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A quick look at Bingtuan, Chinese Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC)

Jaidev Jamwal
Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Bingtuan

Even a lot of experienced China watchers are mostly unaware of Bingtuan, the Chinese Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC). This article is a short introduction to this enigmatic organisation which rules over the only muslim majority region in China with an iron fist. I am still working on the detailed unit structure and geographic locations which will come later.

Introduction

The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), commonly known as Bingtuan, is a colonial paramilitary and economic organisation operating in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China. Established 1954, the XPCC operates directly under command of Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It has played a crucial role in economic exploitation and control of Xinjiang, the only muslim majority region in China.

Historical Background

The XPCC was established 5 years after CCP took control of Xinjiang in 1949. The initial purpose of the XPCC was to consolidate the new regime’s control over this remote and strategically important region. Xinjiang is rich in natural resources and home to a diverse ethnic population and was viewed by the CCP as a key area for ensuring national security and economic development.

The XPCC was tasked with settling Han Chinese migrants in Xinjiang, developing the region’s economy, and maintaining security. Over the decades, the XPCC has grown into a sprawling organisation with its own administrative structure, judicial system and paramilitary forces. It operates large agricultural and industrial enterprises, controls significant portions of Xinjiang’s arable land, and is deeply involved in the region’s social and political life. Apart from that XPCC and an important role to play in border security and has directly assisted PLA troops too.

Structure and Governance

The XPCC operates as a state within a state in Xinjiang. It has a dual administrative structure that allows it to exercise both governmental and corporate functions. It administers several cities and towns in Xinjiang, managing everything from education and healthcare to law enforcement and public security. This unique governance model has made the XPCC a powerful entity within Xinjiang, often operating parallel to the formal government structure of the region.

The XPCC’s paramilitary aspect is particularly noteworthy. Its members are often referred to as “soldier-farmers,” reflecting their dual role in both economic production and maintaining security. The Corps has its own police force, courts, and prisons, giving it significant autonomy in managing law and order in the areas under its control. This autonomy has been increasingly leveraged in the context of China’s broader security crackdown in Xinjiang, where the XPCC plays a key role in the surveillance and detention of ethnic minorities.

Economic Role

Economically, the XPCC is Xinjiang’s biggest commercial enterprise. It controls vast tracts of farmland, making it a major player in the region’s agriculture, particularly in the production of cotton, various fruits, grains and tomatoes. The XPCC also has significant interests in manufacturing, construction, and other industries. This economic dominance has helped fuel the settlement of Han Chinese in Xinjiang, further integrating the region into the broader Chinese economy and society.

However, the XPCC’s economic activities are not without controversy. The organisation’s control over land and resources has often come at the expense of the local Uyghur population, leading to tensions and accusations of exploitation. Furthermore, the XPCC’s involvement in forced labor practices, particularly in the cotton industry, has drawn international condemnation and led to calls for sanctions against its enterprises.

Role in Mass Detentions and Surveillance

In recent years, the XPCC has been increasingly implicated in the Chinese government’s campaign of mass detentions and surveillance in Xinjiang. This campaign, which Beijing describes as an effort to combat extremism and terrorism, has resulted in the internment of over 10 lakh (1 lakh = 1,00,000) Uyghurs and other minorities in so-called “re-education camps.”

XPCC operates its own detention facilities and is responsible for the construction and management of many of the prison and forced labour camps where Uyghurs are detained. The XPCC’s paramilitary forces are also used to enforce the strict security measures that have been imposed across Xinjiang, including extensive surveillance, restrictions on religious practices, and forced assimilation programs.

Documents and speeches from Chinese officials, including those in the files provided, highlight the XPCC’s role in these activities. The organisation’s integration into the broader system of control and repression in Xinjiang underscores its importance in the Chinese government’s strategy for the region.


Origins of the XPCC’s Paramilitary Structure

The XPCC was tasked with dual roles: to farm the land and settle Xinjiang, and to serve as a military force that could respond to internal unrest or external threats.

This dual military-civilian function became a defining feature of the XPCC’s paramilitary structure, and it has persisted throughout the organisation’s history. It operates both as a local government and as a paramilitary force capable of enforcing security measures.

Composition of the XPCC’s Paramilitary Forces

The XPCC’s paramilitary structure includes several key components that allow it to exercise both civil and military control over the areas it administers:

  • Paramilitary Personnel (Soldier-Farmers) The XPCC’s personnel are often referred to as “soldier-farmers” (兵团农民) because they combine military duties with economic activities such as farming, construction, and industrial production. Many of these individuals are former soldiers who have been demobilised and incorporated into the XPCC. These soldier-farmers are expected to maintain their readiness to engage in military or policing operations while contributing to the economic development of the region.The XPCC administers several military-style training programs for its personnel, ensuring they remain capable of responding to security threats. While their primary focus may be on economic activities, they are expected to quickly mobilise in times of crisis, whether it be to quell internal unrest or to support national defense efforts.
  • XPCC Public Security Forces The XPCC operates its own public security forces, which function similarly to regular police forces in other parts of China but with an added military aspect. These forces are tasked with maintaining law and order in the areas under the XPCC’s control, which includes both urban and rural areas. They are responsible for enforcing Chinese law, overseeing local security, and responding to potential threats such as protests, ethnic tensions, or terrorism.These public security forces are well integrated into the broader security apparatus in Xinjiang, often working in conjunction with the state police, the Ministry of State Security, and other national security agencies. Their responsibilities include monitoring ethnic minorities, conducting surveillance and enforcing order on civilians.
  • XPCC Police and Courts The XPCC also operates its own legal system, which includes police forces and courts. This system operates parallel to the formal state system in Xinjiang but is specifically controlled by the XPCC. These courts and police forces handle cases involving both civil and criminal matters, and they also oversee the detention and punishment of individuals deemed to be a threat to public order or national security.The existence of this separate legal system grants the XPCC significant autonomy in handling security matters within its jurisdiction. It allows the XPCC to implement strict security measures and policies without needing to coordinate directly with the formal Xinjiang government, further reinforcing its paramilitary nature.

Functions of the XPCC’s Paramilitary Structure

The XPCC’s paramilitary forces fulfill a variety of security-related functions within Xinjiang, all of which are crucial to the Chinese government’s broader goals in the region. There are 14 Divisions with each having 8-10 Regiments. Their details will be provided later. Their functions include:

  • Border Defense and National Security Owing to Xinjiang’s strategic location, bordering several Central Asian countries, the XPCC plays an important role in securing China’s borders. The XPCC paramilitary forces are trained to respond to border incursions, smuggling, and any potential external threats.
  • Internal Security and Ethnic Control One of the XPCC’s most critical roles is maintaining internal security, particularly in relation to the Uyghur population and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. The XPCC’s paramilitary forces are heavily involved in efforts to suppress dissent, monitor the activities of Uyghurs, and enforce strict control measures. This includes operating checkpoints, conducting searches, and arresting individuals suspected of engaging in separatist or extremist activities.The XPCC’s involvement in the ongoing system of mass surveillance, detention, and forced assimilation of Uyghurs is a key part of its paramilitary duties. The XPCC’s forces have been instrumental in managing and enforcing the policies that have led to the internment of over a million Uyghurs in various types of forced labour and re-education camps.
  • Quelling Unrest and Riot Control The XPCC’s paramilitary units are often mobilised to quell unrest or disturbances in the areas under its control. This includes responding to protests, ethnic clashes, or riots that may arise due to the ongoing tension between the Han Chinese and ethnic minority populations in Xinjiang. The XPCC’s forces are trained in riot control and are equipped to handle both large and small-scale uprisings.
  • Settlement and Land Control A key function of the XPCC’s paramilitary structure is to facilitate the settlement of Han Chinese in Xinjiang. Through the development of agricultural projects, infrastructure, and industry, the XPCC helps to encourage Han migration to Xinjiang, which serves to strengthen central control over the region. The XPCC’s paramilitary forces ensure that these settlement projects are protected and that land disputes with local ethnic populations are effectively managed.In many cases, the XPCC’s forces have been involved in forcibly displacing Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities from their land to make way for these settlement projects. This has contributed to growing ethnic tensions in the region and reinforced the perception of the XPCC as an instrument of state oppression.

Integration with State Security Forces

While the XPCC operates autonomously within its territories, it is closely integrated with the broader Chinese security apparatus. The XPCC works in coordination with the People’s Armed Police (PAP), the Ministry of State Security, and other national and regional security agencies to implement China’s security policies in Xinjiang. XPCC personnel played a limited role in support and supply of PLA troops during their invasion of India in 1962.

Conclusion

The structure of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps is characterised by its tight integration of Party control, military command and economic management. The Party Secretary and Commander hold the most authority, overseeing both the military and civilian aspects of the XPCC’s operations. Below them, a hierarchy of deputies, paramilitary leaders, and corporate executives manage the organisation’s diverse functions. This structure allows the XPCC to act as a powerful instrument of state control in Xinjiang, enforcing security, promoting Han migration, and advancing the central government’s economic and political objectives in the region.

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