Correspondent in Asia
Life-size rehearsal, with batons in Shenzhen.
“Militiamen” armed with riot shields trained for three days to subdue imaginary demonstrators, in the shadow of the glittering skyscrapers of China's great technological metropolis.
Also on the program is the use of mine-clearing, fire-fighting and flood-fighting equipment, supported by an examination organized by the Department of People's Armed Forces (DFAP) in the Matian district.
This
practical
“training” is accompanied by
“political studies”
so that the militiamen receive their
“ideological baptism”
reported the daily
Nanfang
on September 6 with the objective of
“serving in times of peace, as in times of war”
.
This civil defense exercise illustrates the large-scale revival of popular “militias” dating from the Maoist era in Xi Jinping's China, in a depressed geopolitical and economic climate, recruiting the population for possible conflict.
And…
This article is reserved for subscribers.
You have 88% left to discover.
Flash sale
€4.49/month for 12 months
I ENJOY IT
Already subscribed?
Log in