People's Armed Police (China)

Chinese People's Armed Police Force (PAP) 中国人民武装警察部队 (武警)
Badge of the People's Armed Police
Active	June 19, 1982 - Present
Country	People's Republic of China
Branch	People's Armed Police
Type	Gendarmerie
Role	Preservation of Public Order and Security, Civil Defence, Reserves, Engineering Projects
Size	1.5 million
Garrison/HQ	Haidian District, Beijing, China
Colours	Red, Green
Commanders
Commander	General Wang Ning
Political Commissar	Zhu Shengling
Insignia
Armband
Emblem of PAP Helicopters
Emblem of PAP Forestry Troops Helicopters

The Chinese People's Armed Police Force (abbreviated: PAP;simplified Chinese: 中国人民武装警察部队; traditional Chinese: 中國人民武裝警察部隊; pinyin: Zhōngguó Rénmín Wǔzhuāng Jǐngchá Bùduì or Chinese: 武警; pinyin: Wǔjǐng in short) is a Chinese paramilitary police force primarily responsible for civilian policing and fire rescue duties in the People's Republic of China, as well as providing support to the PLA Ground Force during wartime.

In the contrast to public security police PAP servicemen, also called as "Armed Police soldiers" (武警战士), wear olive green instead of the blue uniforms of the Public Security Police. From January 1, 2005 to July 31, 2007 the position had been renamed 'internal guard' (内卫) with arm insignia reflecting this change; new uniforms issued on August 1, 2007 carried the term for "People's Armed Police" (中国武警).

The PAP is estimated to have a total strength of 1.5 million.

The history of the People's Armed Police is as long as that of the People's Republic, and its origin can be traced back to the People's Liberation Army, which was responsible for both defending the nation from foreign invasions and internal security. Although the force was officially established in 1982, its constituent units stretch back to 1949. After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, it was soon apparent that the different troops were required for the vastly different missions, and the domestic security functions had to be removed from the People's Liberation Army. As a result, the portion of People's Liberation Army responsible for internal security and other domestic police missions branched out to form the Public Security Army, under the administration of the Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China. Although under the Ministry of Public Security, the Public Security Army troops were not exactly public security police officers because in addition to regular police work, they were also tasked with secondary military tasks which was not part of the responsibility of regular police officers of the public security ministry.