Corps shifts role from border defense

The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps is altering its focus from frontier defense to maintaining social stability as China builds good relations with its neighbors to the west, according to Cheng Jiazhu, deputy commander of the corps, which is marking its 60th anniversary.

Founded in 1954, the corps took on the mission of guarding border areas. Now, it has 176 regiments in 14 divisions scattered throughout Xinjiang's 14 prefectures and cities.

It is a special social organization that handles its own administrative and judicial affairs within the reclamation areas under its administration.