The People's Armed Police Force, abbreviated PAP, is a Chinese gendarmerie organization primarily responsible for internal security, riot control, counter-terrorism, disaster response, law enforcement and maritime rights protection as well as providing support to the People's Liberation Army (PLA) during wartime.
Unlike the civilian People's Police, the PAP is a specialized paramilitary force reporting directly to the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). PAP officers and soldiers wear dark olive green uniforms, different from pine green uniforms of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) or the light blue and black uniforms of the People's Police. Additionally, People's Armed Police police officers are active duty service members and receive veteran's benefits.
The PAP is estimated to have a total strength of 1.5 million. It was established in its current form in 1982, but similar security forces have operated since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. During the Maoist era, the PAP's predecessors were the Chinese People's Public Security Force, initially under the MPS, and later the Public Security Corps which was under the command of the PLA.
The history of the People's Armed Police is as long as that of the People's Republic, and its origin can be traced back to the People's Liberation Army, which was responsible for both defending the nation from foreign invasions and maintaining internal security. Although the force was officially established in 1982, its constituent units stretch back to 1949.
People's Public Security Force
In July 1949, the CMC decided to establish the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) with Luo Ruiqing as its minister to organize the public security forces in the nation. In August 1949, several security and public order units of the Fourth Field Army were consolidated into the Central Column of the Chinese People's Public Security Force (PSF) to guard the Party and State leaders and to keep the public order in the capital. The Central Column provided security for the inauguration ceremony of the People's Republic. From December 1949 to May 1950, regional security forces, along with the now dissolved Central Column, had been consolidated into divisions under the PSF.
The PSF was assigned to the PLA and became the PLA Public Security Force in September 1950, and the PLA Public Security Corps in July 1955, reporting under the Central Military Commission of the CCP and the National Defense Council of the People's Republic. Luo Ruiqing was appointed as the commander and political commissar of the PSF in September 1950 and remained on the posts until 1959, retaining the command of the PSF.
As of 1960, the Public Security Corps was organized in 8,200-strong Public Security Divisions, which were deemed not capable of independent, sustained, full-scale combat operations.
After numerous reorganizations and transfers of control between the PLA and the MPS, the People's Armed Police was created on 19 June 1982, combining the previous armed police, border guards and China Fire Services. The headquarter was set up in the MPS as a subordinate department. The establishment of the PAP highlighted the efforts to increase the professionalization of the security apparatus, as well as the absorption of numerous PLA demobilized personnel, in the wake of growing unrest. The PAP was officially founded on April 5, 1983.
The PAP was led by both the local government and superior PAP forces, which is called "Dual-Leadership" (双重领导). In practice, the local government (including the local party committee, local people's government and the local public security bureau) carries more weight. However, there were many confusions and loopholes caused by this ambiguous organization structure.
In the mid and late 1990s, CCP general secretary Jiang Zemin significantly expanded and strengthened the PAP, with more than 100,000 new troops. Jiang praised the PAP, describing it as "a major force for maintaining state security and social stability, the People's Armed Police shoulders a massive and formidable burden" and deployed it extensively in Xinjiang and Tibet.
Up until 2013, the Border Defense Corps Coast Guard was a part of the PAP. In 2013, it was separated and transferred to the direct control of the Ministry of Public Security and the State Oceanic Administration. However, in March 2018, it was announced that the Coast Guard would be placed under the People's Armed Police Force once again since the State Oceanic Administration was disbanded, but now as an independent branch reporting directly to PAP headquarters.
Until 31 December 2017, the People's Armed Police had a dual command structure including the Central Military Commission (CMC) and the State Council through the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
Prior to the 2018 reform, the People's Armed Police was further divided into eight corps: Internal Guard, Gold, Forestry, Hydropower, Transportation, Border Defense, Firefighting, and Safeguard Corps. The Internal Guard Corps, which makes up for the bulk of PAP, is under the PAP Headquarters and reports thus to the party central committee and the CMC (Central Military Commission). The Gold, Forestry, Hydropower, and Transportation Corps, collectively known as the Specialist Corps, were by then under the joint leadership of PAP Headquarters and their respective ministries in the State Council. The Border Defense, Firefighting, and Guard Corps, collectively known as the Public Security Corps, were then under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
By law however, the PAP operates separately from the PLA. and, in terms of conducting public security operations and relevant capability building, the PAP Headquarters is under the leadership and command of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
From 1 January 2018, command of the People's Armed Police is jointly held by the CCP central committee and the Central Military Commission (CMC), with the PAP no longer subordinate to the State Council.
The reform was reportedly carried out in order to deprive the local Chinese Communist Party authorities of the power to use the PAP units to commit abuses or against the leadership in Beijing, especially after the Wang Lijun incident in which the PAP was allegedly abused by provincial party secretary Bo Xilai to surround the US Consulate in Chongqing after a falling out with Wang, the police chief of Chongqing at the time. Under the 2018 reforms, local authorities now need central approval in order to deploy the PAP.
On 10 January 2018, the PAP received a new flag following the design of the branch flags of the PLA with three olive stripes at the bottom. The three olive stripes represents the People's Armed Police responsible for the three main tasks and force composition of maintaining national political security and social stability, maritime rights protection and law enforcement, and defense operations.