China threatens to occupy disputed areas on the China-India border and the Indo-Pacific region using PLA-backed "civilian soldiers."
Known for its expansionist policies, China not only wants to become a global superpower, but also devises strategies to capture neighboring territories without engaging in direct conflict. To achieve this, the Chinese military receives indirect support from civilian forces, which are often used as shields by the People's Liberation Army (PLA).
The "Xiaokang" border defense villages and the naval militia are examples. These non-traditional forces involved in gray area operations are often discussed in the military literature. These operations, which use non-traditional methods to achieve security objectives without provoking an armed conflict, are often discussed in the military literature. We examine in detail how civilian forces are being used to support China's military efforts on land and at sea. Land border protection: "Xiaokang" villages.
On its land borders, particularly along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the central and eastern sectors of the India-China border, China has implemented the "Xiaokang" Border Defense Villages initiative. The term "Xiaokang" means "moderately prosperous". Xiaokang's initiative is designed to populate the 21 Himalayan border counties, including Nyingchi, Shannan, Shigatse and Ngari. The plan includes the construction of new Xiaokang houses, infrastructure and service facilities in these areas to strengthen and enrich the border regions of Tibet.
This initiative concerns the villages in Tibet, including Zhuangnan, Yarao, Kuiqiongmen and Majiduncun, which usually have military or dual structures.
Xiaokang's border plan specifically aimed to populate these areas with individuals loyal to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), thereby creating a civilian border force through China's military-civilian unification strategy, which has been increasingly implemented under the leadership of Xi Jinping. In the past five years, China has developed more than 600 villages along its border with India in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Since 2019, China has been building villages along the LAC, and although many were initially uninhabited, they have recently welcomed new residents. Some of these villages are located along the LAC, facing the Lohi Valley and Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh, a region administered by India but widely claimed by China as "Southern Tibet". By populating and repopulating these border areas, China appears to be strengthening its territorial claims by creating a "squatter population" in the disputed regions.
China is rapidly modernizing these dual-use countries along the disputed borders. Between these isolated villages are built new roads and what could become small security posts. Given China's emphasis on civil-military integration, these Xiaokang border towns are expected to serve as forward posts for troop deployment.
The extensive road network and active civilian force near the border will function as a defensive force, providing resources and support in the event of a border skirmish, thus turning these villages into vast troop cantonments near the KNJ.
These countries, often accompanied by military and dual infrastructure, serve as a "grey area" tool for China to assert and defend its claims in disputed areas. Commercial satellite images show the rapid and significant progress China is making in these border countries, despite the harsh environment.
Media reports indicate that these compounds include barracks, perimeter walls and radomes/communication towers, suggesting the possible presence of the Chinese military, the People's Liberation Army (PLA). It is also possible that these facilities are run by the People's Armed Police (PAP), a paramilitary organization. Under China's land border law, the PLA and PAP share responsibility for defending China's borders against armed attack or other violations.
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