The structure of the People's Armed Police is complex, and has highly varied over time. While the majority of PAP units are involved in standard policing and gendarmerie duties, the PAP has also included at different times unique specialised units.
The People's Armed Police was established in 1982, taking over duties from previous units and formations that directly under the command of the People's Liberation Army. The PAP reports directly to the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Headquarters organisation The People's Armed Police Headquarters is the leading and commanding organ that directs and administers all the units and provides guidance to it. The PAP has a commander, a political commissar and several deputy commanders and deputy political commissars. The PAP also has departments responsible for logistical and political matters and several speciality departments.
Following adjustment and reorganisation, the People's Armed Police is mainly composed of the territorial forces, the mobile forces, and the Coast Guard.
The People's Armed Police Headquarters, placed at Theater Command Grade, include five Departments directly under the Headquarters: Staff Department (Deputy Theater Command Grade); Training Bureau (Division Leader Grade); Intelligence Bureau (Division Leader Grade), led by Zhang Xiaoqi; Political Work Department (Deputy Theater Command Grade): led by Director Lieutenant general Gao Wei; Propaganda Bureau (Division Leader Grade); Soldier and Civilian Personnel Bureau (Division Leader Grade); Discipline Inspection Commission (Deputy Theater Command Grade); Logistics Department (Corps Leader Grade); Equipment Department (Corps Leader Grade). Being of Theatre Command Grade, the People's Armed Police is led by a full General.
Mobile corps Mobile corps (), often mistranslated as "Contingents" are large formations without fixed areas of responsibility. Two were created after the 2018 reforms; most of the subordinate units came from the 14 disbanded mobile divisions. Mobile corps are corps leader grade formations commanded by major generals.
The mobile corps are mainly responsible for dealing with terrorism, violent crime, riots, and public security threats.
1st Mobile Corps
The 1st Mobile Corps is based in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, south of Beijing. The Corps covers northern and central China, including Beijing. The 1st Mobile Corps consists of: Nine mobile detachments (Panjin, Liaoning; Shenyang, Liaoning; Bayisingtu, Inner Mongolia; Tianjin; Dingzhou, Hebei; Baoding, Hebei; Jinzhong, Shanxi; Zhengzhou, Henan; Pingliang, Gansu); Three Special Operations detachments (Beijing; Tianjin; Shijiazhuang); Two Transportation detachments (Beijing and Xi’an, Shaanxi); One Engineering/Chemical Defence detachment (Huludao, Liaoning); One Helicopter detachment with 3 Groups
2nd Mobile Corps
The 2nd Mobile Corps is headquartered in Fuzhou, with units concentrated in Fujian and surrounding provinces along the coast (covering eastern and southern China). The 2nd Mobile Corps consists of: Nine mobile detachments (Wuyi, Jiangsu; Putian, Fujian; Guangzhou; Foshan, Guangdong; Mengzi, Yunnan; Nanchong, Sichuan); Two Special Operations detachments (Guangzhou(Snow Leopard Commando Unit) and Huzhou, Zhejiang); Three Transportation detachments (Hefei, Anhui; Mianyang, Sichuan; Linzhi, Tibet); One Engineering/Chemical Defense detachment (Fuzhou, Fujian); One Helicopter detachment with 3 Groups The incumbent Commander is Major General Chen Hongwu, while the Political Commissar is Major General Yang Zhenguo.
Internal security forces
The major part of the PAP is the nèiwèi bùduì (); translations include "internal security forces", "internal security troops", and "internal guards corps". Internal security forces are divided into provincial-level formations with geographical areas of responsibility. They are subordinated to PAP headquarters; the 2017-2018 reforms removed control of PAP units from local government. Internal security forces are focused on domestic security missions, maintaining stability in western China, guarding government compounds, disaster relief, and responding to major anti-government unrest.
The zǒngduì () is the provincial formation. They are called "corps" by the PAP; Western analysts have used "contingent", "general corps", and "detachment". Most are corps deputy leader grade formations. The exceptions are the Beijing and Xinjiang corps which are corps leader grade; their subordinate entities, except for the logistics and equipment bureaus, are one grade higher than in the other corps. Hong Kong and Macau do not have corps. Corps have mobile detachments and duty detachments ().
Duty detachments protect government compounds and perform routine duties; they may exist because the CCP lacks confidence in the ability of local public security forces to handle "mass incidents".
Mobile detachments () are rapid reaction units roughly corresponding to PLAGF regiments. Some were existing corps mobile units before the reforms. Most were transferred from the disbanded mobile divisions. Most corps have one. In general, western provinces with large non-Han population have more than those in China's interior.
Corps are further subdivided at lower administrative levels. Regimental-level detachments () are found in provinces, prefectures, and specifically designated cities. Battalions () are located in districts of the important cities and counties. Companies () are found in counties. All corps have subordinate elementary command colleges.
List of provincial corps
4 mobile detachments
Two mobile detachments
Two mobile detachments
Four mobile detachments Tibet Corps Three mobile detachments
Three mobile detachments
Seven mobile detachments (Not to be confused with the XPCC itself)
Transportation units Prior to the 2018 reforms, the () was its own independent corps under the dual command of the PAP and the Ministry of Transport. During the 2018 reforms, the Transportation Corps was reorganised into part of the 1st and 2nd mobile corps. The mission of Transport units of the People's Armed Police is to conduct disaster relief and emergency repair on highways, bridges, tunnels, seaports railways and airports, security to construction projects related to national security along with law enforcement duties on highways in border regions.
History The lineage of the 1st Transportation Detachment, 2nd Mobile Corps dates back to the 2nd World War, when it was known as the Laiyuan guerilla detachment of the Jin-Cha-Ji Military district. It participated in the Chinese civil war, WW2 and the Korean war. After becoming part of the it was deployed to build the Duku Highway in 1974 in which 47 personnel lost their lives.
Prior to 1984, the transportation corps was part of the .
The 7th Transportation Detachment assisted in disaster relief after the 2015 Tianjin explosions.
The 6th Detachment of the transportation corps deployed 105 officers and 48 vehicles for urban search and rescue duties during the 2015 Shenzhen landslide.
Organisation (Pre-2018) Transportation Corps Headquarters Logistics office - Headquarters in 21 Huixin West Street, Chaoyang district, Beijing 1st Transportation Corps 1st Transportation Detachment 2nd Transportation Detachment 3rd Transportation Detachment 2nd Transportation Corps - Headquartered in Kashgar 4th Transportation Detachment 5th Transportation Detachment 6th Transportation Detachment 7th Transportation Detachment - Headquartered in Qinhuangdao 8th Transportation Detachment - Jurisdiction area Xinjiang-Tibet Highway between Rutog County and Saga County
Organisation (Post-2018) After the 2018 reforms, the transportation corps was reorganised into 5 detachments in the 1st and 2nd Mobile Corps:
1st Transportation Detachment, 1st Mobile Corps - Stationed in Beijing 2nd Transportation Detachment, 1st Mobile Corps - Stationed in Chang'an District, Xi'an 1st Transportation Detachment, 2nd Mobile Corps- Stationed in Hefei, Anhui 2nd Transportation Detachment, 2nd Mobile Corps - Stationed in Mianyang, Sichuan 3rd Transportation Detachment, 2nd Mobile Corps - Stationed in Bomê County, Nyingchi, Tibet Autonomous Region
Controversy In 2015, ex-Transportation corps commander Major General Liu Zhanqi, ex-Transportation corps Political commissar Major General and ex-Transportation Corps Chief engineer Major General were arrested on 16 June, 31 July and 15 September respectively on corruption-related charges as part of the anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping. As of 16 September 2015, a total of 43 people were arrested in relation to the case.
China Coast Guard
The Chinese People's Armed Police Coast Guard Bureau, also abbreviated as China Coast Guard is the agency for maritime search and rescue and law enforcement in the territorial waters of the People's Republic of China. The China Coast Guard was formerly the maritime branch of the People's Armed Police (PAP) Border Security Force under the Ministry of Public Security until 2013. In March 2013, China announced it would form a unified Coast Guard commanded by the State Oceanic Administration. This renewed Coast Guard has been in operation since July 2013. As of 1 July 2018, the China Coast Guard was transferred from civilian control of the State Council and the State Oceanic Administration, to the People's Armed Police, ultimately placing it under the command of the Central Military Commission (CMC).
According to Joel Wuthnow of the Institute for National Strategic Studies, the Coast Guard Command within the People's Armed Police possibly is of Corps Leader Grade, led by a Commandant who usually holds the rank of major general.
In June 2018, China Coast Guard was granted maritime rights and law enforcement akin civilian law enforcement agencies in order to carry out contrast of illegal activities, keep peace and order, as well as safeguarding security at sea, when performing duties related to the use of marine resources, protection of marine environment, regulation of fishery, and anti-smuggling.
There are currently 3 regional bureaus: East Sea Bureau South Sea Bureau North Sea Bureau
Special Operations units The People's Armed Police maintains several Special Operations Units, also known by Western sources as "Special Police units". They were established in Beijing in early 1980s and in 1983 the first of them was transferred to the People's Armed Police as the People's Armed Police Special Police Group. In 1985 the Group became People's Armed Police Special Police School and, in 2002, it became the People's Armed Police Special Police Academy. In 2002, the Snow Wolf Commando Unit, since 2007 Snow Leopard Commando Unit, was established in Beijing as the second special police unit. According to Joel Wuthnow, the Snow Leopard Commando Unit was moved from the Beijing Corps to the 2nd Mobile Corps in 2018.
The special operations units are tasked to carry out counter terrorism missions, riot control, anti-hijacking and bomb disposal.
Local special operations units receive Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) training, fast roping, counterinsurgency tactics, along with training in hostage rescue and hostage negotiation.
Organisation
Special Police Units/Special operations units are organised and placed at the Municipal and Provincial level.
In addition, the 1st and 2nd Mobile Corps maintain a total of 5 Special Operations Detachments.