Strategic Focus on Border, Coastal, and Air Defense: Xi Jinping's Military Priorities

China's national defense strategy places a significant emphasis on safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, particularly through robust border, coastal, and air defense mechanisms. In a recent speech, Xi Jinping underscored the importance of mainland defense, signaling a strategic priority that reflects Beijing's broader geopolitical concerns.

Strengthening Traditional Combat Forces

Xi Jinping's emphasis on border, coastal, and air defense aligns with the Chinese Communist Party's resolution to "strengthen traditional combat forces," as highlighted during the recent Third Plenum. In Chinese military terminology, "traditional combat forces" typically refer to conscript-heavy units, which include border and coastal defense forces and other ground combat units. By prioritizing homeland defense, Xi is likely to elevate the stature of these army elements, enhancing their profile within society. This is evident from the dedicated webpage on the Chinese-language China military website, which showcases the stories of border troops for internal consumption.

Implications for Local Governments and Military-Civilian Integration

Within China, Xi's speech may be interpreted by local officials and bureaucrats as an indication that central funding is available for dual-use infrastructure projects in border regions, particularly those that contribute to defense readiness. This could encourage local leaders to actively participate in nationwide "military-civilian integration" (军民融合) initiatives. A pertinent example of this trend is the construction of over 50 new villages and the expansion of 100 others in remote regions along China's periphery since 2016, likely driven by this policy direction.

Fostering Neighborly Relations and Pragmatic Cooperation

Xi's speech also emphasized the importance of fostering neighborly relations and pragmatic cooperation with neighboring countries to create a favorable surrounding environment. While military relations with several Southeast Asian countries appear stable, China's actions in disputed ocean territories have caused friction. Therefore, Xi's call for fostering neighborly relations may seem hollow in this context. However, his emphasis on "pragmatic cooperation" could signal Beijing's willingness to adopt a more flexible and accommodating approach in the coming years.

Optimizing the Leadership Management System

Lastly, Xi stressed the need to "optimize the leadership management system." This could indicate his intention to place border operations under the Central Military Commission’s Joint Staff Department, moving them away from the National Defense Mobilization Department Border Defense Bureau. Such a shift could extend to the theater commands' Joint Staff Departments, potentially leading to the establishment of border operations staff offices within the navy and air force. These changes could result in greater integration of operations along China’s periphery, reducing miscommunications and accidental encounters with foreign military and civilian entities operating near Chinese borders.

In the long term, a more unified command structure for front-line units could enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of China’s border defense operations.