The Central Guard Unit (CGU; PLA Unit 61889), formerly known as the Central Guard Regiment (CGR; PLA Unit 8341) is a unit of the
People's Liberation Army Ground Force
The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF; ) is the land-based service branch of the People's Liberation Army and the largest and oldest branch of the entire Chinese armed forces. The PLAGF can trace its lineage from 1927 as the Chine ...
(PLAGF) of the
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
[Pollpeter and Allen (ed.): p. 282.] responsible for providing security at locations visited by or significant
[Guo: pg. 106] to senior members of the
Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
(CCP).
[Pollpeter and Allen (ed.): p. 141.] It is a powerful political tool for the
paramount leader
Paramount leader () is an informal term for the most important political figure in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The paramount leader typically controls the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA), often hol ...
as it can control access to, and conduct surveillance on, its charges.
[Guo: p. 111.][Guo: p. 172–173.]
The CGR is formally subordinated to the PLA
General Staff Department (GSD)
but it is practically controlled by the party through the
Central Guard Bureau
The Central Guard Bureau of the General Office of the Chinese Communist Party (), also nominally affiliated with the army and the police as the Guard Bureau of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission () and the Ninth Bure ...
(CGB) of the
General Office of the Central Committee (CGO);
this control is exercised through CGB deputy directors who concurrently hold leadership positions in the CGR.
[Guo: p. 109.] The PLA handles personnel management, training, and logistics.
[Guo: p. 113.]
The CGR has used multiple Military Cover Unit Designators (MCUD). It was known as Unit 8341 at the time of
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
's death, and Unit 57003 afterwards. More recently, it has been known as Unit 61889.
[Guo: p. 176.]
History
First formation
During much of the 1930s the CCP's main internal security organization was the State Political Security Bureau (SPSB). It was created after
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong pronounced ; also romanised traditionally as Mao Tse-tung. (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), also known as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary who was the founder of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ...
was dismissed as general political commissar
of the First Front Army in November 1931. The SPSB was created by absorbing existing organizations, taking over protection of senior CCP members and the
secret police
Secret police (or political police) are intelligence, security or police agencies that engage in covert operations against a government's political, religious, or social opponents and dissidents. Secret police organizations are characteristic of a ...
roles. The SPSB included a Political Security Regiment and two Brigades of State Political Security for protection duties.
[Guo: pg. 140-142]
After effectively assuming party leadership after 1935
Zunyi Conference
The Zunyi Conference () was a meeting of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in January 1935 during the Long March. This meeting involved a power struggle between the leadership of Bo Gu and Otto Braun and the opposition led by Mao Zedong. The re ...
, Mao worked to wrestle control of the security apparatus from the party by undermining the SPSB; SPSB forces were reduced, and Mao's supporters moved into party and SPSB leadership positions. In 1938, Mao created a new security unit, the Central Guard Training Brigade (CGTB). The CGTB was formally commanded by three non-SPSB organizations and was organizationally subordinated to a fourth, the Central Revolutionary Military Committee; Mao chaired the committee and, through it, controlled the brigade.
[Guo: pg. 142-144]
In October 1942, the CGTB was expanded into the Central Guard Regiment. At the end of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, a third of the CGR was split off to create a protection unit for the CCP advance into
Manchuria
Manchuria is an exonym (derived from the endo demonym " Manchu") for a historical and geographic region in Northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day Northeast China (Inner Manchuria) and parts of the Russian Far East (Outer Manc ...
.
[Guo: pg. 147] In the following continuation of the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on m ...
, the CGR protected the
Central Committee
Central committee is the common designation of a standing administrative body of Communist party, communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, of both ruling and nonruling parties of former and existing socialist states. In such party org ...
and PLA Headquarters. Mao exerted indirect control through
Wang Dongxing
Wang Dongxing (; 9 January 1916 – 21 August 2015) was a Chinese military commander and politician, famous for being the chief of Mao Zedong's personal bodyguard force, the 9th Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security (which included the ''8 ...
, head of the Guard Bureau under the
Central Secretariat.
[Guo: pg. 149]
The CCP's forces were reorganized in July 1949 with the security component becoming the
Ministry of Public Security's (MPS) Chinese People's Public Security Forces (CPPSF),
[Guo: pg. 148] being renamed as the PLA Public Security Forces (PLAPSF) in September 1950.
[Guo: pg. 155] The Central Column of the CPPSF was created in August 1949 to protect the new capital of
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
and the party leadership;
in September 1949 the CGR was expanded into the 2nd Division of the Central Column.
[Guo: pg. 151] The reorganization was part of an effort to professionalize Chinese security forces by
Nie Rongzhen
Nie Rongzhen (; December 29, 1899 – May 14, 1992) was a prominent Chinese Communist military leader, and one of ten Marshals in the People's Liberation Army of China. He was the last surviving PLA officer with the rank of Marshal.
Biography ...
and
Luo Ruiqing
Luo Ruiqing (; May 31, 1906 – August 3, 1978), formerly romanized as Lo Jui-ch'ing, was a Chinese army officer and politician, general of the People's Liberation Army. He created the People's Republic of China's security and police appara ...
, but it removed the CGR from Mao's influence and reduced Mao's influence in security;
[Guo: pg. 152] Luo was Minister of Public Security.
[Guo: pg. 150] Nie and Luo subsequently had poorer relationships with Mao.
[Guo: pg. 152-154]
Second formation
Mao created a new CGR in May 1953. The CGR was separating from the PLAPSF and subordinated to the party's CGB. Wang, leading the CGB, was again Mao's conduit of control.
[Guo: pg. 126] The PLA formally controlled the CGR, but in practice it only provided logistical and recruitment support. Similarly, while the CGB was simultaneously the MPS's 9th Bureau, in practice the MPS exercised no control. Therefore, Mao appointed commanders, and set recruiting criteria that favored poor or lower-middle-class peasants.
[Guo: pg. 155-156]
In 1959,
Minister of National Defense
A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
Peng Dehuai
Peng Dehuai (; October 24, 1898November 29, 1974) was a prominent Chinese Communist military leader, who served as China's Defense Minister from 1954 to 1959. Peng was born into a poor peasant family, and received several years of primary edu ...
, acting on a poor relationship with Mao, attempted to remove the CGR from Mao's control by subordinating it to the Beijing Garrison Command (BGC). It was unsuccessful because the CGR only drew logistical support. Peng was subsequently purged at the 1959
Lushan Conference
The Lushan Conference was a meeting of the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) held between July and August 1959. The CCP Politburo met in an "expanded session" (''Kuoda Huiyi'') between July 2 and August 1, followed by the 8th Plenu ...
, and the CGR was resubordinated to the PLA GSD in 1960.
[Guo: pg. 156-157] The PLA commanded the CGR for a few years while Wang attended the
Central Party School
The Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party (), commonly known as the Central Party School (), located in Beijing, is the higher education institution which trains Chinese Communist Party (CCP) cadres. As of 2012, it has around 1,6 ...
and served as
Jiangxi
Jiangxi (; ; formerly romanized as Kiangsi or Chianghsi) is a landlocked province in the east of the People's Republic of China. Its major cities include Nanchang and Jiujiang. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze river in the north int ...
's deputy governor.
[Guo: pg. 157-158]
Mao strengthened his control over security in preparation for the
Cultural Revolution
The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a sociopolitical movement in the People's Republic of China (PRC) launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, and lasting until his death in 1976. Its stated goal ...
, which included placing Wang in greater positions of authority. In September 1960, Wang was transferred back to Beijing to lead a purge of the CGB and CGR; in April 1964, he took over the MPS' 9th Bureau and managed its merger with the 8th Bureau which saw opponents dismissed.
[Guo: pg. 160] On the eve of the Cultural Revolution, Mao directly controlled the CGB, and through it the CGR and BGC, which he used to arrest and spy on his opponents.
[Guo: p. 169.] Mao fostered the CGR's loyalty by providing social and economic assistance to its members and their families, and - before 1969 - personally meeting new recruits.
[Guo: p. 170.]
The Cultural Revolution
During the Cultural Revolution, the CGR acted as Mao's representatives and communication intermediaries. CGR units were stationed to restore order at the "six factories and two universities" in Beijing which Mao regarded as "models". The CGR's prestige, derived from their close association with Mao, allowed their mere presence to pacify the mass rebels;
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai (; 5 March 1898 – 8 January 1976) was a Chinese statesman and military officer who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, premier of the People's Republic of China from 1 October 1949 until his death on 8 J ...
sent officials to shelter in areas under CGR influence.
[Guo: pg. 174] The CGR and CGB established close ties with various politicians and groups, including
Lin Biao
)
, serviceyears = 1925–1971
, branch = People's Liberation Army
, rank = Marshal of the People's Republic of China Lieutenant general of the National Revolutionary Army, Republic of China
, commands ...
, seeking to ensure their access to Mao; Mao proceeded to "rectify" the loyalty of his security force after coming into conflict with Lin at the
1970 Lushan plenum.
[Guo: pg. 174-175]
Mao's death in September 1976 instigated a power struggle within the CCP between the radical
Gang of Four
The Gang of Four () was a Maoist political faction composed of four Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials. They came to prominence during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and were later charged with a series of treasonous crimes. The gang ...
and the moderates.
[Guo: pg. 291-292] Wang was the most powerful person in the party's security and intelligence organization
[Guo: pg. 93] and retained control of the CGR and CGB;
he adhered to Mao's views
[Guo: pg. 120-121] and allied with the moderates, allowing the moderates to control the party's elite security forces: the BGC, CGR and CGB.
The Gang of Four were suppressed in October 1976;
[Guo: pg. 380] the CGR arrested the Gang, and the BGC arrested followers and took over the media.
The CGR was reorganized into the Central Guard Division in 1977.
[Guo: pg. 181]
Leadership changes after Mao
Deng Xiaoping
Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CC ...
returned to office in 1977
and moved to assert control over the security apparatus. At the
Third Plenum of the 11th party congress in December 1978, Wang agreed to relinquish control over the CGO, CGB, and CGR
for a mostly symbolic party vice chairmanship;
[Guo: pg. 182] Wang had previously refused to ally with Deng.
Sun Yong, Deng's chief bodyguard
[Guo: pg. 179] and possibly one of Wang's old political rivals,
[Guo: pg. 180] became the CGR's new commander.
In addition, the Third Plenum reduced the influence of Wang and his supporters by separating the CGB and CGR from the CGO; this put party security forces solely under the control of the Deng-controlled PLA GSD. Finally, the CGO, CGB, and CGR were purged of Wang's supporters.
Notes
References
Citations
Sources
*
*
{{Authority control
Land forces units and formations of the People's Republic of China
Guards regiments