Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Hunan are also local governments and provinces that have established their own offices.
One of the major changes in this reform was that local governments would take over the coordination of defense mobilization from local military districts.
It is expected that state governments will be able to carry out mobilization more efficiently, with easier coordination between different administrative agencies.
With the cooperation of local governments, local defense dispatch offices are stepping up efforts such as holding awareness events and joint training with emergency departments.
Xiamen, a coastal city in Fujian province, has held more than 1,200 national defense education activities in the past year, with a total of more than 860,000 participants, according to Xiamen TV.
Last month, local defense mobilization officials from Luang, a city in southeastern Anhui province, conducted joint training with civilian units from the city’s water and electricity supply agencies, wartime relief agencies, and psychological counseling agencies.
In Shijiazhuang, the capital of northern Hebei province, authorities have turned residential areas into “defense mobilization communities,” installing air defense emergency signs and posters marking the location of wartime evacuation centers.
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Taiwan simulates attack from mainland China as island conscripts begin extended duty
Taiwan simulates attack from mainland China as island conscripts begin extended duty
Local government officials across China are also responding to President Xi’s call for high-quality defense development by increasing their interactions with military officials to build “military-government relations.”
Last month, Sichuan party leader Wang Xiaohui and other provincial officials appeared in military uniforms at a National Defense Day event at a military base.
China has been promoting military-civilian integration, including the development of dual-use technology, in order to modernize its military in the face of increasing geopolitical challenges and conflict with the United States.
Last month, China imposed export controls on key technologies such as laser radars, drones and biotechnology products, countering U.S. restrictions on access to advanced Chinese technology.