China is building a military command center 10 times larger than the Pentagon

A command center 10 times larger than the headquarters of the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) is being built in western Beijing, the Financial Times reported, citing satellite images and intelligence sources.

Satellite images show a construction site of more than 6 square kilometers, located 30 kilometers southwest of Beijing. The main construction work is expected to begin in mid-2024. Some intelligence agencies are calling the project "Beijing Military City".

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Military experts have said that the pits found at the site are intended to be used as bunkers to protect Chinese military leaders even in the event of a nuclear war. The construction comes as the Chinese military is developing new weapons and designs ahead of its centennial in 2027.

“If confirmed, this state-of-the-art underground command bunker, intended for military leadership, including Xi Jinping as chairman of the Central Military Commission, would demonstrate Beijing’s desire to build not only a world-class force but also an advanced nuclear warhead,” said Dennis Wilder, a former head of China analysis at the Central Intelligence Agency.

The Chinese embassy in Washington said it “does not have detailed information” but stressed that China “adheres to the path of peaceful development and is inherently defensive.”

At least 100 cranes are developing underground infrastructure in an area of ​​5 square kilometers, according to Rennie Babiars, a former imagery analyst for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency who has analyzed images of the area.

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“While more information is needed to fully assess the situation, the images suggest the construction of underground facilities connected by possible underground passages,” said Babiarz, now vice president of analytics and operations at geospatial analytics services firm AllSource Analysis.

While no military personnel were seen at the scene, there were signs warning against drones or photography. Guards at the gate immediately said that entry was prohibited and refused to discuss the project. One of the executives leaving the construction site did not comment.

"China's main secure command center is located in the West Hills, northeast of the new facility, which was built decades ago at the height of the Cold War. The size, scale, and partial underground location of the new facility suggest that it will replace the West Hills complex as a primary wartime command facility. Chinese leaders may believe that the new facility will provide greater security against U.S. bunker-busting munitions and even nuclear weapons," said the former U.S. intelligence official. Follow “Zamin” news on “Telegram”