A military command centre 10 times larger than the Pentagon on the outskirts of Beijing.
The complex is located about 30 km south-west of the capital and covers at least 1,500 acres (600 hectares). According to US intelligence sources, once completed, it will be the largest in the world. The area is tightly guarded, with a ban on drones and photos. It is said to contain bombproof bunkers for Xi Jinping in the event of a (nuclear) war.
China’s military is building a huge military complex west of Beijing, which, according to US intelligence, will serve as a wartime command centre. The facility, US officials note, will be far larger than the Pentagon once construction is completed.
Satellite images, which are currently being examined by intelligence experts in Washington, show a construction site of about 1,500 acres or 600 hectares, some 30 km south-west of the Chinese capital, the Financial Times reports.
Several US officials, both serving and retired but still attentive to military events, confirm that intelligence services are paying maximum attention to the site.
Once completed, the military command centre will be the largest in the world, at least 10 times larger than its US counterpart in Washington. Some sources have dubbed the entire structure “Beijing Military City”.
Based on an assessment of satellite images obtained by the London-based business newspaper, large-scale construction began in mid-2024 with deep holes, according to military experts, to house large, hardened bunkers to protect Chinese military leaders in the event of a conflict, including a potential nuclear war.
The construction comes as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) develops new weapons and designs ahead of its centennial in 2027.
US intelligence said President Xi Jinping ordered military leaders to develop the ability to attack Taiwan by that date.
“If confirmed, this new advanced underground command bunker for the military leadership, including President Xi as the chairman of the Central Military Commission, signals Beijing’s intent to build not only a world-class conventional force but also an advanced nuclear warfighting capability,” said Dennis Wilder, the former head of China analysis for the CIA.
At the start of this month, the site was a beehive of construction activity, in contrast to the paucity of development in most major real estate projects across the country, which is in the middle of a property sector crisis.
No showrooms typically associated with a commercial real estate project have been set up. Unlike regular commercial projects, no official mentions of the construction site can be found on the Internet in Chinese.
Although no military presence is visible at the construction site, numerous signs warn against flying drones or taking pictures.
Guards forcibly push back anyone who tries to approach the gates, stressing that access is forbidden and refuse any request for information.
According to the Financial Times, “One supervisor leaving the construction site refused to comment on the project.”
(Asia news)
