FT: China's Xi prepares for war building military headquarters larger than Pentagon

China is constructing a huge central military headquarters, approximately 30 km west of Beijing, which is expected to serve as the command center for both the military and Chairman Xi Jinping during wartime, including nuclear war, The Financial Times said.

The facility under construction is larger than the Pentagon, covering an area of over 6 million square meters. It is expected to include an extensive and fortified underground bunker system, with construction having begun in mid-2024.

Satellite Images Reveal Massive Military Construction Near Beijing

The publication released satellite images purportedly showing a construction site covering approximately 1,500 acres (just over six square kilometers), located 30 km southwest of Beijing. The images reveal deep excavation sites, which, as FT speculates, could be reinforced bunkers for military command.

According to an unnamed Chinese researcher, "all signs" indicate that this is a "secret military facility." He pointed to the use of reinforced concrete and deep underground tunnels as evidence. The size of the complex – nearly 10 times larger than the Pentagon – aligns with Xi Jinping’s ambitions to surpass the U.S.

"This fortress serves only one purpose – to be a doomsday bunker for China’s increasingly advanced and combat-ready military," the researcher stated.

Construction Timeline and Security Measures

Satellite image analysis suggests that construction of the military complex began in mid-2024. Meanwhile, the Chinese military is working on other projects, including new weaponry. FT notes that in 2027, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will mark its centennial, and U.S. intelligence reports claim that Xi Jinping has ordered the PLA to develop capabilities for a potential attack on Taiwan by that date.

There is no information about the construction on Chinese internet platforms. The site is heavily guarded, with photography and drone flights strictly prohibited. When questioned, security personnel and a construction manager refused to disclose any details. A local businessman described the area as a "military zone."

Strategic Significance of the New Complex

A senior U.S. intelligence official noted that the current PLA headquarters in Beijing is relatively new but was not designed as a secure wartime command center. At present, China’s command center is located in the Xishan Mountains northwest of Beijing. However, the size, scale, and depth of the new facility suggest it is intended to replace the existing headquarters.

Former CIA China analyst Dennis Wilder stated:

"If confirmed, this modern underground command bunker for China’s military leadership—including Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping—signals Beijing’s intent not only to build a world-class military but also to develop an advanced nuclear warfare capability."

Two Financial Times sources close to Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense also believe that the Chinese military is constructing a new command center. However, some experts question whether the location is suitable for bunkers.

China’s Response 

The Chinese Embassy in Washington stated that it was "not aware of the details" but emphasized that China remains committed to peaceful development and a defensive military policy.

Details

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the military of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the People's Republic of China (PRC). It consists of four services—Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force—and four arms—Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force, and Joint Logistics Support Force. It is led by the Central Military Commission (CMC) with its chairman as commander-in-chief. The PLA can trace its origins during the Republican era to the left-wing units of the National Revolutionary Army (NRA) of the Kuomintang (KMT) when they broke away in 1927 in an uprising against the nationalist government as the Chinese Red Army, before being reintegrated into the NRA as units of New Fourth Army and Eighth Route Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The two NRA communist units were reconstituted as the PLA in 1947. Since 1949, the PLA has used nine different military strategies, which it calls "strategic guidelines". The most important came in 1956, 1980, and 1993. Politically, the PLA and the paramilitary People's Armed Police (PAP) have the largest delegation in the National People's Congress (NPC); the joint delegation currently has 281 deputies—over 9% of the total—all of whom are CCP members.