The following plan is one example of how local PRC governments are implementing China’s “military-civil fusion” strategy, which encourages the Chinese military to tap into private-sector innovation and allows private companies to commercialize select military innovations. Like other PRC industrial policies, this local plan calls for the government to aid the expansion of leading private companies. Unlike many other military-civil fusion strategies, which focus on the high-tech sector, this one describes how local low-tech industries—such as firefighting equipment, agricultural produce, and traditional Chinese herbal cures—can support the military. Note that although the Communist Party in recent years has drastically cut back on its use of the term “military-civil fusion”—2021’s 14th Five-Year Plan Outline omits the phrase entirely—this local plan continues to use this terminology.

The Chinese source text is available online at: http://kxjshjjxxhj.chongyang.gov.cn/Info.aspx?colid=163&id=85776

An archived version of the Chinese source text is available online at: https://perma.cc/3KWG-VCVC

U.S. $1 ≈ 6.4 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB), as of January 11, 2022.

The “14th Five-Year Plan” period [2021-2025] is the key five-year period during which military-civil fusion (军民融合) in Hubei will transform from preliminary fusion to deep fusion, thereby achieving leapfrog development. It is an important five-year period during which Hubei will move to the forefront of the country in transforming its economic development model, work hard to write a new chapter in high-quality development for the new era, and build socialist modernization in an all-round way. In order to further strengthen Xianning’s core position in the development of military-civil fusion in Hubei and to open up a new era in the development of Xianning’s military-civil fusion, we have formulated this action plan based on the Opinions of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee on the Implementation of the “Outline of the Military-Civil Fusion Development Strategy”, the Hubei Provincial “14th Five-Year Plan” for the Development of Military-Civil Fusion, and the Xianning City National Economic and Social Development [Plan].

Xianning City Action Plan for In-Depth Development of Military-Civil Fusion (2021-2025) (Revised Draft)

I. Overall Requirements

(i) Guiding Ideology

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the spirit of the 19th Party Congress and the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Plenums of the 19th Central Committee, we will fully implement the Military Strategic Directive for a New Era, Xi Jinping Thought on Building a Strong Military, the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on the development of military-civil fusion and of his important speech during his inspection of Hubei, grasp the new stage [of development], implement the new concept [of development], and build the new [development] pattern. Guided by improving the quality and efficiency of national defense and military modernization, promoting the simultaneous improvement of national defense strength and economic strength, and building an integrated national strategic system and capabilities, we will earnestly implement the provincial party committee and the provincial government’s “post-epidemic revival” and high-quality development strategic deployments, accelerate the formation of a new pattern of in-depth development of military-civil fusion in Xianning, and help promote the construction of Xianning into a growth pole (增长极) for Hubei’s characteristic industries (特色产业) and a transformative development demonstration zone.

(ii) Basic Principles

Give priority to the military, coordinate development. We adhere to “give priority to the military, put the military first” (“军事优先，军为首要”), strengthen demand guidance (需求牵引), raise the position of politics, improve top-level design, integrate resources and forces, serve the construction of an integrated national strategic system and capabilities, and promote the coordinated development of military-civil fusion.

Joint construction and shared benefits, overall development. We will adhere to the joint construction, shared benefits, and joint use of important infrastructure, major science and technology (S&T) infrastructure platforms, key talent teams, and key industrial parks and bases, military-local integration (军地一体) and the integration of peacetime and wartime mobilization,¹ and the promotion of the overall development of military-civil fusion.

Be the first to try things, make development innovative. We adhere to bold practice and exploration concerning “breaking down walls, breaking the ice, and removing barriers,” courageously being the first to try things, deepening institutional and mechanism reform, strengthening policy and system innovation, innovating models of military-local cooperation, and promoting the innovative development of military-civil fusion.

Two-way interaction, in-depth development. We adhere to military-local cross-cutting, cross-regional, cross-departmental, and cross-domain two-way alignment of supply and demand, two-way flow of talent, two-way pooling of funds, two-way conversion of S&T achievements into practical applications, and two-way industry linkages and the promotion of in-depth development of military-civil fusion.

(iii) Development Goals

We will strive to build a military-civil fusion development system with smooth demand alignment, complete institutions and mechanisms, and efficient work and operations by 2025 and create a “Hubei benchmark” (“湖北标杆”) for the in-depth development of military-civil fusion featuring all factors of production (要素), multiple fields, and high efficiency. The specific goals are as follows:

Achieve a significant increase in the ranking of the province’s comprehensive capabilities in military-civil fusion and form a Xianning Model of military-civil fusion. Make new breakthroughs in the innovation and development of key areas of military-civil fusion, achieve new progress in the development of emerging fields by leaps and bounds, and promote the upgrade of Xianning’s comprehensive capabilities for military-civil fusion. Achieve a positive trend in the institutions, mechanisms, policies, and systems of military-civil fusion, continuously improve the level of governance modernization, and form a Xianning Model for the in-depth development of military-civil fusion.

Achieve a significant improvement in the ability to accumulate strategic potential (战略蓄势) and build up latent force (张力) in Xianning for military support. Build Xianning into a region that gatherers factors of production and accumulates the strategic potential of the “Four Bases” (“四基地”): a base for the exertion of strategic force, a strategic rear support base, a national strategic channel hub base, and an essential guarantee (必保) base for strategic security; and highlight the latent force of Xianning in non-war military actions (非战争军事行动).

Achieve a significant improvement in end-to-end assurance capabilities for military logistics and consolidate a fulcrum of military logistics support in Xianning. Base ourselves in Xianning, orient to Hubei, and radiate [influence] to the entire territory and to distant areas and support the construction of Hubei’s modern military logistics system. Rely on the construction of emergency equipment production functional areas (功能区) and military logistics scientific research innovation and talent training functional areas to create a comprehensive military logistics support chain that integrates scientific research, production, procurement, warehousing, delivery, and recycling and build a fulcrum for the construction of key areas for the development of national (Hubei) military logistics and military-civil fusion in Xianning.

Achieve significant improvements in military-civil collaborative innovation capabilities and build Xianning into a strategic bastion for the development of emerging industries. Strive to double our capacity for national defense scientific research and equipment manufacturing in fields such as high-tech composite materials, emergency equipment, and military medicine, raise the R&D investment strength of key enterprises involved in military-to-civilian conversion (军转民) and private sector participation in the military sector (民参军) to 2.5%, and strive to cultivate 5-8 military-civilian dual-use S&T innovation platforms and 20 high-tech enterprises involved in military-civil fusion. Strive to raise the output value of the military-civil fusion industry above 20 billion [Chinese yuan Renminbi (RMB)], of which new materials for military use exceed 2 billion RMB, intelligent equipment for military use exceeds 3 billion RMB, and emergency response and safety exceeds 5 billion RMB. Create 1-2 new provincial-level military-civil fusion demonstration bases, create a reserve of 50 military-to-civilian conversion enterprises and private enterprises that participate in the military sector, cultivate 5-10 leading private enterprises that participate in the military sector with valuations over 500 million RMB, and create 5 new “hidden champion” enterprises in specific industry sectors. Establish the Hubei Provincial Military-Civil Fusion Emerging Industry Core Area (河北省军民融合新兴产业核心区).

(iv) Overall Layout

Following the general principles of seizing opportunities, relying on advantages, highlighting key points, taking the overall situation in hand, and performing in-depth integration, we will actively align with Hubei’s “Led by One Master, Driven by Two Wings, and Coordination by All Regions” (“一主引领、两翼驱动、全域协同”) regional development layout. Based on the development needs of military-civil fusion in Xianning City and the spatial distribution of existing industry resources, we will propose an overall layout for Xianning’s military-civil fusion development characterized by “two bases, three clusters, and multiple points.”

Two bases: First, we will strengthen and optimize the Military-Civil Fusion Industry Demonstration Base. Specially, we will rely on companies such as Haiwei (海威) and Bolima (波利玛) to support the development of the Hubei Provincial Military-Civil Fusion Composite Materials Industry Alliance, focusing on the development of new materials industries in the aviation and marine fields; we will rely on companies such as Jinli Hydraulics (金力液压), Tongfa Electromechanical (同发机电), and Huarui Electromechanical (华锐机电) to promote the integrated development of the intelligent equipment industry; and we will rely on companies such as Hope-Full Medical (厚福医疗), Kingstar Medical (金士达医疗), and AGCO Medical (爱科医疗) to lead the development of the life and health industry. Second, we will rely on the Chibi National Emergency Response Industry Demonstration Base. We will focus on emergency response equipment manufacturing, emergency services, emergency response technology innovation, and emergency response culture and tourism, and concentrate on building “three parks and one city” to promote the integrated development of the emergency response industry.

Three clusters: We will focus on building three industrial clusters of new materials, intelligent equipment, and biomedicine. We will rely on leading enterprises such as Haiwei, Bolima, and Pamica Technology Corporation (平安电工) to form a distinctive regional new material industry cluster in the High-Tech Zone, Tongshan County, and Tongcheng County. We will rely on key enterprises such as Haiwei, CSSC Emergency Response (中船应急), Tongfa Electromechanical, Jinli Hydraulics, Ming Cheng Precision Machinery (铭程精密), Oulang Machinery (欧朗机械), and important platforms such as the Chibi National Emergency Response Industry Demonstration Base and Fragrant City Institute of Intelligent Electromechanical Industry and Technology (香城智能机电产业技术研究院), we will strive to build intelligent equipment industry clusters for marine and aviation equipment, electromechanical equipment, and emergency transportation equipment. Under the direction of Houfu Medical, Furen Jinshen Pharmaceutical (福人金身药业), Kingstar Medical, AGCO Medical, Winner Medical (稳健医疗), Zhongjian Medical (中健医疗), Guweiqing (古苇清), and other enterprises, we will rely on the High-Tech Zone, Xian’an, Tongcheng, Chongyang, and other biotech industry bases to build an integrated development cluster for biomedicine, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), medical and sanitary materials, and other industries.

Multiple points: Facing the entire scope of Xianning’s “one district, one city, and four counties” and combining the agricultural characteristics and advantages of each region, we will “proceed from multiple points” (“多点发力”) to promote the integrated development of the production, processing, storage, and delivery of green vegetables, grain and oil non-staple food, cold chain food, and other products, and accelerate the construction of the Xianning Sub-Center of Centralized Non-Staple Food Cultivation.

II. Security Initiatives

For the rest of the translation, download the PDF below.

1. Translator’s note: Chinese media began using the term “integration of peacetime and wartime mobilization” (平战结合) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The phrase typically refers to the use of all-out military mobilization-style efforts to allow hospitals to respond effectively to surges in COVID-19 cases without neglecting their normal “peacetime” functions.