering supplies to troops stationed on an island, which is different from past scenarios such as resupplying by land in Europe or from large bases in the Middle East.

Michigan has emerged as the top training location for potential large-scale operations in the Asia theater, as its central Great Lakes location replicates an island environment.

At an August 4 briefing, a senior Michigan National Guard official stated that more than 500 Taiwanese soldiers took part in this year’s Northern Strike exercise. Briefing slides showed that Taiwan has been sending troops to participate at least since 2021.

Source: Epoch Times, August 20, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/8/19/n14577051.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military