Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Military Installations (2021)

Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1

This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution in order to protect the security of military installations, ensure the effective utilization of military installations and normal performance of military activities, promote the modernization of national defense, strengthen national defense and resist aggression.

Article 2

For purposes of this Law, "military installations" refer to the following buildings, sites, and equipment used by the state directly for military purposes:

(1) command organs, as well as ground-level and underground constructions intended for command or combat.

(2) military airfields, harbors and docks;

(3) barracks, training grounds and testing grounds;

(4) military cave storehouses and warehouses;

(5) military information infrastructure, military reconnaissance stations, navigation stations, and observation posts, as well as military survey markers, navigation markers, and navigation aid markers;

(6) dedicated military highways and railways, military power transmission lines, as well as military oil, water, and gas pipelines;

(7) control facilities for the border and coastal defense; and

(8) other military installations as prescribed by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

The military installations specified in the preceding paragraph shall include temporary installations necessary for the military to perform its tasks.

Article 3

The leadership of the Communist Party of China shall be adhered to in the protection of military installations. People's governments and military organs at all levels shall jointly protect military installations and safeguard the interests of national defense.

The State Council and the Central Military Commission shall, in accordance with the division of duties, administer the protection of military installations throughout the country. Local people's governments at all levels shall, in conjunction with relevant military organs, administer the protection of military installations within their respective administrative areas.

Relevant military organs shall, in accordance with the prescribed authority and procedures, put forward requirements for the protection of military installations to be implemented by local people's governments, and the local people's governments shall, in conjunction with the relevant military organs, develop specific protective measures and put them in place.

In places where there are military installations, the relevant military organs and local people's governments at or above the county level shall establish a civil-military coordination mechanism for the protection of military installations, and they shall work together to supervise and inspect the protection of military installations, and cooperate with each other to solve problems in the protection of military installations.

Article 4

All organizations and citizens of the People's Republic of China shall have a duty to protect military installations.

No organization or individual may damage or endanger military installations.

Every organization and individual has the right to file a report or charge against any act of damaging or endangering military installations.

Article 5

The state makes overall planning for and gives equal consideration to economic development, social development, and the protection of military installations, and promotes the coordination between economic and social development and the protection of military installations.

Article 6

The state implements the policy of protecting military installations according to their categories and laying emphasis on the protection of critical installations. The standards for the categorization and protection of military installations shall be prescribed by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

Article 7

The state adopts supportive policies and measures for places where military installations significantly affect economic development. The specific measures shall be formulated by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

Article 8

Organizations and individuals that have made outstanding contributions to the protection of military installations shall be commended and rewarded according to the provisions of relevant laws and regulations.

Chapter II Designation of Restricted Military Zones and Military Administrative Zones
Article 9

Restricted military zones and military administrative zones shall be designated according to the nature, the functions, the security and confidentiality demands, and the requirements for effective utilization of military installations, and specific designation standards and determination procedures shall be prescribed by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

For purposes of this Law, a "restricted military zone" refers to a military area designated according to statutory procedures and standards where there are critical military installations, or military installations with strict security and confidentiality requirements, and significant risk factors, entailing special measures by the state to enhance protection.

For purposes of this Law, a "military administrative zone" refers to a military area designated according to statutory procedures and standards where there are important military installations, or military installations with relatively strict security and confidentiality requirements, and important risk factors, entailing special measures by the state to provide protection.

Article 10

Restricted military zones and military administrative zones shall be determined by the State Council and the Central Military Commission or by the relevant military organs in accordance with the provisions of the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

Any abolition of the designation of or any modification to restricted military zones and military administrative zones shall be in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 11

The limits of restricted land and water military zones and land and water military administrative zones shall be jointly designated by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the Central Government and the relevant military organs at or above the corps level, or by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government, the relevant departments of the State Council and the relevant military organs at or above the corps level. The limits of restricted military airspace as well as especially important restricted land and water military zones shall be designated by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

Any adjustment to the limits of restricted military zones or military administrative zones shall be in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 12

Local people's governments at or above the county level shall put up signboards in the format uniformly prescribed by the state at restricted military zones and military administrative zones.

Article 13

The limits of restricted military zones and military administrative zones shall be designated and adjusted on the precondition of ensuring the security, confidentiality and effective utilization of military installations, economic development, protection of the ecological environment, and taking into account the production and livelihood of local residents.

Where the designation of or the adjustment to the limits of restricted military zones or military administrative zones is necessary for the construction of military installations, the designation or adjustment shall be completed before the commencement of the construction of military installations, unless approved by a military organ at or above the theater level.

Article 14

Where it is necessary to expropriate or requisition land, buildings, or other immovable property, cover mineral resources or use sea areas or airspace, among others, for the designation of or adjustment to the limits of restricted military zones or military administrative zones, the matters shall be handled in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations.

Article 15

Where temporary restricted land or water military zones and temporary land or water military administrative zones need to be designated for temporary military installations set up by the military for the fulfillment of their missions, said zones shall be jointly designated by the local people's governments at or above the county level and the relevant military organs at or above the regiment level, which shall file separate reports to authorities at the next higher level for filing. If the designation comes under the purview of relevant maritime administrations, their opinions shall be solicited before the designation. The local people's governments at or above the county level or the relevant maritime administrations shall make an announcement after the designation.

After the military completes the missions, the designation of the temporary restricted land or water military zones and temporary land or water military administrative zones shall be abolished in a timely manner in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the preceding paragraph.

Chapter III Protection of Restricted Military Zones
Article 16

The authority in charge of restricted military zones shall, based on specific conditions and according to the designated limits of the zones, put up enclosing walls, barbed wire fences or other barriers for restricted land military zones and set up barriers or boundary markers for restricted water military zones.

Where it is difficult to put up barriers or boundary markers in the actual waters of restricted water military zones, the relevant maritime administrations shall publicly announce the location and boundary of the restricted water military zones. Restricted military zones in sea areas shall be marked on nautical charts.

Article 17

Entry into restricted land or water military zones by persons, vehicles, and vessels other than those belonging to the authorities in charge of the zones, low-altitude flying of aircraft over restricted land or water military zones, and photographing, videotaping, audio-recording, reconnoitering, surveying, positioning, drawing, or describing of restricted military zones, unless approved by the relevant military organs, shall be prohibited.

Unless approved in accordance with relevant provisions of the state, aircraft are prohibited from entering restricted military airspace.

Use of material from photographing, videotaping, audio-recording, reconnoitering, surveying, positioning, drawing, and describing of restricted military zones shall be subject to the approval of the relevant military organs.

Article 18

It shall be prohibited to build or erect non-military installations or to develop or utilize the underground space within the limits of restricted land military zones unless approved by military organs at or above the theater level.

It shall be prohibited within the limits of restricted water military zones to build or erect non-military installations or to engage in aquaculture, fishing, and other activities that hinder the operations of military vessels or endanger the security and the effective utilization of military installations.

Article 19

Where the protective measures taken in a restricted land or water military zone are insufficient to ensure the security, confidentiality and the effective utilization of military installations, or there are significant risk factors for the military installations in a restricted land or water military zone, the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the Central Government and the relevant military organs, or the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the Central Government, the relevant departments of the State Council and the relevant military organs, while jointly designating the limits of the restricted land or water military zone, may, in light of the nature of the military installations, the terrain, and local economic and social development conditions, also jointly designate the limits of the security control area surrounding the restricted zone, and put up security warning signs on the perimeter of the security control area.

Local people's governments at or above the county level shall be responsible for putting up the security warning signs in the format uniformly prescribed by the state, and the locations for the signs shall be jointly determined by the authorities in charge of restricted military zones and the local people's governments at or above the county level.

Where it is difficult to put up security warning signs in the actual water area of the security control area surrounding a restricted water military zone, the provisions of the second paragraph of Article 16 of this Law shall apply.

Article 20

The designation of the security control area surrounding a restricted land or water military zone shall not change the ownership of the original land, land attachments, and water areas. In the security control areas surrounding a restricted land or water military zone, residents may live and work normally, but they shall not be allowed to engage in blasting, shooting, and other activities endangering the security and effective utilization of military installations.

Where the designation of the security control area around a restricted military zone affects the exercise of rights by an owner of immovable property or a usufructuary, compensation shall be made in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations.

Chapter IV Protection of Military Administrative Zones
Article 21

The authorities in charge of military administrative zones shall, in light of the specific conditions and the designated limits of the zones, put up enclosing walls, barbed wire fences, or boundary markers for the military administrative zones.

Article 22

Entry into a military administrative zone by persons, vehicles, and vessels other than those belonging to the authority in charge of the said zone, and photographing, videotaping, audio-recording, reconnoitering, surveying, positioning, drawing, or describing of the said zone must be subject to the approval of the authority in charge of the said zone.

Article 23

It shall be prohibited to build or erect non-military installations, or to develop or utilize the underground space within the limits of land military administrative zones, unless approved by a military organ at or above the corps level.

Aquaculture shall be prohibited within water military administrative zones. Non-military installation shall not be built or erected within said zones without the approval of a military organ at or above the corps level, and fishing or other activities in said zones shall not affect the combat readiness, training, on-duty performance and other operations of military vessels.

Article 24

The water areas of harbors that are designated as military administrative zones and used for both military and civilian purposes shall be divided into sections for separate military and local administrations. Where it is necessary to build new non-military installations in the water areas under local administration, consent from the authority in charge of military installations shall be obtained in advance.

The measures for administering airfields, harbors, and docks designated as military administrative zones and used for both military and civilian purposes shall be formulated by the State Council and the Central Military Commission.

Chapter V Protection of Military Installations Outside Restricted Military Zones or Military Administrative Zones
Article 25

The authorities in charge of military installations shall adopt measures to protect the military installations outside restricted military zones or military administrative zones. The administrative authorities of the military at or above the regiment level may also entrust local people's governments with the protection of military installations.

Article 26

Stone-quarrying, earth-gathering and blasting within a certain distance of military installations outside restricted military zones or military administrative zones shall not endanger the security and effective utilization of the military installations.

Article 27

Areas around the constructions for combat outside restricted military zones or military administrative zones shall be designated as the security protection areas, and the limits of such areas shall be jointly determined according to the nature of the constructions for combat, the terrain, and the local economic and social conditions by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government and the relevant military organs, or by the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government, the relevant departments of the State Council, and the relevant military organs. In areas where there is a relatively concentrated distribution of constructions for combat, a security protection area can be delimited surrounding a cluster of such constructions. Local people's governments at or above the county level shall, in accordance with relevant provisions, put up boundary markers for the security protection areas surrounding constructions for combat.

The abolition of or adjustment to the designation of the security protection areas surrounding constructions for combat shall be in accordance with the preceding paragraph.

Article 28

The designation of the security protection areas surrounding constructions for combat shall not change the ownership of the original land and land attachments. In the security protection areas surrounding constructions for combat, residents may live and work normally, but shall not engage in stone-quarrying, mining, or blasting. Those who engage in the construction of buildings, structures, roads, or irrigation and water conservancy facilities, or logging, etc shall not endanger the security and effective utilization of the constructions for combat.

Where the designation of the security protection areas surrounding constructions for combat affects the exercise of rights by an owner of immovable property or a usufructuary, compensation shall be made in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations.

It shall be prohibited to open closed constructions for combat without permission, to cause damage to the camouflage of such constructions, or to block the passage in and out of such constructions. Without the approval of the competent military organ at or above the troop level to which the unit in charge of a construction for combat is subordinate, photographing, videotaping, audio-recording, reconnoitering, surveying, positioning, drawing or describing of the said construction shall be prohibited, non-military materials and equipment shall not be stored in the said construction, and productive activities such as planting and breeding shall not be carried out within the said construction.

Where it is really difficult to keep new engineering and construction projects clear of constructions for combat, applications for dismantling, relocating, or remodeling the constructions for combat shall be submitted in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state. If such applications are not granted, the constructions for combat shall not be dismantled, relocated or remodeled.

Article 29

It shall be prohibited in the clearance zones of military airfields to construct buildings, structures, or other facilities exceeding the airfield clearance limits, or to engage in activities that affect flight safety and the effective utilization of airfield navigation aid facilities.

The unit in charge of a military airfield shall regularly inspect the clearance status for the protection of the airfield and shall report to the relevant military organs and the competent departments of the local people's government in a timely manner if it finds any building, structure, or any other facility constructed that exceeds the clearance limits. The relevant military organs and the competent departments of the local people's government shall handle such matters in a timely manner in accordance with the provisions of this Law.

Article 30

The relevant military organs shall notify local people's governments of the clearance status for the protection of local military airfields, as well as the requirements therefor.

Local people's governments shall notify the relevant military organs of the related spatial planning in local areas and construction plans for tall buildings which may affect the clearance status of military airfields.

Local people's governments shall formulate protective measures, and supervise and urge relevant entities to set up flight obstacle signs for tall buildings, structures, or other facilities within the clearance zones of military airfields.

Article 31

The provisions on the military airfield clearance shall apply to airfields used for both military and civilian purposes, as well as reserved old airfields and helipads managed by the military.

The relevant provisions on the clearance of obstacles for the protection of military airfields shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the clearance for the protection of highway airstrips.

Article 32

Local people's governments at all levels and relevant military organs shall, through authorized guard and management and allocation of responsibilities by sections, conduct joint civilian-military defense and protect the security of military cables and pipelines.

Stone route markers or permanent signs shall be set up for underground military cables and pipelines, and signboards shall be set up for sections and parts that are vulnerable to damage. Underwater military cables and pipelines in sea areas, the specific locations, boundaries, and routes of which have been announced, shall be marked on nautical charts.

Article 33

It shall be prohibited in the area of protection for the electromagnetic environment of fixed military radio installations to build or erect equipment or electromagnetic obstacles that affect the effective utilization of fixed military radio installations or to engage in activities that affect the electromagnetic environment of fixed military radio installations.

Measures for the protection of the electromagnetic environment of fixed military radio installations shall be jointly determined by the military and civil radio regulatory authorities in accordance with relevant provisions and standards of the state on radio regulation.

The preceding two paragraphs shall apply to the protection of the electromagnetic environment of fixed radio installations in restricted military zones and military administrative zones.

Where the protection of the electromagnetic environment of fixed military radio installations involves matters of radio regulation between military systems and non-military systems, the relevant provisions of the state on radio regulation shall apply.

Article 34

No control facility of the border and coastal defense may be dismantled or moved and no civilian facility may be built or erected on control facilities of the border and coastal defense without the approval of the State Council and the Central Military Commission or the organs authorized by the State Council and the Central Military Commission. Arrangements for construction projects surrounding control facilities of the border and coastal defense shall not endanger the security and effective utilization of the control facilities of the border and coastal defense.

Article 35

No organization or individual shall destroy military survey markers or move them without authorization. Arrangements for construction projects surrounding military survey markers shall not endanger the security and effective utilization of the military survey markers.

The protection of military survey markers shall be in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations.

Chapter VI Administrative Responsibilities
Article 36

When local people's governments at or above the county level draw up programs for national economic and social development or arrange construction projects that may affect the protection of military installations, and when the relevant departments of the State Council or local people's governments develop spatial plans and other plans, they shall take into account the needs for the protection of military installations and solicit opinions from relevant military organs in writing in accordance with relevant provisions. When necessary, local people's governments may evaluate the construction projects in conjunction with relevant departments and relevant military organs.

In the examination and approval of construction projects as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, relevant departments of the State Council or local people's governments at or above the county level shall check whether the opinions of military organs have been solicited. Where the projects have not been exposed to military organs for comments as stipulated, said departments shall require the opinions from military organs to be sought. If changes in the contents of construction projects during the approval process may affect the protection of military installations, the opinions of relevant military organs shall be solicited again.

The relevant military organs shall make a written reply within 30 days of receiving a letter of solicitation of opinions. If it is necessary to ask for instructions from military organs at higher levels or to conduct surveys, measurement or tests, the reply time may be extended as appropriate, but shall generally not exceed 90 days.

Article 37

When making plans for the construction of military installations or organizing military installation construction projects, the military shall take into consideration the needs of local economic development, the protection of the ecology and environment, and social development, comply with the overall requirements of spatial planning, and carry out assessments of the environments in terms of security and confidentiality as well as the environmental impact. Where spatial planning is involved, the opinions of the relevant departments of the State Council and local people's governments shall be solicited, and ecological protection red lines, nature reserves, important spots of local economic development, and areas with dense civilian facilities shall be avoided as much as possible. Where the avoidance is impossible and it is necessary to dismantle or relocate the production and living facilities, the dismantlement and relocation shall be in accordance with the law.

Article 38

Local people's governments at or above the county level shall avoid military installations when arranging construction projects or developing tourist attractions. Where the avoidance is impossible and it is necessary to dismantle or relocate military installations or convert them to civilian use, the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the Central Government or the relevant departments of the State Council shall make a decision on the matter in consultation with military organs at the theater level, and report the decision to the State Council and the Central Military Commission or the organs authorized by them for approval. If it is necessary to remodel military installations, the matter shall be subject to the approval of the relevant military organs.

Where military installations are dismantled, relocated, remodeled, or converted to civilian use due to the reasons stated in the preceding paragraph, the local people's government that makes the request shall give policy support or funds to the relevant military organs in accordance with the relevant provisions. Where the relocation or remodeling of military installations involves the use of land, sea areas or islands, the local people's government shall go through relevant formalities in a timely manner in accordance with the law.

Article 39

Where military installations cannot be effectively utilized because of adjustments to military missions, changes in the surroundings, deterioration, among others, and need not be restored or reconstructed, the authorities in charge of the military installations shall, in accordance with the prescribed procedures, seek the approval of the State Council and the Central Military Commission or the organ authorized by them before the military installations are dismantled or converted to civilian use.

After completing their missions, the military shall dismantle temporary military installations they have set up for the missions in a timely manner.

Article 40

Where military airfields and harbors are to be used for both military and civilian purposes, the matter shall be subject to the approval of the State Council and the Central Military Commission. Where military docks are to be used for both military and civilian purposes, the matter shall be subject to the approval of the people's government of the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government or the relevant departments of the State Council, in conjunction with the military organs at the theater level.

Article 41

The authorities in charge of military installations and local people's governments at or above the county level shall formulate specific measures for the protection of the military installations in restricted military zones and military administrative zones as well as those outside restricted military zones or military administrative zones and may publicly announce such measures for implementation.

The specific measures for the protection of military installations in restricted military zones and military administrative zones shall be submitted for approval along with the plans for the designation of restricted military zones and military administrative zones.

Article 42

Military organs at all levels shall strictly perform their functions and duties to protect military installations, educate personnel of the military to take good care of military installations, guard secrets about military installations, formulate rules and regulations for the protection of military installations, supervise and inspect the work of protection of military installations and settle problems arising therefrom.

Relevant military organs shall support and cooperate with relevant departments in law enforcement and judicial activities for the protection of military installations.

Article 43

The authorities in charge of military installations shall strictly implement the relevant rules and regulations on the protection of military installations, set up files on military installations, and carry out inspections and maintenance of military installations.

Said authorities shall take security monitoring and technical protection measures for the critical parts of military installations and upgrade such measures in a timely manner according to the requirements for the protection of military installations and scientific and technological progress.

Said authorities shall not use the military installations for non-military purposes, except for performing urgent tasks such as emergency rescue.

Article 44

The authorities in charge of military installations shall keep themselves informed of the construction projects surrounding the military installations, report construction projects that may undermine the security and effective utilization of military installations to the relevant military organs and the competent departments of local people's governments in a timely manner, and cooperate with relevant departments in dealing with such projects in accordance with the law.

Article 45

The authorities in charge of restricted military zones and military administrative zones shall, in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and regulations, protect ecology and environment, natural resources, and cultural relics in said zones.

Article 46

The authorities in charge of military installations shall, when necessary, provide local people's governments at or above the county level with the data on the location of underground and underwater military cables and pipelines. Local people's governments shall protect said cables and pipelines when undertaking construction.

Article 47

People's governments at all levels shall strengthen education in national defense and protection of military installations so that all citizens will have heightened awareness of national defense, protect military installations, guard secrets about military installations, and prevent acts of damaging or endangering military installations.

Article 48

Local people's governments at or above the county level shall, in conjunction with the relevant military organs, regularly organize inspection and assessment of the protection of military installations within their respective administrative regions, supervise and urge the elimination of the pitfalls and the solution of problems that affect the protection of military installations within a time limit, and improve the measures for the protection of military installations.

Article 49

The state implements a target responsibility system and an assessment system for the protection of military installations, and incorporates the accomplishment of objectives for the protection of military installations into the evaluation standards of local people's governments, relevant military organs and authorities in charge of military installations and their persons in charge.

Article 50

Where it is necessary for public security organs to assist in the maintenance of public security and order in restricted military zones and military administrative zones, public security organizations may be set up upon the decision of the State Council and the Central Military Commission or upon approval by the public security organs of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government following the application submitted by the relevant military organs.

Article 51

The personnel on duty of an authority in charge of military installations shall stop the following acts in violation of this Law:

(1) illegally entering a restricted military zone or military administrative zone or flying an aircraft at low altitudes over restricted land or water military zones;

(2) illegally photographing, videotaping, audio-recording, reconnoitering, surveying, positioning, drawing, or describing a restricted military zone or military administrative zone; and

(3) damaging or endangering military installations.

Article 52

For a person who commits any act listed in Article 51 of this Law and refuses to be stopped, the authority in charge of military installations may, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state, take the following measures:

(1) forcibly taking away or controlling persons who illegally enter a restricted military zone or military administrative zone or pilot or control an aircraft to fly at low altitudes over a restricted land or water military zone, and, if the violation is serious, detaining and immediately transferring the persons to the public security organ, state security organ, or any other organ with jurisdiction;

(2) immediately stopping information transmission or other acts, impounding the equipment, tools, or other articles used for committing the illegal acts, and transferring the persons to the public security organ, state security organ, or any other organ with jurisdiction;

(3) in case of emergency, removing the obstacles that seriously endanger the security and effective utilization of military installations; and

(4) in case of an emergency where the security of military installations or the lives of the personnel on duty is endangered, using weapons in accordance with the law.

Servicepersons, civilian staff members of the military, and other personnel members of the military who commit any of the acts as listed in Article 51 of this Law shall be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of the military.

Chapter VII Legal Liability
Article 53

Whoever, in violation of Articles 17, 18, or 23 of this Law, enters a restricted water military zone without authorization, engages in aquaculture or fishing in a restricted water military zone, engages in aquaculture in a water military administrative zone, or engages in fishing or other activities in a water military administrative zone, thereby affecting the operations of military vessels, shall be given a warning and ordered to leave by the competent departments of transport and fishery, among others, and his fishing gears and catches shall be confiscated.

Article 54

Whoever, in violation of Articles 18, 23, or 24 of this Law, builds or erects non-military installations within a restricted land or water military zone or a land or water military administrative zone, develops or utilizes the underground space of a restricted land military zone or a land military administrative zone without authorization, or builds or erects non-military installations in the water areas designated as military administrative zones and are under local administration of a harbor used for both military and civilian purposes without the consent of the authority in charge of military installations shall be ordered to cease construction activities and dismantle the completed installations within the prescribed time by the competent departments of housing and urban-rural development, natural resources, transport, and fishery, among others.

Article 55

Whoever, in violation of the first paragraph of Article 28 of this Law, engages in quarrying, mining, or blasting in the security protection areas surrounding constructions for combat shall be ordered by the competent departments of natural resources and ecology and environment, among others, as well as public security organs to stop the illegal acts, and the extracted products and illegal income of him shall be confiscated. Whoever constructs buildings, structures or roads, or carries out capital construction of irrigation and water conservancy, thereby affecting the security and effective utilization of constructions for combat, shall be given a warning and ordered to make corrections within a prescribed time by the competent departments of natural resources, ecology and environment, transport, agriculture and rural affairs, and housing and urban-rural development, among others.

Article 56

Whoever, in violation of the third paragraph of Article 28 of this Law, opens a closed construction for combat without permission, damages the camouflage of a construction for combat, blocks the passages of such a construction, or uses such a construction for storing non-military materials and equipment or undertaking productive activities such as planting and breeding shall be ordered by competent departments of public security and natural resources, among others, to cease the illegal act and restore the construction to its original condition within a time limit.

Article 57

Whoever, in violation of the fourth paragraph of Article 28 or Article 34 of this Law, dismantles, relocates or remodels a construction for combat or dismantles or moves control facilities of the border or coastal defense without authorization shall be ordered by the competent departments of housing and urban-rural development and public security organs, among others, to cease the illegal act, and restore the constructions or facilities to their original conditions within a time limit.

Article 58

Whoever, in violation of the first paragraph of Article 29 of this Law, constructs buildings, structures, or other facilities exceeding the clearance limits in a military airfield clearance zone shall be ordered by the competent departments of housing, urban-rural development, and natural resources to dismantle the parts beyond the height limit within the prescribed time.

Article 59

Whoever, in violation of Article 33 of this Law, constructs or sets up equipment or electromagnetic obstacles that affect the effective utilization of fixed military radio installations in the area of protection for the electromagnetic environment of such installations or engages in activities that affect the electromagnetic environment of such installations shall be given a warning and ordered to make corrections within a time limit by the competent department of natural resources and the department of ecology and environment, among others, as well as the radio regulatory authority. If corrections are not made within the time limit, said equipment shall be seized, or said obstacles forcibly removed.

Article 60

Whoever commits any of the following acts shall be subject to penalties in accordance with Article 23 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security:

(1) illegally entering a restricted military zone or a military administrative zone, or piloting or controlling an aircraft to fly at low altitudes over restricted land or water military zones, and refusing to stop;

(2) engaging in activities that endanger the security and effective utilization of military installations in the security control area surrounding a restricted military zone or within a certain distance of military installations not included in a restricted military zone or a military administrative zone, and refusing to stop;

(3) engaging in activities that affect flight safety and the effective utilization of airfield navigation aid facilities in the clearance zones of military airfields, and refusing to stop;

(4) illegally photographing, videotaping, audio-recording, reconnoitering, surveying, positioning, drawing, or describing a restricted military zone or a military administrative zone, and refusing to stop; and

(5) other acts that disturb the order of administration of restricted military zones or military administrative zones and endanger the security of military installations, if the circumstances are not serious enough for criminal punishments.

Article 61

Whoever, in violation of relevant provisions of the state, intentionally interferes with the normal operation of military radio facilities or causes harmful interference to such facilities and refuses to make corrections as required by relevant competent departments shall be subject to penalties in accordance with Article 28 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security.

Article 62

Whoever destroys the control facilities of the border and coastal defense or the enclosing walls, barbed wire fences, boundary markers, or other military installations of a restricted military zone or a military administrative zone shall be subject to penalties in accordance with Article 33 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security.

Article 63

Whoever commits any of the following acts shall be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with the law if the act constitutes a crime:

(1) sabotaging military installations;

(2) causing damage to military installations due to negligence, leading to serious consequences;

(3) stealing, seizing or plundering equipment, goods or materials of military installations;

(4) divulging the secrets of military installations, or stealing, spying on, buying or illegally providing secrets of military installations for agencies, organizations or individuals abroad;

(5) sabotaging the electromagnetic environment of fixed military radio installations, or interfering with military radio communications, if the circumstances are serious; and

(6) other acts that disrupt the order of administration in restricted military zones or military administrative zones, or endanger the security of military installations, if the circumstances are serious.

Article 64

Servicepersons, civilian staff members of the military, and other personnel members of the military who commit any of the following acts shall be subject to sanctions in accordance with the relevant provisions of the military. And if a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility of said persons shall be investigated in accordance with the law:

(1) committing any act prescribed in Articles 53 to 63 of this Law;

(2) using military installations for non-military purposes without authorization or abusing power in other ways; and

(3) leaving their posts without permission or neglecting duties.

Article 65

Where public officials neglect duty, abuse power, or engage in malpractices for selfish ends, among others, in the protection of military installations, sanctions shall be taken against said officials in accordance with the law. And if a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility shall be investigated in accordance with the law.

Article 66

Whoever, in violation of this Law, damages or endangers military installations that fall within the purview of a coast guard agency shall be handled by the coast guard agency in accordance with the law.

Whoever, in violation of this Law, commits other acts of damaging or endangering military installations shall be handled by the relevant competent departments in accordance with the law.

Article 67

Whoever, in violation of this Law, causes any loss to military installations shall be held liable for damages in accordance with the law.

Article 68

Whoever violates this Law in wartime shall be subject to a heavier punishment in accordance with the law.

Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Article 69

This Law shall apply to the protection of military installations belonging to the Chinese People's Armed Police Force.

Article 70

The relevant provisions of this Law shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the protection of the facilities for the scientific research, production, testing, or storage of important weapons and equipment in the scientific and technological industry for national defense. The State Council and the Central Military Commission shall formulate the specific measures and the list of such facilities.

Article 71

The State Council and the Central Military Commission shall formulate measures for implementation in accordance with this Law.

Article 72

This Law shall come into force as of August 1, 2021.