<p>China’s upcoming military hub, which intelligence officials in the US call the Beijing Military City, has caught the eye of the global strategic community, given the secrecy and magnitude of its construction. It is being built on 1,500 acres and is located southwest of Beijing, according to reports. The construction is believed to have gathered momentum in mid-2024. Once completed, it is expected to be ten times the size of the Pentagon. It is part of China’s military modernisation plans and is envisioned as a highly secretive wartime command centre. It has already triggered concerns in the US, Japan, India, South Korea, and Taiwan. Incidentally, none of the official Chinese websites makes a mention of this construction. In the long term, the Military City will probably replace the existing military headquarters, built during the Cold War.</p>.<p>Satellite images show that a large part of the Military City will also be underground. The new command centre is a reflection of Beijing’s growing ambitions, given Xi Jinping’s vision to surpass the US as a preeminent military power. Experts suggest that it is being built in a manner that it could withstand a nuclear strike. China has held on to a No-First-Use policy and hence, invested heavily in systems that assume survivability and insulate the City from potential strikes. The satellite images suggest the construction of subterranean facilities along with passageways. The US estimates that China would have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, which could rival the US arsenal. Pentagon insiders believe that China has close to 600 operational nuclear warheads – the number was only around 200 in 2020.</p>.<p>China is not just a country; at many levels, it is a mystery of sorts. There is no official mention of this project in the country. However, credible satellite images indicate that the Military City could be a key component in the emerging regional and world order. The project underlines China’s efforts to transform the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into a more integrated, capable, and technologically advanced armed force. The construction of the city marks a shift in Beijing’s military strategy to make its military as advanced as the US and NATO forces. Hence, the need for modernisation and extensive coordination – the Military City could facilitate this. The project has a bearing on the growing Chinese fixation on Taiwan and the South China Sea.</p>.<p><strong>A new doctrine</strong></p>.<p>President Xi has even indicated the need for the PLA to be prepared for a possible attack on Taiwan by 2027. A potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan was corroborated by a top US military official in March 2024 – 2027 will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Chinese military. By 2049, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Communist takeover of China, Beijing hopes to have a world-class military.</p>.<p>China has been working towards this by modernising its forces, integrating all three services of the armed forces, and scaling up its nuclear capabilities. It already has underground nuclear bunkers and command facilities. China’s primary command centre is in the Western Hills, which was established during the Cold War. The upcoming Military City has attracted international attention for its sheer size and location.</p>.<p>This City is not just symbolic – the nature of the construction seems to suggest an operational doctrine that can survive a first strike and ensure an assured second-strike capability. This would put additional pressure on the existing security doctrines of countries in the region, and even result in a regional arms build-up. The establishment of such a large military command centre could embolden military planners. The PLA Navy (PLAN) has invested heavily in a new generation of amphibious assault ships and nuclear-powered attack submarines. Beijing also introduced the Fujian aircraft carrier class in 2022.</p>.<p>The dilemma for the US is that although China remains a problem, it cannot be treated as an enemy. Technically, Beijing cannot be an immediate threat to Washington, given its nuclear advantage and the reach of its naval and airpower capabilities. It could take many years, or even decades, for China to catch up. Yet the heavy investment China is making in enhancing its military capabilities, especially in the region, <br>and the setting up of a Command Centre of such mammoth scale is worrisome. For the US, the development signals the making of a Thucydides trap.</p>.<p><em>(Vinod is a professor and Lakshmi is a research scholar in the Department of International Studies, Political Science and History, Christ Deemed to be University, Bengaluru)</em></p>
<p>China’s upcoming military hub, which intelligence officials in the US call the Beijing Military City, has caught the eye of the global strategic community, given the secrecy and magnitude of its construction. It is being built on 1,500 acres and is located southwest of Beijing, according to reports. The construction is believed to have gathered momentum in mid-2024. Once completed, it is expected to be ten times the size of the Pentagon. It is part of China’s military modernisation plans and is envisioned as a highly secretive wartime command centre. It has already triggered concerns in the US, Japan, India, South Korea, and Taiwan. Incidentally, none of the official Chinese websites makes a mention of this construction. In the long term, the Military City will probably replace the existing military headquarters, built during the Cold War.</p>.<p>Satellite images show that a large part of the Military City will also be underground. The new command centre is a reflection of Beijing’s growing ambitions, given Xi Jinping’s vision to surpass the US as a preeminent military power. Experts suggest that it is being built in a manner that it could withstand a nuclear strike. China has held on to a No-First-Use policy and hence, invested heavily in systems that assume survivability and insulate the City from potential strikes. The satellite images suggest the construction of subterranean facilities along with passageways. The US estimates that China would have 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035, which could rival the US arsenal. Pentagon insiders believe that China has close to 600 operational nuclear warheads – the number was only around 200 in 2020.</p>.<p>China is not just a country; at many levels, it is a mystery of sorts. There is no official mention of this project in the country. However, credible satellite images indicate that the Military City could be a key component in the emerging regional and world order. The project underlines China’s efforts to transform the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into a more integrated, capable, and technologically advanced armed force. The construction of the city marks a shift in Beijing’s military strategy to make its military as advanced as the US and NATO forces. Hence, the need for modernisation and extensive coordination – the Military City could facilitate this. The project has a bearing on the growing Chinese fixation on Taiwan and the South China Sea.</p>.<p><strong>A new doctrine</strong></p>.<p>President Xi has even indicated the need for the PLA to be prepared for a possible attack on Taiwan by 2027. A potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan was corroborated by a top US military official in March 2024 – 2027 will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Chinese military. By 2049, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Communist takeover of China, Beijing hopes to have a world-class military.</p>.<p>China has been working towards this by modernising its forces, integrating all three services of the armed forces, and scaling up its nuclear capabilities. It already has underground nuclear bunkers and command facilities. China’s primary command centre is in the Western Hills, which was established during the Cold War. The upcoming Military City has attracted international attention for its sheer size and location.</p>.<p>This City is not just symbolic – the nature of the construction seems to suggest an operational doctrine that can survive a first strike and ensure an assured second-strike capability. This would put additional pressure on the existing security doctrines of countries in the region, and even result in a regional arms build-up. The establishment of such a large military command centre could embolden military planners. The PLA Navy (PLAN) has invested heavily in a new generation of amphibious assault ships and nuclear-powered attack submarines. Beijing also introduced the Fujian aircraft carrier class in 2022.</p>.<p>The dilemma for the US is that although China remains a problem, it cannot be treated as an enemy. Technically, Beijing cannot be an immediate threat to Washington, given its nuclear advantage and the reach of its naval and airpower capabilities. It could take many years, or even decades, for China to catch up. Yet the heavy investment China is making in enhancing its military capabilities, especially in the region, <br>and the setting up of a Command Centre of such mammoth scale is worrisome. For the US, the development signals the making of a Thucydides trap.</p>.<p><em>(Vinod is a professor and Lakshmi is a research scholar in the Department of International Studies, Political Science and History, Christ Deemed to be University, Bengaluru)</em></p>
