The Guizhou Provincial National Defense Mobilization Office has publicized a representative case involving the protection of military facilities—specifically, an incident where damage to a national defense optical cable led to legal penalties. This disclosure aims to guide all sectors of society in strengthening their awareness of national defense and legal regulations, and to foster meticulous care for every military installation.
After adjudication, it was determined that a resident surnamed Gou from Zhenning County, Anshun City, Guizhou Province, caused damage to a military unit's national defense optical cable through fault, disrupting the normal operation of the military facility and harming national defense and military interests. In accordance with the law, the Kunming Military Court ruled that Gou must compensate the unit for economic losses exceeding 30,000 yuan and bear the case acceptance fees.
"This is the first case in our province concerning the protection of military facilities to be concluded through non-mediation since the revision of the Military Facilities Protection Law in June 2021," stated a relevant official from the Guizhou Provincial National Defense Mobilization Office. They made this case public to send a strong message that "military facilities are protected by law, and damage will be pursued and held accountable."
In recent years, the Guizhou Provincial National Defense Mobilization Office has established a safety inspection mechanism for military facilities with stationed troops in the province. They conduct regular comprehensive inspections of key military installations within their jurisdiction, including national defense optical cables, military sites, and communication hubs. They have also improved mechanisms for information sharing, clue transfer, and joint law enforcement between military and civilian authorities, strengthening supervision over construction, production, and other activities near military facilities to promptly identify and eliminate various potential risks.
A responsible person from the Guizhou Provincial National Defense Mobilization Office mentioned that they will use the publication of this typical case as an opportunity to intensify legal education and publicity. Through methods such as centralized lectures, distributing promotional brochures, organizing knowledge competitions, and essay contests with awards, they aim to create a strong atmosphere where the whole society cares about and supports the protection of military facilities.
Background Information
Relevant Provisions of the Military Facilities Protection Law
Organizations and citizens of the People's Republic of China all have the obligation to protect military facilities. Any organization or individual is prohibited from damaging or endangering military facilities. Any organization or individual has the right to report and accuse actions that damage or endanger military facilities.
Penalties according to the relevant provisions of the "Public Security Administration Punishment Law of the People's Republic of China" shall apply to the following acts, where circumstances are minor and do not constitute a criminal penalty: illegally entering military restricted zones or military administrative zones, or piloting/operating aircraft at low altitude over land or water areas within military restricted zones, and refusing to stop upon being ordered to do so; conducting activities that endanger the safety and operational effectiveness of military facilities within the safety control perimeter outside military restricted zones or within a certain distance of military facilities not designated as restricted or administrative zones, and refusing to stop upon being ordered to do so; conducting activities within the clear zone protection area of a military airfield that affect flight safety or the effectiveness of airport navigation aids, and refusing to stop upon being ordered to do so; illegally photographing, videotaping, recording, surveying, measuring, positioning, depicting, or describing within military restricted zones or military administrative zones, and refusing to stop upon being ordered to do so; other acts that disrupt the management order of military restricted zones or military administrative zones or endanger the safety of military facilities, where the circumstances are minor and do not constitute a criminal penalty.
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