China has adopted a revised version of the defense mobilization law, which significantly expands the areas that can be included in a potential national war effort, from property and industry to artificial intelligence, drones, and digital infrastructure.
The new law was approved a few days ago by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Assembly and is set to come into effect on October 1, 2026, according to the Xinhua news agency.
The document has 14 chapters and 82 articles and reflects, according to Chinese authorities, President Xi Jinping’s objective of strengthening military capabilities and the national security system.
The authorities maintain that the reform will contribute to the modernization of the mobilization mechanism and to the more efficient integration of civil and military resources.
How could mobilization work
The new legislation establishes the framework through which China could transition its economy, administration, and society from peacetime operation to a regime adapted to a war situation or a major threat.
According to the provisions presented by the Chinese state press:
-the mobilization will be coordinated by the Chinese Communist Party, and the decision to initiate will be up to President Xi Jinping, based on a resolution of the National People’s Assembly;
-men aged between 18 and 60 years old and women between 18 and 55 years old can be called upon to contribute to the defense effort. Pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding, people caring for children, individuals with disabilities or elderly in specialized institutions, primary school teachers, and sick people are exempted;
-the state may requisition or use private properties, excluding residences and personal goods, with the obligation to provide compensation in the event of their destruction or damage;
-companies may be required to adapt their operations for the production, storage, and transportation of defense equipment;
Alternative production capacities and reserve stocks will be created near strategic factories and warehouses, for the situation where these would be destroyed;
-the mobilization will include areas such as artificial intelligence, drones, cyberspace and cybersecurity, as well as the media sector;
the authorities will be able to introduce control measures over information and sanctions for the dissemination of information considered false;
-In situations of mobilization, finances, transportation, communications, the internet, energy, and food supply will be subject to increased control.
Details, HERE