Unlike Wagner Mercenaries, Chinese Private Contractors Can't Mount A Coup Against The Communist Party; Here's Why

Private Military Company or (PMC) has been a topic of discussion lately since the Russian PMC Wagner's attempted coup against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The coup attempt, however, failed as the Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, negotiated a settlement between Wagner's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and Moscow.

Similar to Wagner PMC, there are many other Chinese PMCs operating in multiple countries of Asia and Africa, working in various capacities like guarding railway lines, protecting fuel depots etc.

The increase in PMC activity can be attributed to China's provision of loans to multiple Asian nations as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It has created a growing need to protect Chinese workers and engineers involved in BRI projects from political and criminal violence.

Chinese PMCs, like Huaxin Zhongan Group, China Huawei Security Group, and Frontier Services Group's DeWe Security, play a crucial role in providing security to Chinese nationals.

The Chinese PMCs, however, unlike the Russian Wagners are not prepared for war and are suited for protecting commercial enterprises.

Wagner PMC played a significant role in the Russian capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. Since 2014, Wagner has operated in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, providing support to separatist groups.

Additionally, Wagner has been involved in various African and Middle Eastern countries, including Libya, Mali, and Syria, where they have utilised fighter jets, attack helicopters, tanks, and the Pantsir anti-aircraft system.

In contrast, Chinese PMCs do not possess heavy weapons or military equipment.

According to a report by Wall Street Journal, Chinese laws strictly limit weapon ownership, with only some police officers being allowed to carry firearms. This ensures that no organisation has the capability to mount a coup attempt similar to Wagner's in Russia.

In fact, the only organisation permitted to possess weapons is the People's Liberation Army (PLA), which effectively serves as the primary army of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC), rather than the state itself.

The bulk of the personnel of these PMCs are from the PLA.

According to the WSJ report, the personnel within Chinese PMCs work to advance Chinese interests. Chinese companies, which hold considerable influence over the CPC, use these PMCs to provide security to their commercial enterprises.

This indirect alignment with the CPC's interests is exemplified by the use of private fishing vessels to assert territorial claims in the waters of foreign countries, particularly in the South China Sea.

In conclusion, the differences between Chinese and Russian PMCs are evident in their approach, affiliations, and areas of operation. While the Chinese PMCs primarily safeguard Chinese commercial interests abroad, the Russian PMC Wagner has engaged in military activities in support of governments aligned with Moscow.