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Chinese PMCs fighting all over the world

A photo: Reuters

China Xi Jinping era holds a much more active foreign policy, than at the time the Chairman of predecessors, - and his first opened this summer a military base in the African country of Djibouti once again confirms, that the covenants of Deng Xiaoping “hide their abilities and stay in the shade” cease to be met, says Vladimir Kulagin “tape”. However, the official army units - not only guide policy of the state, and other widely used, not so obvious tools. One of them gets out of private military (security) on a foreign market. China uses them while mainly to protect its citizens in hazardous regions of Asia and Africa. Make a complaint to the official leadership of the country, where profit private companies, - business unpromising, although in practice these companies can really work in the public interest. Where there were part of the Chinese military and the PMC, as part of their function and what ambitious targets may exist in the new China policy on the exit of military units abroad?

Wolves in the film and life

Chinese soldiers alone goes into some African country, where the raging civil war. Having been engaged in rescue of Chinese workers and their African friends, hero parallel tracks down those, who is responsible for the death of his fiancee. This film's plot “War Wolves 2”, China put forward the nomination “Best foreign language film” on “Oscar”. Tape has become a landmark event 2017 of the year: abstracting from the set in the local film industry records (highest-grossing Chinese film of all time), it is worth noting, What is the meaning of the plot of the film, caused such a response of Chinese society.

the mere fact, that the second part of the blockbuster unlike the first takes place outside of China, It speaks of a new understanding of national interests. They are no longer limited by national borders. The film also performed many other parallels with the reality of the 2010s: in one of the early scenes of the film the ship of the Navy of the PLA (PLA) Chinese citizens evacuated from the war-torn country.

This happened in 2011 year in Libya, and even more significant in Yemen 2015 year. Then the landing in modern uniforms arrived at the two frigates in the port of Aden, after which the citizens of China and foreigners were loaded onto ships and transported to Djibouti, where they were transplanted on planes.

Such a route there is the barely usable, but, as life shows, it satisfies the existing demand in the country. State military power grows, and the Chinese want to see their rearmament results in. Hence the success of “War wolves 2” - picture caught the public mood and recorded a new reality.

Six one waited

The aforementioned small country of Djibouti (population less than one million, comparable in size to Mordovia or Ivanovo region) China has indeed taken the first step of a global plan: 1 August 2017 China, the first military base abroad was inaugurated.

In official documents it is just a point of logistics fleet, serving good outpost including to combat piracy. However, all the characteristics of the item, military capital infrastructure comprising, quarters, storage facilities and service, as well as the installation of dock, given the number of permanent staff involved (about 800 a man with a planned expansion to 2 thousand) could reasonably equate to a full base. Data from analytical center Stratfor satellite indicate, that it is and underground structures.

China is maneuvering in the most used terms in order to maintain a positive image created. So it is possible to avoid possible accusations of “the imperialist” ambitions - terms, that China itself uses in promoting respect for opponents, - and lull the suspicions of enemies.

Construction of the first overseas base in China took about two years and was marked by a number of incidents involving the local residents. So, Chinese strolling once detained a local resident,, unknowingly coming to specially protected areas of the future project.

Djibouti is notable, that prior to China's already there are located base six other states - US, France, Japan, Italy, Spain, Germany. This country has a great location in the Bab el-Mandeb, in the mouth of the Red Sea. She sort of island of stability in an unstable region. This actively use world powers. for example, there is the largest US permanent military base in Africa, camp Lemonnier, where more than four thousand people. According to Al Jazeera America, this camp in Djibouti can be a secret CIA prison, which contain, interrogated and tortured dozens of suspects.

China is also to explain his goals likes to appeal to history - as part of the UN peacekeeping forces he 1971 It has been conducting different operations, as well as today in Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, constantly sending a signal that, Beijing - Other African countries, do everything for their development, rather than conquest.

Most experts agree, that the base in Djibouti - not the last of China's base. The true purpose of the offshore portion of the global initiative of the Chinese Silk Road - to secure economic routes from China. Now a significant percentage of the annual turnover of the merchant fleet passes through the Straits of Malacca, which is fraught with huge losses for any difficulties in the relations with having access to it countries (Singapore has a US base).

In this way, creating new ways and investing huge amounts of money to, China is logical to want to protect your investment. This allows the Pentagon to talk about a number of future strongholds of China from Djibouti to South China Sea (where already seen pictures from space, how to create artificial islands). These items have received informal name “string of pearls”. presumably, there will base in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other countries, with access to the Indian Ocean.

Fighters invisible front

Another effective mechanism to protect its citizens and interests in a global sense abroad in the XXI century are private military (security) company (PMC). During the conflict in Ukraine and Syria have become known and Russian PMCs Wagner - their command even received awards in the Kremlin, despite its ambiguous legal status. After completion of the Syrian campaign Wagner fighters discovered in Sudan. PMC banned in China, therefore formally registered as security companies.

The most common of all PMC forces used the Americans - the most famous is the Academi (former Blackwater, It changed its name due to the scandalous reputation). Their covert military operations, crimes against the civilian population, large-scale participation in the campaigns in Iraq (more 100 thousands of people, по оценке The Washington Post) and Afghanistan have generated a lot of critics of private military forces. However, the only answer to the accusations from the Pentagon were assurances, that in another security in hot spots can not be ensured. One of the goals was to use PMC services, in particular, reduction in the number of official loss of the army fighting strength, that it is crucial for countries with a developed civil society.

On the first private Chinese company of bodyguards, which appeared on the foreign market, the world heard in 2004 year. China delayed a few with access to the international market for private military and security services, for which he has paid in the beginning of the century.

For example, 30 Chinese citizens were kidnapped in Sudan 2012 year, more than a hundred wounded in Vietnam in 2014 during anti-Chinese riots. “Demand is huge, especially in view of the growing representation of our companies abroad. Their inspiration for this initiative “Belts and Ways”. We plan to expand our business in Pakistan and Bhutan”, - Comments are the head of one of the largest security company in another 2015 it was possible to find in the pro-government English-language tabloid The Global Times.

One of the most well-known of informal Chinese PMC - Shandong Huawei Security Group. company with 2010 It takes years to work abroad ex-military, employees of special units and police in China. The main markets for Shandong Huawei - is Iraq and Afghanistan, where Chinese companies specialize in oil production (such, как China National Petroleum Corporation), work with utilities and construction.

Previously, Chinese businessmen had to hire a foreign private security companies to ensure their safety, that had its drawbacks. Having a Chinese guard, the company receives a strong guarantee in emergencies. On defense, a role compatriots, in addition to financial benefits (Services American and British companies in several times more expensive), play and cultural peculiarities, language and mentality - to escape a difficult situation, that is sometimes seen for foreign security companies, for the Chinese people will mean a loss of face.

AT 2017 , Chinese PMC works not only in the most dangerous parts of the world, protecting its citizens in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also provided security services in African countries: Kenya, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Employees gain experience - and increases the quality of their work.

Protect, but do not shoot

8 July 2016 On the evening in Southern Sudan were heard gunshots. Thus ended an uneasy truce in the country. 330 Chinese citizens were in real danger. At the office of the Chinese security company DeWe Security inundated with calls: people did not know, how to behave in such a situation,. Thanks to the skillful instructions DeWe, that, in its turn, unarmed worked under fire, citizens of China have been rescued and safely evacuated to Kenya.

Operated protection without weapons, because, China on criminal legislation, employees of private enterprises, bearing arms within the state, and abroad, can get up to seven years in prison. While in China, there are discussions on the abolition of such rules in respect of employees of PMCs, applicable laws forcing companies to go on hiring Tricks. The official number of employees, Chinese PMCs soldiers often take under their area of ​​responsibility only inland enterprises, while for the rest of the responsibility of the local guards, having the right to use weapons. This gives rise to certain difficulties for the management of.

To enhance the security sector in China is happening and consolidation of the industry of private military and security activities. In September 2014 Year in Hong Kong Chinese industrial security alliance has been created (Chinese Security Industrial Alliance). It includes about 50 security companies from all “Greater China”. According to the Financial Times, learn from the American experience and helps the Chinese head of the very Academi Erik Prince, which officially organizes teaching for Chinese PMCs in order to better work in Africa.

formidable players

In the growing popularity of Chinese PMCs have and demographic reasons: the country around 20 percent of college graduates between the ages of 21 to 25 years can not find jobs in their field. The growth of the Chinese economy, slowed down in recent years, does not allow for all interested young people qualified labor in the country. Therefore, some strong, young people prefer to build a career in these security institutions.

“These employees, of course, a very different social status, even than that of the People's Armed Police (Rosgvardii analogue), they receive much lower wages - said a senior researcher at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies Vasily Kashin. - In Xinjiang - China's volatile western region - periodic event of a terrorist attack on the police station. Because of these attacks more often and suffer the staff of PMCs, protecting even police stations”.

For the greater part of China's security companies employees is a typical story of a former employee of riot “Snow Leopard” (one of the elite anti-terrorist units of the People's Armed Police) KHE Yungena. After retiring from the service after the brilliant work of the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing, He was invited to work in Iraq, where just starting to build another oil complex.

It settled only 10 kilometers from the US base and entrusted to protect the "daughter" of state-owned oil and gas personnel of the largest China's CNPC on all existing at the time of threats. He twice found himself in close proximity to the blast site, but it does not hurt and eventually returned to his homeland. He tells, that life was hard and many employees of PMCs found an outlet, playing football with the local, - it was almost the only available entertainment for many in war.

The Uninvited Chinese worse Pakistanis

AT 2015 , the Chinese state-owned China Overseas Ports Holding has received from the Pakistani government rent 43 year plot 152 hectares in the port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. This is the final destination of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which begins in the western province of China. The same Global Times then erupted material, relaying ideas leading Chinese experts: rely on the Pakistanis should not be, Chinese security problem should be solved by the Chinese themselves. maybe, resorting to the help of PMC.

Such intentions opposed Minister of Planning, Reform and Development Ahsan Iqbal of Pakistan. “The arrival of Chinese security companies in Pakistan undesirable, because there can be tensions between them and the local population. it's desirable, Pakistanis to safety engaged - it does not create conflict situations”, - he demanded.

Distrust of the Chinese PMCs nourish not only in Pakistan, and in the absence of a competent outreach such sentiments will hinder the Chinese to take a significant share in the market of security services abroad. In addition to the distrust, Many observers fear, there, where a PMC base appears today, tomorrow it could be the strong point of the Chinese army.

Solve another major problem for Chinese companies to be today in Myanmar. The same conflict between government forces and rebels Muslim Rohingya people, hit by its consequences the fall of Moscow, and it has dimension Geoeconomic. FROM 2013 year put into operation line “Myanmar - China”, supplying 12 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

In addition to his, the largest oil and gas fields in Myanmar are just in Rakhine State, persecuted Rohingya people where they live. To prevent sabotage CNPC plans to use the protection of their country.

China, speaking, one side, for stable supply of natural resources, itself has a lever of pressure on the government of Myanmar - a kind of "Chinese Donbass" in the autonomous region of Kokang, where ethnic Han Chinese living.

The output of Chinese companies on the global market - a process gathers pace, which currently can not close completely even security problem of Chinese citizens and businesses in the world's trouble spots. Demonstrable progress in recent years in this area does not allow to talk about any real competition western PMCs.

Now Chinese, by and large, yet to adopt a foreign and their own experience brings ever. However, the strategic development of the presence of a political order can lead to the creation of one of the most combat-ready network of private agencies, which can be used already and to protect a wider range of national interests. In any sense, convenient to Beijing.

 

a source: chvk.info / lenta.ru

                          
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