China has approved broad amendments to its National Defense Mobilization Law, allowing the government, in the event of war or a serious national crisis, to incorporate private companies, civilian resources and essential services into the national defense system. The revised law also provides for action and financial penalties for entities or individuals that fail to comply with designated orders or deliberately delay implementation.
The National People’s Congress approved the amendments on August 28. The revised law will take effect on October 1 and will allow civilian-sector capabilities, alongside military resources, to be incorporated into national defense mobilization during war or other serious national crises.
China’s National Defense Mobilization Law was enacted in 2010 and has undergone a broad revision after nearly 16 years. The revised law contains 14 chapters and 82 articles and is intended to establish a framework for jointly activating China’s military and civilian capabilities during a national crisis.
According to the Chinese government, the new provisions are intended to enable the country to shift rapidly from normal conditions to an emergency or war-like situation. They establish arrangements for using economic, industrial, technological and social resources in line with national defense requirements.
The revised law expands the scope of national defense mobilization to include the protection of China’s sovereignty, national unity, territorial integrity and security, as well as its development interests.
A key aspect of the revised law is the government’s ability to use civilian resources when required for national defense. These include private companies and sectors such as transportation, communications, healthcare, food supplies and technology.
The law also provides arrangements under which certain resources can be placed under government control when necessary. Entities or individuals that fail to comply with designated orders or deliberately delay implementation may face action and financial penalties.
This means that during a national crisis, China’s defense mobilization system will not be limited to the People’s Liberation Army. The civilian economy and infrastructure can also be incorporated into the mobilization framework.
The revised law covers several sectors considered essential to civilian life and the economy during normal conditions. Transportation, postal services, telecommunications, cybersecurity, medical services, medicine supplies, food and grain distribution, and engineering services may be required to remain prepared for national defense responsibilities.
Institutions in these sectors may be required to develop special teams and relevant capabilities. Arrangements for providing necessary training to employees and enabling them to begin operations rapidly during a crisis are also included.
The law also places emphasis on cybersecurity and advanced technology. In recent years, China has linked artificial intelligence, cyber capabilities, drones, semiconductors and other advanced technologies to national security. The revised law also emphasizes strengthening defense capabilities through technological development.
According to experts, another important aspect of the amendments is the clearer definition of the central role of the Chinese Communist Party in national defense mobilization.
Samantha Hoffman, a China defense policy expert associated with the Jamestown Foundation, assessed that the revised provisions affect areas including party leadership, organizational structures, reserve forces, recruitment, strategic reserves and defense education.
Some provisions of the law link the national defense mobilization system to the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. This further clarifies the relationship between China’s political system and defense mobilization.The inclusion of development interests is another change in the revised law. The previous law primarily focused on protecting sovereignty, national unity, territorial integrity and security.
Economic and development interests are now also included within the broader concept of national defense. Its scope could extend to China’s economy, strategic resources, technological capabilities and economic interests overseas.
Experts say the change is consistent with broader changes in China’s national security laws. The National Defense Law, revised in 2020, also linked the protection of development interests to national defense.
Some Chinese laws related to security and national interests can have an extraterritorial scope. As a result, questions have also emerged about the potential implications of the revised defense mobilization law for Chinese citizens and companies operating overseas.
In recent years, China has strengthened laws related to national security and, in some cases, sought to bring activities conducted overseas within its legal framework. This has increased concerns among Western countries and human rights organizations about China’s security policy.
However, how the revised defense mobilization law will be applied to specific individuals or activities will depend on its implementation and the interpretation of related regulations.
The central question following the amendments is whether China is accelerating preparations for a potential war. Experts have different views on the issue.
Theresa Fallon, director of the Brussels-based Centre for Russia Europe Asia Studies, described the change as a matter of concern in the context of the global security environment. She believes that circumstances including the Russia-Ukraine war, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and pressure on US military resources could influence China’s strategic assessments.
Lyle Morris of the Asia Society Policy Institute, however, assessed that it would not be appropriate to view the new law as evidence of suddenly initiated preparations for war by China. According to him, Beijing has been working for more than a decade to strengthen national security and its capacity for military-civilian mobilization.
The amendments can therefore be viewed as part of China’s long-term strategic preparations, but it would be premature to conclude that China is preparing to start a war in the near future.
Taiwan and the United States remain central to discussions of China’s military and security policy. Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, while Taiwan operates under a separate political system. The United States has remained in strategic and security-related tension with China over Taiwan.
As a result, international attention remains focused on measures involving China’s military mobilization, reserve forces, strategic reserves, cybersecurity and the integration of civilian resources into the defense system.
The revised law could provide China with a broader legal framework for using military and civilian capabilities together during a major crisis. Its impact could extend beyond the military to transportation, healthcare, communications, food supplies, technology and the private sector.
The amendments to the National Defense Mobilization Law reflect changes in the scope of China’s security policy. Beijing is incorporating not only military power but also the economy, technology, cyberspace, industry, healthcare services and civilian infrastructure into its broader national defense framework.
The actual impact of the revised law will depend on the extent and manner in which the Chinese government uses these powers during an emergency or war. For now, the changes represent a step toward strengthening China’s long-term national security and crisis-management capabilities and should not be treated as a declaration of immediate war or evidence of a specific military campaign.
