The first amendment to the law in 16 years is also expected to cover cyberspace, biotechnology and quantum technology, analysts say
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenAlbee Zhangin ShanghaiPublished: 6:06pm, 1 Sep 2026China has made the first amendment in 16 years to its national defence mobilisation law to include a fresh focus on new technologies – a move experts said would cover AI and drones.Analysts said the inclusion would make it possible to rapidly convert emerging infrastructure, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and unmanned systems, into defence capabilities.The revised law, passed by the top legislature on Friday, says that “the state promotes the application of advanced technologies in national defence mobilisation and develops national defence mobilisation forces in emerging fields”, according to the text published by official news agency Xinhua.
Xie said the amendment, set to take effect on October 1, not only covered technologies but also market entities and specialised talent in these fields.
“The Russia-Ukraine conflict further validates the critical role of unmanned, intelligent and cyber technologies in modern warfare, reinforcing the necessity of this legislation,” Xie said.
