The military and local authorities in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, are pioneering a new approach to national defense work within a state-level new area, transforming a zone of economic vitality into a fertile ground for defense mobilization.
Amidst the rolling waters of the Yangtze River and the sound of ship whistles, the north bank presents a picturesque scene. As one of China's 19 state-level new areas, the Nanjing Jiangbei New Area aggregates high-end industrial platforms such as the Industrial Technology Research and Innovation Park, the Nanjing Biopharmaceutical Valley, and the Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park. It is a crucial source of scientific and technological innovation and a hub for advanced manufacturing in the Yangtze River Delta region. Yet, just a few years ago, this "economic highland" faced an awkward predicament: while it boasted new industries, a large youth population, and strong technological capabilities, as a new urban district, it did not bear full local government administrative functions. Its defense work was long managed by the host district, leading to issues like a lengthy chain of command, blurred responsibility boundaries, and difficulties in resource coordination.
State-level new areas undertake significant national reform and development missions. With their high functional positioning and deep integration of industry and city, they are vanguards of economic development and should also become new frontiers for national defense mobilization. The question of how to break this impasse became a key challenge for Nanjing's military and civilian leadership.
A turning point began in 2024. Central authorities issued documents explicitly requiring the strengthening of people's armed forces work in industrial parks and new urban districts. In July 2025, a Nanjing Municipal Party Committee military affairs meeting specifically studied the establishment of a People's Armed Forces Office for the Nanjing Jiangbei New Area, operating with reference to the model of a county-level people's armed forces department. The Nanjing Garrison Command dispatched key personnel to this office, tasked with functions such as conscription, militia building, and national defense mobilization. A Party committee was simultaneously established, with dedicated funding allocated, enabling normalized and substantive operations.
The shift from "delegated management" to "direct management" provided a powerful lever for defense work. To effectively manage and invigorate defense efforts, the professional cadre specializing in militia and reserve work is a focal point. In the past, some sub-districts prioritized the economy over defense, and some cadres were not fully dedicated or diligent in their posts, leading to relatively weak grassroots defense work. A series of measures were implemented: adjusting the personnel structure of these specialized cadres, increasing the weight of defense work in performance evaluations, conducting item-by-item inspections and standardizations of daily work in sub-district armed forces departments, and establishing a talent reserve pool for these cadres. This combination of actions has strengthened the specialized cadre team in the new area.
The Jiangbei New Area and Pukou District are geographically intertwined with overlapping resources, leading to issues like overlapping jurisdictions and unclear responsibilities for organizing militia units within enterprises. To address these pain points, in December of last year, in line with requirements for the integrated development of the Jiangbei New Area and Pukou District, the Nanjing Garrison Command proposed a new unified management model. The deputy commander of the Garrison Command concurrently serves as a member of the Jiangbei New Area Party Working Committee and director of the People's Armed Forces Office, enabling high-level coordination and integrated planning. In terms of working mechanisms, the two districts have broken down barriers, implementing weekly joint shift handovers and monthly joint meetings. They formulated the "Nanjing Jiangbei New Area People's Armed Forces Work Regulations" to clarify responsibilities, share data, and synchronize development efforts.
"In the past, it was every unit for itself. Now, the People's Armed Forces Office leads the way, and brother units assist," said Li Yinzhi, an officer at the Yanjiang Sub-district Armed Forces Department. After the joint mechanism was implemented, he found work much smoother. Previously, trying to form a militia drone unit meant struggling to find suitable enterprises. Now, with integrated operations, potential data is directly connected to the mobilization system, greatly improving efficiency.
With personnel, institutional mechanisms, and responsibility assignments all being addressed, how can defense work keep pace on this economic hotbed known for its speed and efficiency? At the new area's monthly meeting for specialized cadres in March, a sub-district's militia reorganization progress was lagging. The leadership of the People's Armed Forces Office immediately pressed for answers: "Falling behind on economic indicators leads to accountability; falling behind on defense indicators is equally unacceptable. It must be completed next week!" A week later, the progress was back on track.
The new area's administrative committee has a monthly meeting system to review economic indicator completion, requiring on-the-spot explanations for any shortfalls. Drawing on this practice, the People's Armed Forces Office holds monthly meetings for specialized cadres where everyone presents their achievements and highlights shortcomings. Progress in potential data collection, the alignment rate of militia unit formation, coverage of standardized grassroots construction—all are quantified, charted for progress tracking, and addressed with deadlines. This sense of urgency leads the specialized cadres to remark, "Managing defense work now feels like the rapid iteration of new area industries. If you're slow, you fall behind!"
Emulating the "new area speed," defense work is also picking up pace. In the early morning at the new area's Industrial Technology Research and Innovation Park, before the rush of commuters arrives, Chen Hui, head of the Dingshan Sub-district Armed Forces Department, is already on-site. He holds a list of dozens of high-tech enterprises in his jurisdiction. "The new area's approach to the economy is 'no task left overnight.' We need the same drive for our potential surveys," Chen Hui said. To solve the challenge of "difficulty in forming militia units within enterprises," the Nanjing Garrison Command, together with the new area's administrative committee, clarified that enterprise participation in militia formation would be linked to tax benefits and eligibility for awards and recognition. Leveraging the new area's industrial strengths in artificial intelligence, drones, and other sectors, a batch of new-type militia units was rapidly established, with the proportion of new-domain and high-quality forces rising to rank first in the city.
To fortify the spiritual rampart, the People's Armed Forces Office spearheaded innovative activities for the "Love Our National Defense, New Area in Action" annual national defense education campaign. This includes corporate defense lectures, community mobile exhibitions, campus recruitment talks, and online knowledge competitions. With activities every month and highlights every season, a culture of caring for and supporting national defense has become widespread.
A new tide is rising on the north bank of the river. On this vibrant land, the bridge between the market and the battlefield is being steadily widened, as defense work advances with the characteristic "new area speed."
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