(TibetanReview.net, Jan15’24) – China said Jan 14 that it had extended its national power grid connections to remote outposts to boost its capabilities in border defence. Its official globaltimes.cn said Jan 14 that a group of its reporters recently visited the “Model Border Battalion on the Plateau” in Xizang and the “5592” watchpoint, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s highest post at which soldiers are stationed to witness the change this has brought about. Xizang is Chinese name for Tibet.
Having stable power supply through the national power grid had many merits, ranging from the use of household appliances to military weapons and equipment, the report cited an expert who used to serve in Xizang Autonomous Region as saying, noting that in modern military activities, many advanced equipment, like radar systems, require stable energy in large volumes.
Living conditions and infrastructure construction are vital to border defence, as they significantly contribute to the troops’ combat readiness, the unnamed expert has said.
Citing China Central Television (CCTV) Jan 13, the report said the Logistic Support Department of the Central Military Commission had worked together with the National Energy Administration and carried out power grid constructions for border defence troops in batches, taking advantage of the country’s latest round of rural power grid overhaul and upgrade.
By the end of 2023, more than 700 remote outposts of border defence companies were successively connected to the national power grid, the report said.
Since then, Chinese defence outposts have formed an energy support system relying mainly on electricity from the grid, which is supported by fuel, solar energy and wind energy, the report continued.
This was stated to have further elevated the Chinese military’s border management and control capabilities by making the power supply to military equipment more secure and reliable, border defence energy consumption cleaner and environment-friendly, in addition to improving living conditions for troops stationed along border areas as well as their combat readiness.
The report concluded that in the season of heavy snow and freezing cold, the soldiers at the border frontlines remain steadfast while on duty in the snowy mountains, a testament not only to their spirit of sacrifice and dedication but also to the strong logistical support provided by the military.