Name: Why China is Building a ‘Military City’ 10 Times the Size of the Pentagon
Uploaded: 2025-07-01T06:30:00Z
Duration: 4 min 52 s
Description: China is building what is believed to be the world’s biggest military command center. WSJ explains how this new base could reshape the global security landscape.

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China is building what is believed to be the world’s biggest military command center. WSJ explains how this new base could reshape the global security landscape. Photo: Illustration: Xingpei Shen

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China is building what is believed to be the world’s biggest military command center. WSJ explains how this new base could reshape the global security landscape.

Why China is Building a ‘Military City’ 10 Times the Size of the Pentagon

Narrator: This is believed to be the site of the world's largest Military command center under Construction on the edges of the Chinese capital, Beijing. At 1500 acres, it is 10 times the size of the Pentagon and its development is happening as China ramps up its Armed Forces modernization program.

Once it's completed, this could accelerate the PLA's efforts to become a much more modern, capable and lethal Military.

Narrator: Here's why China is modernizing its Military, and how this new mega base could reshape the global security landscape. Its sheer size has led some experts to describe the complex as a Military city. Beijing has not publicly revealed what is being built, but analysts believe it will be used as a command center for the People's Liberation Army or PLA.

Projects of this size are usually of strategic importance. It will have functions similar to the Pentagon. That means it'll be a building that will house large numbers of staffers who will be in charge of supplying, administering, and managing the Chinese Military. Perhaps some intelligence functions. There could be some training facilities.

Narrator: Satellite images of the Construction site reveal that China is building underground.

They're digging quite deep. This suggests a bunker that can be used for leadership and Military purposes and to protect people in the bunker from bombs, missile strikes, and potentially even nuclear strikes.

Narrator: China has a long standing policy called no first use, meaning it won't be the first side to launch nuclear weapons.

In the event of a conflict, China may have to be postured to receive the first strike.

Narrator: Analysts believe that the Military city will replace China's current main command center located in the Western Hills area near Beijing, and which dates back to the 1950s.

It's very possible that these facilities were built to a standard of protection that may have been acceptable in the Cold War, but given the power of modern day munitions, including bunker busting munitions, they may not afford effective protection today.

Narrator: China's foreign ministry referred questions to the defense ministry, which didn't reply to a request for comment. Analysts believe the Construction of the Military city also marks a shift in Beijing's defensive strategy.

Chinese Military hoped to become a Military that is as modern as militaries, such as that of the United States, NATO countries, Russia. If they can do this, the Chinese Military will become much more lethal on the battlefield.

Narrator: The project also reflects a change in the command structure of the PLA.

This is a new push under Xi Jinping, and the idea is that the Military should have all the services working together as one cohesive team that requires a high degree of cooperation, communication, and planning. This building with many co-located offices could help facilitate that.

Narrator: The PLAs transformation drive has raised alarms in the US. The Department of Defense warns that China will continue to rapidly modernize, including expanding its nuclear forces. As of last year, Beijing was believed to have had more than 600 operational nuclear warheads. The US estimates this will grow to more than 1000 by 2030.

The overall instability of the international system is an important factor. The conflict is spreading, so giving a much more unstable and uncertain international environment and given Chinese tensions with the US, that there are strong incentives for Beijing to want to enhance its Military preparedness.

Narrator: Figures show that China's defense budget will be around $240 billion this year, making it the second highest spender on defense in the world after the US. However, analysts at JANES, a defense and security think tank believe that the number is closer to $290 billion. The project comes ahead of the PLA's Centennial celebrations in 2027, a date when US officials believe Xi has instructed his forces to be ready to take Taiwan, an island that Beijing claims as part of its territory. Analysts also warn that China's new command center could trigger a chain reaction among nations across the globe.

This Military city is an enabler and an accelerator of the overall broader Military modernization trends, but whether this really poses a threat to the US will depend on politics at the end, the US and the Chinese governments. How well can they manage their differences and how well can they manage their tensions between each other?

A global look at the economic and cultural forces shaping our world.

Why China is Building a ‘Military City’ 10 Times the Size of the Pentagon

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