Chinese Communist Party controls paramilitary police
December 27, 2017
The move puts the 660,000 strong paramilitary force under President Xi Jinping's control. It comes as Xi consolidates Communist Party control and modernizes the military.
Image: Getty Images/L. Zhang
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China will bring the People's Armed Police under the command of the Central Military Commission, which controls the military, state media announced Wednesday.
The move puts the 660,000-strong force under the direct control of President Xi Jinping, who heads the Central Military Commission as armed forces chief and commander in chief.
China's AG600: World's largest amphibious aircraft
China's AG600 aircraft, "Kunlong," is 37 meters (121 feet) long and has a 38.8-meter wingspan. The plane is part of China's plans to bolster its military presence in the contested South China Sea.
Image: picture-alliance/ZUMAPRESS.com/L.Xu
Successful maiden flight
The AG600 aircraft is around the size of Boeing 737. It is 37 meters long and has a 38.8-meter wingspan. On December 24, 2017, the plane took its maiden flight for about an hour from Zhuhai airport in the southern Guangdong province close to the South China Sea. At least 17 orders for the AG600 have been placed so far.
Image: Getty Images/VCG
Largest amphibious aircraft?
While the aircraft has been dubbed the largest amphibious plane in the world, it is considerably smaller in size than billionaire Howard Hughes' flying boat, Spruce Goose, which was 67 meters long and had a 97-meter wingspan. But Spruce Goose only managed one maiden flight in 1947.
Image: Reuters
Military and civilian use
The aircraft spent eight years in production and was built by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. State media claims the AG600 will be used primarily to put out forest fire and perform maritime rescues. The aircraft, however, has military applications and bolsters China's military presence in the South China Sea.
Image: Reuters
An eye on South China Sea
The AG600 puts China's controversial island-building projects in the disputed South China Sea within range. A US-based think-tank reported last week that Beijing was building the infrastructure for fully-functioning air and naval bases on some of the South China Sea disputed islands. China's engineering feats in the region have raised concerns from its neighbors.
Image: picture alliance/AP Photo
Military modernization
The success of AG600 strengthens China's modernizing military. Earlier this year, China launched its first domestically-built aircraft carrier, the Type 001A. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China spent $215 billion (181 billion euros) on military in 2016, well ahead of India at $56 billion and Japan at $46 billion.
Image: Getty Images/VCG
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The Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily said restructuring would "strengthens the party's absolute leadership over the armed forces ... and ensures the long-term peace and stability of the party and the country."
The People's Armed Police will still remain separate from the military, or People's Liberation Army, the People's Daily said.
Since coming to power in 2012, Xi has sought to consolidate control around himself and the party. This has included appointing loyalist officers to key positions and restructuring the armed forces.
