China has amended its national defense mobilization law for the first time in 16 years, introducing a greater emphasis on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), drones, and other emerging fields. The revised legislation, approved by the country’s top legislature last Friday, is designed to facilitate the rapid conversion of civilian infrastructure and capabilities into military assets during times of conflict.
The updated law, which will take effect on October 1, explicitly promotes the application of advanced technologies in national defense mobilization and aims to develop forces in emerging sectors including cyberspace, biotechnology, maritime, space, and quantum technologies. While the amendment does not specify all the covered technologies, military law expert Xie Dan noted that it encompasses cyberspace, AI, unmanned systems like drones, biotechnology, and quantum technologies.
For the first time, the legislation formally defines national defense mobilization as activities that ensure a swift transition from peacetime to wartime, transforming economic and social resources into national defense strength. The scope of the law has been broadened to protect China's sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity, security, and development interests, the latter being newly included.
A notable aspect of the revision is the incorporation of data and software into the military’s reserve materials, recognizing the growing importance of data-driven modern warfare. Intelligence, command, and logistical operations increasingly depend on software and data, and collecting such resources during peacetime is viewed as critical for rapid wartime allocation.
The amendment further opens the door for non-government entities—such as private companies, public institutions, and social organizations—to participate actively in strategic material reserves. Unlike the previous version, which limited preparation to government bodies, the revised law encourages enterprises to enhance their technological and production capacities and allow non-governmental organizations and individuals to assist in functions like storage, transport, and distribution.
Experts say these changes reflect lessons drawn from recent conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting the central role of unmanned systems, intelligence technologies, and cyber capabilities in modern combat. "Modern warfare is highly reliant on the resilience of the supply chain," Xie said. "It is not enough to depend solely on government reserves to meet wartime needs. Mobilizing production, warehousing, and logistics resources throughout society is necessary."
Beijing-based defense think tank Dong Fang Hong described the revision as a comprehensive legal adjustment to better prepare for modern war, noting that the principal challenge is no longer the availability of resources but their swift mobilization. The legal overhaul aims to bring dispersed civilian technological capabilities, production capacity, and logistics into an integrated, law-based framework to enhance national mobilization readiness.
A commentary published by the Supreme People’s Court-affiliated People’s Court Daily highlighted how the amendment fosters a more interconnected and efficient legal system for national defense, aligning civilian and military resources to the demands of contemporary warfare.