PLA'S QUICK REACTION UNIT VIEWED

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 1998
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 19, 1990
• Content Type: CABLE

Approved For Release M6W66jyiEDCIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
INQUIRE=DOC13D
ITEM NO=00102029
ENVELOPE
CDSN = LGX859 MCN = 90353/33301 TOR = 903531645
RTTUZYUW RUEKJCS6338 3531646-UUUU--RUEALGX.
ZNR UUUUU
HE ER
R - 1 1 46Z DEC 1Q,
FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
INFO RUEALGX/SAFE
R 19153OZ DEC 90
FM FBIS HONG KONG
TO AIG 4581
RUEHBF/AMEMBASSY BEIJING
RUHHHMA/CDRWESTCOM FT SHAFTER HI//APIN-IN//
RUMJBP/FBIS OKINAWA JA
ACCT FBHK-EWDK
BT
CONTROLS
UNCLAS 1M
SERIAL: HK1912153090
/***********---`THIS IS A COMBINED MESSAGE**
BODY
COUNTRY: PRC
SUBJ: TAKE 1 OF 2--PLA'S QUICK-REACTION UNIT VIEWED
SOURCE: BEIJING LIAOWANG IN CHINESE NO 49, 3 DEC 90 PP 16-17
TEXT:
//((ARTICLE BY GE XIANGXIAN (5514 6272 6343) AND WU DONGFENG
(0702 22IT l'96 ' " DIVINE TROOPS OF. TIU R-A 4IT TO OUR
COUNTRY'S FIRST QUICK-REACTION UNIT"))
((TEXT)) THE "ENEMY MISSILE BASE" WAS CLOSELY GUARDED.
WHEN THE SUN HAD JUST SET, A HELICOPTER WAS FLYING IN THE VALLEY
AT AN ULTRA-LOW ALTITUDE, QUIETLY AND CAREFULLY AVOIDING RADAR
DETECTION.
SUDDENLY, A NUMBER OF SOLDIERS, WEARING CAMOUFLAGE, JUMPED OUT OF
THE CABINS, AND FIRED AT THE GUIDANCE AND DEFENSE SYSTEMS IN THE
"ENEMY MISSILE BASE" WITH ALL KINDS OF WEAPONS AND DESTROYED THEM.
LATER, UNDER COVER OF CROSSFIRE, A SHOCK BRIGADE SOLDIER PLACED A
TIME BOMB IN THE-MOST IMPORTANT-PART OF A MISSILE LAUNCHER. WITH A
BIG EXPLOSION, THE "ENEMY MISSILE BASE" WAS INSTANTLY TURNED INTO A
SEA OF FLAMES. BY THIS TIME,..THESOLDIERS, WHO HAD BEEN DROPPED
FROM THE SKY, HAD ALREADY BOARDED THE HELICOPTERS, AND WERE SLOWLY
ASCENDING TO THE SKY.
THE ATTACK OPERATION ON THE "ENEMY MISSILE BASE" WAS OVER IN A
LITTLE LESS THAN SEVEN MINUTES.
THE UNIT UNDERTAKING THE "COMBAT OPERATION" WAS THE PEOPLE'S
LIBERATION ARMY'S ((PLA)) FIRST SPECIAL-MISSION, QUICK-REACTION
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
 Approved For Release :ff6bMiJYiOcIA-RDP96-00792ROO0400260001-5
PAGE:0021
UNIT. SINCE IT WAS FORMED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE UNIT HAS UNDERGONE
RIGOROUS, STRENUOUS AND SCIENTIFIC TRAINING, AND NOW IT POSSESSES A
HIGH DEGREE OF COMBAT STRENGTH AND HAS BECOME A NEW TYPE OF UNIT
POSSESSING SPECIAL COMBAT ABILITIES SUCH AS LAND INFILTRATION,
AIRBORNE MOBILITY, AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE, STRUGGLE IN THE ENEMY'S REAR.
IN A TREE-SHADOWED MILITARY CAMP, WE INTERVIEWED SOME YOUNG
SOLDIERS OF THE UNIT. THE PARTLY VISIBLE NET-LIKE RADAR ANTENNA AND
THE NEW-MODEL TRUCKS THAT WERE COMING AND GOING MADE US FEEL THE
MYSTERY AND STRONG ATMOSPHERE OF THIS PLACE.
TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, THE QUICK-REACTION UNIT IS NOT A NEW
THING. ITS ORIGINS CAN BE TRACED BACK TO THE SECOND WORLD WAR, AND
SINCE THEN IT HAS FINALLY DEVELOPED INTO AN INDEPENDENT ARM OF THE
SERVICES. THE REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THIS ARM HAVE SPREAD, LIKE
A LEGEND, ALL OVER THE WORLD. DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, THE
BRITISH "GOODMAN" SHOCK BRIGADE LAUNCHED A SUDDEN ATTACK ON NAZI
GERMANY'S HEAVY WATER PURIFYING WORKS IN. NORWAY'S (NORKESEE). HEAVY
WATER IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ATOMIC BOMBS.
THE BRITISH MILITARY. OPERATION EFFECTIVELY PREVENTED NAZI GERMANY
FROM DEVELOPING THE ATOMIC BOMB.
ONE DAY IN JULY 1976, FOUR LARGE TRANSPORT PLANES SUDDENLY LANDED
AT UGANDA'S ENTEBBE AIRPORT. THOSE EMERGING FROM THE PLANES WERE
NOT ORDINARY PASSENGERS, BUT FULLY ARMED ISRAELI SOLDIERS. IN A
SPLIT SECOND, THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE BACK THE 100 AND MORE HOSTAGES
FROM THE TERRORISTS. THAT WAS THE "FLASH OPERATION" OF THE WORLD-
SHOCKING ISRAELI "WILD BOYS" SHOCK BRIGADE, AND WAS CONSIDERED THE
"BRAVEST WONDER IN CONTEMPORARY MILITARY HISTORY."
ON THE EVE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS-WAR, THE BRITISH "SPECIAL AIR
SERVICES REGIMENT" UNEXPECTEDLY TURNED UP ON SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND
AND (PEIBUER) ISLAND. IT TOOK THE PORTS AND BOMBARDED THE AIRPORTS,
RAISING THE CURTAIN ON THE FALKLAND ISLANDS WAR AND CREATING
FAVORABLE CONDITIONS FOR THE LANDING. OF MAJOR BRITISH FORCES.
ALTHOUGH PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT HAVE BECOME IRREVERSIBLE
HISTORICAL TRENDS, LOCAL WARS AND SUDDEN VIOLENT INCIDENTS NEVER
CEASE FOR A MINUTE. IN ORDER TO REDUCE CASUALTIES IN A MILITARY
OPERATION AND PUT ONE SIDE IN A BETTER POLITICAL AND MILITARY
POSITION, MILITARY DEPARTMENTS OF ALL COUNTRIES ARE KEEN ON BUILDING
UP CAPABLE QUICK-REACTION UNITS, AND UNDERTAKE SMALL-SCALE BUT
HIGHLY RISKY AND DECISIVE MILITARY ACTIONS. SOME WESTERN MILITARY
EXPERTS HAVE STATED WITH CERTAINTY: "BATTLEFIELDS IN THE FUTURE
WILL ONLY BE FOR THE USE OF SMALL, SPECIAL UNITS."
IN KEEPI_N LIE, DEVELQPI TT , I _ 10R..D. POLITICAL AND
MILITRYSITUATION, SEVERALaYEARS AGO., CHINA'S RELEVANT POLTCYMAKING
DEPAM(ENTS DEC D'TO BUILD UP SIMILAR QUICK RRACTtQN UNITS tO _'_
TACKLE POSSIBLE LOCAL__WARS AND CQNTINGENCIES, AND SHOULDER SPECIAL
DUTIES SUCH AS ANTI-KIDNAPPING,. ANTI-TERRORISM, ANTI ANTL-ff&g-NC
-DUTIES.
TAW XIAOBING,- 35 YEARS OLD, IS THE UNIT HEAD, AND IS A LEGENDARY
FIGURE IN THE MILITARY DISTRICT. HE IS AN EXPERT MARKSMAN-AND A
VERY GOOD BOXER.. HE CAN DRIVE ALL TYPES OF TRUCKS. DURING THE WAR
OF SELF-DEFENSE. AGAINST VIETNAM, HE WENT AS FAR AS THE ENEMY'S REAR
TO COLLECT INFORMATION AND COURAGEOUSLY ENGAGED IN AMBUSH. BATTLES.
HE TOLD. THE. REPORTERS THAT ALTHOUGH CHINA,WAS_LATE IN BUILDING. UP A
QUICK-REACTION UNIT, IT WAS NOT MERELY A PLAN ON A SHEET OF PAPER.
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
 Approved For Release 6b ' PCIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
IN WARTIME, THE PLA CREATED NUMEROUS COMBINATION MODES UNDER ALL
KINDS OF SPECIAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS THE RENOWNED RAILWAY GUERRILLA
BRIGADE, THE ARMED WORKING TEAM IN ENEMY-OCCUPIED AREAS, AND THE
SHAO JIANBO-STYLE DETACHMENTS IN "IMMENSE FOREST AND SNOWFIELD
((LINHAI XUEYUAN))." THE UNIT, WHICH HAS INHERITED THE PLA'S
TRADITIONS AND USES THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCED EXPERIENCE OF
TROOPS OF OTHER COUNTRIES, WILL DEFINITELY BECOME THE PLA'S
SPECIALLY KEEN STEEL KNIFE. WHEN THE REPORTERC ME,_,TO.THE UNIT'S
TRAINING FIELD, THE SOLDIERS WERE UNDERTAKING BAS.C.P.RSICAL
TRAINING. THE~.LE E MARTIAL ARTS. WRESTLING AND BRICK
-
B `AKIRG-WITH QIGONG. THE HEIGHT OF ALL THESE YOUNG WARRIORS IS 1.7
1_OR7RbRE, AND THEY ARE ROBUST AND STRONG. THE SQUADRON HEAD,
WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAINING, SAID: THE SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN
CAREFULLY SELECTED, ONE. FROM AMONG A HUNDRED FROM VARIOUS MILITARY
UNITS.
/****** BEGINNING OF TAKE 002 ******/
REF: HK1912153090 BEIJING LIAOWANG CHINESE NO 49, 3
DEC///VARIOUS MILITARY UNITS.
((TEXT)) ((PARAGRAPH CONTINUES)) IN ADDITION-TO THE REQUIRED
IDEOLOGICAL, POLITICAL, AND PHYSICAL QUALITIES, THEY HAVE TO GO
THROUGH VARIOUS TESTS, INCLUDING RIGOROUS PHYSICAL AGILITY, MILITARY
SKILLS, AND INTELLIGENCE TESTS, BEFORE THEY ARE SELECTED. HERE
CADRES AT AND ABOVE THE LEVEL OF PLATOON LEADER ARE ALL OUTSTANDING
GRADUATES FROM ARMY ACADEMIES.
THE UNIT RECEIVES MUCH MORE RIGOROUS TRAINING THAN ORDINARY
UNITS. THEY DO A 10-KM CROSS-COUNTRY EXERCISE CARRYING WEAPONS
EARLY IN THE MORNING, IN ADDITION TO THE EIGHT-HOUR ORDINARY
TRAINING. BEFORE CLASS BEGINS IN THE MORNING, THEY RUN, CARRYING
BRICKS IN THEIR ARMS, TWO CIRCUITS OF THE BARRACKS. IN THE
AFTERNOON, THEY PRACTICE BOXING FOR HALF AN HOUR. BEFORE CLASS
BEGINS IN THE AFTERNOON, THEY DO 150 PUSHUPS, 100 SQUATS WHILE
CARRYING WEIGHTS, AND 300 METERS OF FROG JUMPING. BEFORE GOING TO
BED AT NIGHT, THEY HIT SANDBAGS OR THE WALL 100 TIMES WITH THEIR
HEADS, ELBOWS, KNEES, PALMS, FISTS, AND LEGS, AND DO 200 PUSHUPS.
YIN DAOQING, VICE SQUAD LEADER AND CORPORAL OF THE 11TH CLASS OF THE
FIFTH DETACHMENT SAID: "AT THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL, I WAS THE STRONGEST
AMONG MY FRIENDS. BUT HERE, I NEED TO DO MY BEST, OTHERWISE I WILL
LAG BEHIND."
.IN ORDER TO TRAIN THE HEAD'S RESISTANCE TO BLOWS, THE WARRIORS
BEGIN BY HITTING THEIR HEADS WITH THEIR HANDS AND SANDBAGS AND THEN
HIT THEIR HEADS AGAINST TREES AND WALLS. AFTER TWO TO THREE MONTHS
OF TRAINING, THEY BREAK BRICKS, WINE JARS, STOOLS, AND EVEN WATER
VATS WITH THEIR HEADS. NOW ALL SOLDIERS ARE ABLE TO BREAK JARS WITH
THEIR HEADS. ONE CAN IMAGINE. THE PRICE THEY HAVE PAID FOR THIS.
ALMOST ALL THE SOLDIERS HAVE TWO OR THREE WHITE BALD SCARS ON THEIR
HEADS, THE RESULT OF THEIR HITTING THEIR HEADS AGAINST WALLS AND._
WINE JARS.. MANY SOLDIERS ARE WORRIED THEY WILL BE DISFIGURED AND
WILL HAVE DIFFICULTY FINDINGGIRL FRIENDS.-IN THE FUTURE.
IN SPITE OF THIS, THE WARRIORS PRIDE THEMSELVES ON. RECEIVING THE
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
 Approved For Release 6b 66W qiEDCIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
PAGE:0023
TOUGH TRAINING. ONE DAY, WHEN MORE THAN 20 WARRIORS WERE RECEIVING
TRAINING, THEY HIT A WALL WITH THEIR HEADS WITH A LOUD "HI....."
SUDDENLY, WITH A GREAT RUMBLING, THEY SMASHED MORE THAN 20 COLORFUL
CEMENT WINDOWS ((NI HUA CHUANG 3136 5363 4514)) ON THE WALL. AT THE
SIGHT OF THIS, THE COMMANDING OFFICER WAS SURPRISED AND FELT PAIN IN
HIS HEART.
HIGHLY DEMANDING MILITARY TRAINING GOES ON HERE: WHEN THE FULLY
ARMED WARRIORS ARE RIDING ON MOTORCYCLES AT HIGH SPEED, THEY CHANGE
HANDS IN DRIVING MOTORCYCLES, JEEPS, AND TRUCKS. THEY THEN JUMP
ONTO ARMORED CARS OR TANKS, AND CONTINUE TO DRIVE. THE MACHINE GUNS
IN THE ARMORED CARS FIRE A NUMBER OF SHOTS. ALL HIT THE TARGETS.
THE TANKS' FOUR CANNON ALSO HIT FOUR OBJECTS. UNDER COVER OF
ARMORED CARS AND TANKS, 12 WARRIORS.;FIRE FOUR. TYPES OF PISTOL, FOUR
TYPES OF SUBMACHINE GUN, AND TWO TYPES OF LIGHT AND HEAVY MACHINE
GUN, WITH SOME LYING, SOME KNEELING, AND OTHERS STANDING. THE
BULLETS HIT ALL THE TARGETS. THEY THEN. SHOOT WITH RECOILLESS GUNS,
MORTARS, ROCKET LAUNCHERS, AND SO ON. THEY HAVE DONE WELL ONCE
AGAIN.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN WARFARE DEMANDS THAT ALL ARMS OF THE
SERVICES BE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED, WHILE QUICK-REACTION UNITS BE
MULTIFUNCTIONAL. STRENGTHENING MULTIFUNCTIONAL TRAINING, AND
LEARNING TO USE VARIOUS TYPES OF WEAPONS, INCLUDING THE ENEMY'S
WEAPONS, IS A MAJOR-CHARACTERISTIC OF THE TRAINING FOR THIS UNIT.
IT IS SAID THAT ON THE BASIS OF EXTENSIVELY ABSORBING THE PLA'S
TRAINING RESULTS AND THE EXPERIENCE OF FOREIGN TROOPS, THE UNIT HAS
EXPLORED AND FORMULATED THE PLA'S FIRST SET OF TRAINING OUTLINES.
IN KEEPING WITH THE DEMAND THAT THEY SHOULD SPECIALIZE IN ONE SKILL
WHILE MASTERING OTHERS`; ALL THE OFFICERS AND MEN RECEIVE HIGHLY
INTENSE AND ALL-DIRECTIONAL TRAINING, INCLUDING. BASIC TRAINING IN
REGULATIONS AND ORDERS, FORMATION DRILLING, AND PHYSICAL TRAINING;
TRAINING IN SKILLS, INCLUDING THE USE OF ALL TYPES OF WEAPONS, BOMB
THROWING, SETTING EXPLOSIVES, WRESTLING, CLIMBING, MINE DETECTION,
PHOTOGRAPHY, PARACHUTING, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, MAP READING, RIVER
CROSSING, AND CAMOUFLAGE; TACTICAL TRAINING,. INCLUDING INFILTRATION
TACTICS, ATTACK, AMBUSH, ATTACK PREVENTION; AND SPECIAL TRAINING
INCLUDING FOREIGN LANGUAGES, GEOGRAPHY, METEOROLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE,
DRIVING OF MAJOR TYPES OF TRUCKS, FIELD SURVIVAL, SKILLS. THEY USE
THE MODE OF GRADED TRAINING: IN GRADE ONE, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO
FINISH BASIC TRAINING AND.PARTIAL TACTICAL AND TECHNICAL TRAINING.
IN GRADE. TWO, THEY RECEIVE BASIC TRAINING. IN TACTICS AND SKILLS. IN
GRADE THREE, THEY RECEIVE TRAININGIN SPECIAL SUBJECTS. MOREOVER,
THEY USE THE EXAMINATION SYSTEM, BY WHIM THEY ELIMINATE-INCOMPETENT
TRAINEES IN DIFFERENT PROCESSES.
IN ORDER TO FACILITATE TRAINING, BASIC STANDARDIZED TRAINING
FACILITIES HAVE BEEN BUILT IN THE BARRACKS, INCLUDING THE
OPERATIONAL HALL, SPECIAL RECONNAISSANCE TRAINING FIELD, PARACHUTE
TRAINING FIELD, 400-METER HURDLE TRAINING FIELD, COMPREHENSIVE
SHOOTING. FIELD, TACTICS TRAINING FIELD, SPECIAL. EXPLOSION AND FIRING
TRAINING FIELD, FOREIGN-TROOPS=RESEARCH OFFICE, CLASSROOMS FOR
GEOGRAPHY, METEOROLOGY, AND MATHEMATICS, AND. TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TRAINING HALL.
THE UNIT MAKES IT A PRINCIPLE TO-USE. ADVANCED, EASILY OPERATED,
LIGHT,. AND MULTIFUNCTIONAL WEAPONS. THE REPORTERS WERE ALLOWED TO
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
 Approved For Release 8~ ~q~IE~CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5
VISIT THEIR WEAPONS WAREHOUSE. HERE THERE WERE ALL TYPES OF SPECIAL
TRUCKS, SHOCK WEAPONS, SELF-DEFENSE WEAPONS, RECONNAISSANCE
EQUIPMENT, SABOTAGE EQUIPMENT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS WEAPONS, AIRBORNE
EQUIPMENT, CLIMBING EQUIPMENT, AND WARMING EQUIPMENT. THE KNIVES,
KNIFED GUNS, PILOTLESS RECONNAISSANCE PLANES, GRENADE LAUNCHERS, AND
IMAGE AND TELEVISION ((ZHAO.XIANG DIAN SHI 35614 0288 7193 6018))
RECONNAISSANCE TRUCK THAT CAN TAKE PICTURES OF AN OBJECT A HUNDRED
LI AWAY WERE ALL NEW TO US.
A SPECIALLY DESIGNED NECESSITY BACKPACK IS SUPPLIED TO EACH OF
THEM. IN THE PAST, ON AN OPERATION, A SOLDIER HAD TO HANG A DOZEN
THINGS ON HIS BODY. NOW THEY CAN PUT ALL WEAPONS AND OTHER DAILY
NECESSITIES IN ONE PACK. A SOLDIER, CARRYING A COLORFUL BACKPACK OF
THIS KIND, TOLD US: "IF THE BACKPACK WERE TO BE ADVERTIZED ON
TELEVISION, IT WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE BIG SALES ACROSS THE COUNTRY."
ADVANCED WEAPONS HAVE ADDED TO THE STRENGTH OF THIS MIRACULOUS
UNIT.
MAINTAIN AN ARMY FOR A THOUSAND DAYS TO USE IT FOR AN HOUR. WE
CAN SAY THAT BY BUILDING UP THIS UNIT, THE REPUBLIC HAS ADDED TO ITS
NATIONAL DEFENSE ABILITY.
ADMIN
(ENDALL) GW121912.09E 3 DEC KS/WELLS/AN 19/15143Z DEC
BT
#6339
NNNN:
Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000400260001-5