Editorial: China’s 2nd Artillery in Transition

23 May 2012By Mark Stokes & Russell Hsiao – Pacific Sentinel

Leaders in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) strategic strike force will be transitioning during the 18th Party Congress this coming autumn. But while the focus of the China-watching community has largely been on the top-brass of the central party leadership, much less is openly discussed about the changing leaderships within the armed services – especially the military’s strategic strike force.

Leadership positions within high-placed grades of the services are important indicators of future rank and seniority within the military hierarchy. In addition, the backgrounds of these new Second Artillery leaders, the section of China’s military that controls much discussed anti-ship ballistic missile weaponry and nuclear weapons, may reflect upon the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and Central Military Commission (CMC) priorities for Second Artillery as the PLA continues to modernize its military capabilities.

Since its formation, the Second Artillery’s central responsibility has been nuclear deterrence. Yet, as the strategic environment changed, Second Artillery’s mission has gradually expanded to become the CCP and CMC’s principal instrument for achieving strategic effects through direct targeting of enemy centers of gravity.  The process may be seen as a gradual effort to streamline Second Artillery missions into future military operations. Operational firepower is distributed among six corps-level missile bases, a centralized base for storage and handling of nuclear warheads, and operational support brigades/regiments reporting directly to Second Artillery headquarters in Beijing. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat