In China's national defense and public security system, there are usually certain differences in the level between the armed police force and the provincial military districts, and the armed police corps is generally half a level lower than the provincial military districts. However, in a particular "region", this conventional classification is different, and the Armed Police Corps is at the same level as the Provincial Military District, with the two special exceptions being the Beijing Garrison and the Beijing Armed Police Corps, as well as the Armed Police Corps Corps and the Corps Military Department.
In most cases, the rank of the provincial military district is generally higher than that of the armed police internal security forces. At the provincial level, the provincial military district is generally at the regular army level, while the armed police corps is at the deputy military level; The military subdivisions (garrison districts) at the municipal level are usually at the division level, while the armed police detachments are at the regimental level; The people's armed forces department at the county level is at the regimental level, and the armed police squadron is at the company level. This hierarchy reflects the different responsibilities and roles of the armed forces and the armed police in the national defense and internal security systems.
As a specially named provincial military district, the history of the Beijing Garrison can be traced back to 1959, initially at the corps level, and later upgraded to the regular army level. The corresponding Beijing Armed Police Corps is one of the few armed police corps at the regular army level, and its level is equivalent to that of the Beijing Garrison. Both were military and political officers of the rank of major generals, which is relatively rare in other parts of China.
The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps is a distinct entity with administrative and economic management authority at the provincial level, but it is not counted as a standard "province". In this special administrative area, the armed police force is called the General Corps of the Armed Police Corps, and the corresponding military structure is called the Military Department of the Corps. These two units are also at the rank of deputy army, which is different from the regular division of the provincial military district and the armed police corps.
The setting and adjustment of levels not only reflect the role and status of each unit in the national defense and internal security system, but also affect the command system and resource allocation. In most areas, the provincial military districts are higher in rank than the Armed Police Corps, reflecting important responsibilities in national defense and military mobilization. However, in the two special regions of Beijing and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the establishment of the Armed Police Corps at the same level as the provincial military district may be related to the special security needs and historical background of these areas.
Normally, the PAPF is indeed lower in rank than the provincial military districts, and this setup reflects the different responsibilities and roles in our national defense and internal security system. However, the exceptions of the Beijing Garrison and the Beijing Armed Police Corps, and the Armed Police Corps Corps and the Military Department of the Corps demonstrate that in specific regions and contexts, this conventional classification can be adjusted to meet specific security and management needs. This flexible level setting and adjustment mechanism reflects the complexity and diversity of China's national defense and internal security system.