China, the world’s second-most populous nation, is advancing its global ambitions through land and sea strategies. These efforts aim to expand territory and increase trade dominance without resorting to direct conflict. A key aspect of this approach involves using civilian forces as indirect support for military objectives.
Known for its expansionist policies, China is not only focused on becoming a world superpower but is also strategizing on how to seize neighboring lands without engaging in direct conflict. To achieve this, the Chinese military takes indirect support from civilian forces, who are often used as a shield by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
Examples of this include the “Xiaokang” border defense villages and the Maritime Militia, which are nontraditional forces involved in gray-zone operations.
These operations—employing nontraditional methods to achieve security objectives without provoking armed conflict—are frequently discussed in military literature. Let’s explore in detail how civilian forces are used to support China’s military efforts on both land and sea.
Border Defense On Land: “Xiaokang” Villages
On its land borders, particularly along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Middle and Eastern sectors of the India-China border, China has implemented the “Xiaokang” border defense village initiative.
The term “Xiaokang” translates to “moderately prosperous.” The Xiaokang initiative is designed to populate the 21 Himalayan border counties, including Nyingchi, Shannan, Shigatse, and Ngari prefectures. The plan includes the construction of new Xiaokang houses, infrastructure, and public service facilities in these areas to strengthen and enrich the border regions of Tibet.
This initiative involves villages in Tibet, including Zhuangnan, Yarao, Kuiqiongmen, and Majiduncun, which commonly feature military or dual-use facilities.
Notably, the Xiaokang border plan seeks to populate these areas with individuals loyal to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), creating a civilian border force through China’s military-civilian fusion strategy, which has been increasingly emphasized under Xi Jinping’s leadership.
Over the past five years, China has developed more than 600 villages along its border with India in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Since 2019, China has been building villages along the LAC, and while many of these were initially unoccupied, they have recently seen new residents.
Some of these villages are located along the LAC, opposite the Lohit Valley and the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh, a region administered by India but largely claimed by China as “South Tibet.” By populating and re-populating these border areas, China appears to be strengthening its territorial claims by establishing a “settled population” in disputed regions.
China is rapidly upgrading these dual-use villages along disputed borders. New roads and what may become small security outposts are being constructed between these remote villages. Given China’s focus on military-civilian fusion, these Xiaokang border villages are expected to serve as forward posts for troop deployment.
The extensive network of roads and the active civilian force near the border would function as a defense force, providing resources and support in the event of border skirmishes, effectively turning these villages into extended troop cantonments near the LAC.
These villages, often accompanied by military and dual-use infrastructure, serve as a “Gray Zone” tool for China to assert and defend its claims in disputed areas. Commercial satellite images reveal the rapid and significant progress China is making in these border villages despite the harsh environment.
Media reports indicate that these complexes include barracks, perimeter walls, and radome/communications towers, suggesting the likely presence of China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It is also possible that these facilities are operated by the paramilitary People’s Armed Police (PAP). Under China’s Land Borders Law, both the PLA and PAP share responsibility for defending China’s borders from armed attacks or other encroachments.
Maritime Strategy: The Maritime Militia
At sea, China employs its Maritime Militia to support the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in asserting territorial claims, particularly in the South China Sea. The Maritime Militia is often described as a shadowy armada, a fleet of vessels that appear to be ordinary fishing boats but can mobilize for military purposes.
