Echoes of Mao: China’s New ‘Third Front’ Strategy Aims for Economic Resilience Amid Global Supply Chain Shifts

Is China Reviving Mao Zedong's 'Third Front' in its Push for Economic Autonomy?

Initially designed to shift industrial bases to the west to mitigate invasion risks, the current primary goal seems to focus on stabilizing supply chains.

China is rekindling elements of a strategy from the era of Mao Zedong that involves moving essential infrastructure from the nation's most populated regions to the less populated western areas.

In 1964, Mao Zedong launched the "Third Front Construction" project, driven by concerns of potential nuclear threats during the Cold War. This anxiety stemmed from escalating U.S. activities in Vietnam and growing tensions between China and the Soviet Union.

According to some analysts, the recently proposed strategy, informally termed the "new third front," might retain elements of military strategy, yet the primary emphasis currently seems to be on bolstering economic security amidst various challenges, including U.S. technology restrictions and broader efforts to reduce dependency on Chinese supply chains.

Christopher McNally, a professor of political economy at Chaminade University of Honolulu, views this [latest scheme] as an extension of previous initiatives like the 'Third Front' and 'Go West' policies. He noted that the objectives remain similar, focusing on the development of economically disadvantaged and geographically isolated western regions, as well as the strategic relocation of certain critical supply chain elements to these western provinces.