The Beijing Garrison District, under the dual leadership of the Beijing Military Region and the local Communist Party branch and government, is responsible for the guard and security of the capital in peacetime. The district works closely with the People’s Armed Police (PAP) Beijing General Corps in maintaining the security and order of Beijing. The district is equivalent to an Army Corps in terms of administrative level, and has two subordinated guard divisions (1st and 3rd).
The garrison district also performs some military police-type duties, including guarding military facilities, patrolling the streets on foot or in vehicles, setting up military vehicle checkpoints, etc. though soldiers performing garrison duty only have authority over members of the PLA and are not normally involved in the law enforcement activities of the local public security (police) forces.
Finally, as the military organ of the Chinese Communist Party’s Beijing Committee and the Beijing Municipality Government, the Beijing Garrison District manages the annual conscription process and the training of militia and reservists through the People’s Armed Forces Department in each district and county government under the Beijing government.
The garrison headquarters consists of operations department, political department, logistic department, and equipment department. The 1st Guard Division is responsible for guarding “key targets“ in the city, while the 3rd Guard Division stationed in the east suburb is a motorised infantry division, ready to respond to any emergency situation in Beijing city.
