Envision a reinforced underground complex. This is rumored to be the location of China’s Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center.
The Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center is the supreme command hub. It directs the People’s Liberation Army’s combined forces. Think of it as the nerve center of the Chinese military.
Established in 2016, the Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center streamlined military command. This happened under Xi Jinping’s structural reforms. The goal was to centralize leadership within the Central Military Commission.
Xi Jinping, as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, heads the JOCC. All other members of the CMC are also members. In 2022, Xi Jinping was referred to as “Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military Commission” during a JOCC visit.
The Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center stands at the top of the PLA’s chain of command. Below it are five military theaters’ joint operational commands. Then come the units under each theater.
The Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center coordinates operations across all military branches. Local Joint Operations Command Centers are subordinate to the Beijing JOCC. These exist at every command theater.
The Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center includes several groups. These are the Surveying, Mapping, and Navigation Group. There is also a Meteorology and Oceanography Group. Further groups are the Battlefield Posture Group and Command Security Group. The list goes on with the Comprehensive Information Service Group. Moreover, there are Network and Electronic Countermeasures and Communications Security Groups. Last but not least, we have Frequency Spectrum Control, Airspace Management, and Targeting Security Groups.
The exact location of the Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center is secret. It is said to be on the west side of Beijing. It is located in a reinforced underground complex.
In 2014, the JOCC was in the Xishan Underground Command Compound. This compound lies 100 meters underground. It was designed to withstand a nuclear strike.
Xi Jinping inspected the Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center in 2016. The operating room was revealed to the public for the first time. He stressed readiness and improving combat capability. He also emphasized the CMC’s ability to “fight and win wars”.
The Central Military Commission Joint Operations Command Center provides vital strategic command support. It boosts military training and combat preparedness. It fulfills missions in the new era.