China is resurrecting a Cold War-era defence strategy known as the 'Third Front' as tensions with the United States escalate. Originally launched by Mao Zedong in 1964, the programme mobilised 15 million people to build secret factories in remote mountainous regions to protect against potential US or Soviet attacks. The initiative attracted over 200 billion yuan in government investment and operated in secrecy for about 15 years.
After Mao's death in 1976 and improved relations with the US, the factories were gradually abandoned. However, recent satellite imagery and government resolutions indicate a revival. In July 2024, the Communist Party leadership passed a resolution to 'develop China's strategic hinterland and ensure backup plans for key industries,' focusing on inland provinces like Sichuan, Gansu, and Ningxia.
China is also expanding its nuclear arsenal, estimated at 600 warheads, with US projections expecting that number to more than double in the next decade. Much of this build-up is occurring near the old Third Front sites. Defence spending has increased from one-sixth of US spending in 2012 to one-third in 2024, reaching $317.6 billion.
Historian Covell Meyskens notes that China's position is now much stronger than in the 1960s, with the ability to ensure a second-strike capability against the US. 'In the western Pacific, China is a peer. They could fight us either to win or stand still,' he said, though his comments do not represent the US Navy's view.
