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The Third Front is a massive Chinese development of industry in its south-western interior, where it would be strategically secure in the event of a war.

Origins

Begun in the 1960s, it was little mentioned at the time. It was loosely linked with the Three Gorges Dam. The basic idea was to have an industrial base that would be secure from foreign attack, unlike the coastal industries or Manchuria.

The 'Third Front' refers to a large-scale programme the country started in 1964 -- in response to the then volatile international situation -- to build a range of industrial bases in its remote yet strategically secured hinterland.

By 1980, the programme had created a railway grid linking previously isolated parts of south-western and western China, in addition to a galaxy of power, aviation and electronic plants, said Zhang Yunchuan, minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence. (People's Daily Online)

This is the hardest part of China for any foreign power to get at. During the Second Sino-Japanese War of 1937-45, this area remained unconquered. The Chinese Nationalists (at that time in alliance with the Chinese Communists based at Yenan) made Chongqing their capital. Some Chinese industry was also moved their from the cities. So the 'Third Front' strategy had precedents, though it was immediate politics that was the main cause:

From the early 1960s, with its Soviet ties deteriorating and the Vietnam War escalating, China became concerned of a possible nuclear attack. As a result, Mao Zedong ordered an evacuation of military and other key state enterprises away from Shanghai and other coastal areas and from the northeastern frontier region bordering the Soviet Union and started moving them in 1964 to the interior in Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other inland provinces. In those days, the coastal and the northeastern frontier regions were known as the 'first front line' and the inland regions in the southwest as the "third front line," while all the land area in between was designated as the 'second front line.' (Japan-China relations)

Current role

Even today, no one is entirely sure just what is there. Parts of it have been shown to the outside world, factories seeking investment. But the 'Third Front' includes mountainous terrain that makes concealment easy and bombing difficult:

Due to the emphasis that China has placed on concealment of its special weapons capabilities, it is doubtful whether any other country, perhaps even including the United States, has identified all of China's special weapons related facilities. (Chinese Nuclear Weapons )

From the 1980s, with the post-Mao economic reform, there was a shift to non-military production and an attempt to attract foreign investment. Much of the output is now non-military:

A number of moribund factories were shut down, many ventures were moved close to urban areas, and technological renovation has enabled them to produce competitive products for civilian use...

Part of the achievement is that a batch of 'backbone' enterprises has evolved from the `Third Front' to develop more than 2,000 products including satellite and automobile parts and civilian aircraft, said Ji Dawei, a chief co-ordinator for the relocation drive.

The machinery, metallurgical, chemical and non-ferrous mineral and other companies based in the 'Third Front' have laid a solid foundation for the economic take-off of western China. (China putting on a brave 'Third Front' )

References

1. China putting on a brave 'Third Front'
2. Japan-China relations in the 21st century
3. Chinese Nuclear Weapons - Federation of American Scientists website

External links

• Article in China Quarterly
• China's military industry enterprises come out of mountains to world market
• Regional Development Strategies in China
• Paper about Chinese regional development from Harvard University
• Beijing and the Vietnam Conflict, 1964-1965

• Economy of mainland China
• Military of the People's Republic of China
• Economic history of the People's Republic of China