The Xinjiang Military District (新疆军区) is a special military area of the PLA at the Theater Deputy-grade.(副战区级). It is one of three districts (Tibet and Beijing being the other two) that are directly under the

Central Military Commission Central Military Commission may refer to: *Central Military Commission (China), the highest national defense organization in the People's Republic of China. *Central Military Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the highest body in Vietnam ...

and its Joint Army Staff rather than under their Theater Command (in this case, the

Western Theater Command The Western Theater Command () is one of the five theater commands of the People's Liberation Army, founded on 1 February 2016. Its jurisdiction includes Sichuan, Tibet, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Chongqing. Guizhou ...

.) The district includes all of

Xinjiang Xinjiang,; , SASM/GNC romanization, SASM/GNC: Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Sinkiang, officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the China, People' ...

, plus the Ngari district of

Tibet Tibet (; ''Böd''; ), or Greater Tibet, is a region in the western part of East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are other ethnic groups s ...

. It has also direct military jurisdiction over the

Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (新疆生产建设兵团; abbreviated as 新疆兵团, or XPCC in English), also known as ''Bingtuan'', trading with the external name China Xinjian Group, is a state-owned enterprise and parami ...

(XPCC).

History

The Xinjiang Military District of the

Chinese People's Liberation Army The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four Military branch, services—People's Liberation Army Ground Force, Ground Force, People's ...

(PLA) was founded in December 1949 as a subordinate military area to the Northwest Military Region and was elevated to a major military region in May 1955, operating directly under the

's authority. In 1979, it was rebranded as the Urumqi Military Region; in June 1985, it amalgamated with the Lanzhou Military Region and concurrently established the Xinjiang Military Region, which operated at the corps level under the auspices of the Lanzhou Military Region; in April 1992, it was elevated to full military status following the dissolution of the corps-level structure; in October 1998, it was promoted to the status of vice-great-military region. The current Xinjiang Military District was created in 2016 from the former Lanzhou Military Region as part of the 2015 reforms. While it is officially under the jurisdiction of the Western Theater. The XMD covers the contested area of

Aksai Chin Aksai Chin is a region administered by China partly in Hotan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, and partly in Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibet, and constituting the easternmost portion of the larger Kashmir regio ...

, and it is a sensitive hotspot in China's borders. In 2020, it was the XMD that got involved in skirmishes and a protracted stand-off with India. Recently (as of 2024) there have been efforts to create a "six-in-one" border defense system, in which the PLA, the police, the militia, party officials, government officials, and civilians would cooperate in patrolling the enormously long and harsh border of both the Xinjiang and Tibet MDs, with an emphasis on local nomadic tribes that know the terrain and are highly mobile by definition.

Territorial Command Divisions

The XMD is divided into the northern district and the southern Xinjiang subdistrict (Nanjiang), which is a Corps-graded (正军级) unit responsible for the volatile Sino-Indian border. These two main sub-areas are then divided into the following command sectors, generally comprising a prefecture: * Directly under the Xinjiang Military District: ** Urumqi Garrison Area (乌鲁木齐警备区) **

Karamay Karamay (also spelled Karamai) is a prefecture-level city in the north of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China. It is surrounded on all sides by Tacheng Prefecture. The name of the city comes from the Uyghur langu ...

Military Sector (克拉玛依军分区) **

Shihezi Shihezi is a sub-prefecture-level city in Northern Xinjiang, China. It has a population of 380,130 according to the 2010 census. The city is also home to Shihezi University, the second-largest comprehensive university under the Project 211 in Xi ...

Military Sector (石河子军分区) **

Turpan Turpan () or Turfan ( zh, s=吐鲁番) is a prefecture-level city located in the east of the Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of Xinjiang, China. It has an area of and a population of 693,988 (2020). The historical center of the ...

Military Sector (吐鲁番军分区) **

Hami Hami ( zh, c=哈密) or Kumul () is a prefecture-level city in eastern Xinjiang, China. It is well known for sweet Hami melons. In early 2016, the former Hami county-level city merged with Hami Prefecture to form the Hami prefecture-level city ...

Military Sector (哈密军分区) **

Changji Changji is a county-level city situated about west of the regional capital, Ürümqi in Northern Xinjiang, China and has about 390,000 inhabitants. It is the seat of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture. At the northeast corner of the modern ci ...

Military Sector (昌吉军分区) ** Ili Military Sector (伊犁军分区) **

Tacheng TachengThe official spelling according to (), also known as Tarbagatay, Chuguchak or Qoqek, is a county-level city and the administrative seat of Tacheng Prefecture, in northern Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang. The Chinese name "Tach ...

Military Sector (塔城军分区) ** Altay Military Sector (阿勒泰军分区) ** Bortala Military Sector (博尔塔拉军分区) * Southern Xinjiang Military Region (Corps grade) – 南疆军区 ** Bayingolin Military Sector (巴音郭楞军分区) ** Aksu Military Sector (阿克苏军分区) **

Kashgar Kashgar () or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is a city in the Tarim Basin region of southern Xinjiang, China. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, located near the country's border with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. For over 2,000 years, Kashgar ...

Military Sector (喀什军分区) ** Kizilsu Military Sector (克孜勒苏军分区) **

Hotan Hotan (also known by other names) is a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, an autonomous region in Northwestern China. The city proper of Hotan broke off from the larger Hotan County to become an administrative area in its own right i ...

Military Sector (和田军分区) ** Ngari Military Sector (阿里军分区) * XPCC Military Department (Corps Deputy grade) 新疆生产建设兵团军事部

Current Military Units

As of 2022, the

People's Liberation Army Ground Force The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF), also referred to as the PLA Army, is the army, land-based service branch of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), and also its largest and oldest branch. The PLAGF can trace its lineage from 192 ...

units garrisoning the District are as follows (including their main garrison location). Xinjiang is one of the few military regions in which full divisions are still retained as an organizational level post the 2015 reforms (which reduced most divisions into combined arms brigades). Due to the very long border it patrols, there are also fifteen Border Defense regiments assigned as well as the main maneuver force.

Maneuver Force

* 4th Combined Arms Division 合成第四师( Kucha City,

Aksu Prefecture Aksu PrefectureThe official spelling according to is located in mid-Western Xinjiang, China. It has an area of and 2.714 million inhabitants at the 2020 census whom 715,319 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made up of Aksu urban district. T ...

) * 6th Combined Arms Division合成第六师(

) * 8th Combined Arms Division合成第八师 (

Wusu UsuThe official spelling according to , (Beijing, '' SinoMaps Press'' 1997); as the official romanized name and transliterated from Mongolian, also known as Wusu, is a county-level city with more than 100,000 residents in Xinjiang, China. It ...

Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in northern Xinjiang, China. Its capital is Yining, also known as Ghulja or Kulja. Covering an area of 268,591 square kilometres (16.18 per cent of Xinjiang), Ili Prefecture shares ...

) * 11th Combined Arms Division合成第十一师 ( Urumqi) * 84th Special Forces Brigade "Kunlun Sharp Blades" (特战第八十四 "昆仑利刃") (

) * 84th Army Aviation Brigade (陆航第八十四旅) (

, Changji Aweitan Airport(昌吉阿苇滩机场)) * 84th Artillery Brigade (炮兵第八十四旅) ( Urumqi) * 84th Air Defense Brigade (防空第八十四旅) ( Urumqi) * 6th Intelligence and Surveillance Brigade "Golden Falcons" (侦察情报第六旅 “金猎隼”) ( Urumqi) * 6th Information Support Brigade (信息保障第六旅) ( Urumqi) * 6th Electronic Countermeasures Brigade (电子对抗第六旅) ( Urumqi) * 4th Motorized Transport Brigade (汽车运输第四旅) * 3rd Motorized Transport Regiment (汽车运输第三团) * 1st Communications Regiment (通信第一团) ( Urumqi) * 2nd Communications Regiment (通信第二团) ( Urumqi) * 2nd Chemical Defense Regiment (防化第二团) ( Urumqi) * 9th Combat Engineers Regiment (工兵第九团) ( Urumqi) * Construction Engineering Regiment ('某'工兵团) (

Rutog County Rutog County (, zh, s=日土县) is a Counties of China, county in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. The county seat is the new Rutog Town, located some or 700 miles west-northwest of the Tibetan capital, Lhasa. Rutog Co ...

Ngari Prefecture Ngari Prefecture () or Ali Prefecture ( zh, s=阿里地区 , t=阿里地區 , p=Ālǐ Dìqū) is a prefecture of China's Tibet Autonomous Region covering Western Tibet, whose traditional name is Ngari Khorsum. Its administrative centre and large ...

)

Border Defense Units

* 361st Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六一团) ( Tsamda County,

) * 362nd Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六二团) (

): 362nd and 363rd regiments were the units originally engaged in the 2020 skirmishes. * (边防第三六三团) (

Shahidulla Shahidulla, also spelt Xaidulla from Mandarin Chinese, (altitude ca. 3,646 m or 11,962 ft), was a nomad camping ground and historical caravan halting place in the Karakash River valley, close to Khotan, in the southwestern part of Xinjiang A ...

Pishan County Pishan County ( zh, s=皮山县) as the official romanized name, also transliterated from Uyghur as Guma County (; zh, s=固玛县), is a county within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Hotan Prefectu ...

Hotan Prefecture Hotan PrefectureThe official spelling is "Hotan" according to (see also #Etymology, § Etymology) is located in the Tarim Basin region of southwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Xinjiang, China, bordering the Tibet Autonomous Region to t ...

); In Sanshili Barracks(三十里营房) and Shenxianwan border outpost * 364th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六四团)（

Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County (often shortened to Tashkurgan County and officially spelled Taxkorgan) is an autonomous county of Kashgar Prefecture, in western Xinjiang, China. The county seat is Tashkurgan. The county is the only Tajik ...

and

Akto County Akto County (also known as Aqtu, Aktu, or Aketao; zh, c=阿克陶县, p=Ākètáo Xiàn) is a county in Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The county borders Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan and has five ...

） * 365th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六五团) ( Ulugqat County,

Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in western Xinjiang, China, bordering Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Its Capital (political), capital is Artush. The prefecture is home to 622,222 people () and covers an area of . Mo ...

* 366th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六六团)（ Uchturpan County

) * 367th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六七团) ( Zhaosu County,

) * 368th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六八团) ( Huiyuan Town, Huocheng County,

) * 369th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三六九团)（ Bole City,

Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in the northern Xinjiang, China. Its capital is Bole, also known as Bortala. It has a population of 475,483 inhabiting an area of . Despite being designated an autonomous area fo ...

* 370th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三七〇团) (

Toli County Toli County is a county situated in the north of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Tacheng Prefecture. It has an area of with a population of 90,000. The Postcode is 834500. Demographics Administra ...

Tacheng Prefecture Tacheng Prefecture ( zh, s=塔城地区, p=Tǎchéng dìqū) is located in northern Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. It has an area of and a population of 992,444 (2020). It is a part of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. The prefecture leve ...

) * 371st Border Defense Regiment (边防第三七一团)（

Emin County Emin County, the official romanized name, also SASM/GNC romanization, transliterated from Mongolian as Dörbiljin County, is a county situated in the north of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Tacheng Pr ...

) * 372nd Border Defense Regiment (边防第三七二团) ( Fuyun County,

Altay Prefecture Altay Prefecture is located in Northern Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. It has an area of and a population of 561,667 (2000). It is a part of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. As of the 2000 census, Altay was the only major subdivisi ...

) * 373rd Border Defense Regiment (边防第三七三团) ( Habahe County,

) * 374th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三七四团) ( Qitai County,

Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture ( zh, s=昌吉回族自治州; ) is an autonomous prefecture for Hui people in the middle north of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Western China. The prefecture has an area of and its seat is Changji City. ...

) * 375th Border Defense Regiment (边防第三七五团) ( Kumul City, Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County) The Border Defense regiments cover some of the most challenging terrain in the world, and it is occasionally reported that some units still use horses for patrolling.

References

{{coord missing, Xinjiang Military districts of the People's Republic of China Military districts and regions Western Theater Command Military history of Xinjiang Military of Xinjiang 2016 establishments in China Military units and formations established in 2016