31st Group Army
| 73rd Group Army | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1985-present |
| Country |
 People's Republic of China
|
| Size | Field army |
| Garrison/HQ | Xiamen, Fujian |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Ma Chengxiao |
The 73rd Group Army, formerly 31st group army, (Military Unit Cover Designator 73111) was a military formation of China's People's Liberation Army and one of three active group armies belonging to the Nanjing Military Region. It was active from 1949 to 2017.
It was based at Xiamen, Fujian and is composed of the 86th Motorized Infantry Division (People's Republic of China) and the 91st Motorized Infantry Division, along with an armored brigade, an air defense brigade, a surface-to-air missile regiment, an artillery regiment, and an engineer regiment. It is considered a Category A unit, with priority status in terms of readiness, strength, and modern equipment. Based on its training activities and positioning, its primary mission is presumed to be the invasion of Taiwan.
The 31st Group Army traces its lineage to the Shantung Column of the Shantung Military Region which was formed around 1941. By 1945 the column had been reorganized and redesignated into several military districts, including the Chiao-Tung Military District. By 1946, elements of the Chiao-Tung MD were reorganized and redesignated 9th and 13th Columns. The 13th Column, commanded by Chou Chih-chien was composed of three divisions, including the 37th, 38th, and 39th. In the mid-to-late 1940s the 13th Column was reorganized and redesignated as the 31st Corps, also commanded by Chou Chih-chien. The 31st Corps was composed of the 91st, 92nd and 93rd Divisions. In late 1949 the 31st Corps, under the 10th bingtuan (Army or "Army Group"), took part in the Chekiang and Fukien Campaign conducting operations against or near Nanp'ing, Kut'ien and the Changchou-Amoy area.
During the Korean War the 31st Corps was one of the few units to remain in China opposite Taiwan to defend against a potential US-Taiwan Invasion. The 31st was stationed in Fujian. In 1958, elements of the 31st Group Army took part in the artillery bombardment of Jinmen and the Matsu Islands that precipitated the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.
The 31st Army Group is currently one of the three army groups assigned to the Nanjing Military Region.
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