These units, known as the People’s Armed Forces Departments, are composed of civilians who retain their regular jobs. They act as a reserve and auxiliary force for China’s military, the world’s largest, and are available for missions ranging from responding to natural disasters and helping maintain “social order” to providing support during wartime.
They include Mengniu Dairy, China’s second-largest dairy producer; Hai’an Urban Construction Investment and Development in Nantong city, Jiangsu province; three property construction, transportation and water services companies in Huizhou city, Guangdong province as well as nine firms in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.