Lanzhou Military Region
Lanzhou Military Area Command

The Lanzhou Military Region is comprised of two group armies, five military districts, an electronic counter-measures regiment, a special operations dadui, an artillery brigade, and a pontoon regiment.

The Lanzhou MR covers the Gansu, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang provinces. The Lanzhou Military Region controls the largest physical area of the military regions. It borders on the plains of central Asia and the newly independent states of the Soviet Union. This formerly caused the Lanzhou Military Region to be heavily fortified and funded, but its in-land location and sparsely populated region limit its recent importance. It does control however, the region holding the nuclear research and missile testing facilities in the Chinese west. Furthermore, its area encompasses the increasingly restive Xinjiang area and the oil reserves suspected to exist in Xinjiang.

An unidentified pontoon regiment, reportedly attached to the Lanzhou Military Region, conducted bridge construction and river crossing exercises in the Fall 2002. The unit constructed a 300 meter bridge in roughly 17 minutes, while preparing for a simulated air attack. [Liberation Army Daily 28 Nov 2002 (PLA Activities Report Nov 2002)]

Unit 69240, a previously unknown unit that's type or strength is also unknown, reportedly began conducting anti-terrorism training in late 2002. The unit conducted exercises in urban and mountainous locations and trained in responding to terrorist attacks and hostage incidents. [Lanzhou MR Renmin Jundui 4 Jan 2003 (PLA Activities Report Jan 2003)]

An unidentified division attached to the Xinjiang Military District conducted a simulated anti-terrorist drill on January 4, 2003. The division rescued 13 students had been held hostage by two "terrorists". The unit has been working to improve its usage of psychological warfare and has trained to deal with cyber-terrorism. [Lanzhou MR Renmin Jundui 20 Feb 2003 16 Feb 2003 (PLA Activities Report Jan 2003)]

An unidentified anti-aircraft artillery regiment, possibly subordinate Ningxia Military District as the unit is stationed on the border of the Tengger Desert. In January or February 2003 the unit is believed to have conducted a 15 day field training exercise that emphasized desert and cold-weather warfare. The unit practiced the "three-attack and three-defense" concepts. The unit also conducted training designed to improve its disguise and concealment capabilities with regards to avoiding enemy hi-tech surveillance. [Liberation Army Daily 10 Feb 2003 (PLA Activities Report Feb 2003)]

Beginning on or about 11 February 2003 an unidentified anti-aircraft artillery regiment conducted command post exercises simulating an airstrike by a Blue Force bomber that was able to penetrate China's airspace with the support of jamming aircraft. The Blue Force bomber was able to strike it's target, (a "dummy" facility) though the AAA unit was able to target and destroy the intruder. [Lanzhou MR Renmin Jundui 20 Feb 2003 / Liberation Army Daily 26 Feb 2003 (PLA Activities Report Feb 2003)]

Lanzhou MR Renmin Jundui indicates that a Lanzhou MR Pontoon Bridge Regiment conducted operational readiness training in January 2003. The exercises included counter-terrorism training, obstacle clearance and bridge construction and demolition. The units mission is to provide engineering support for river crossing during wartime and to provide rescue services during peacetime, in addition to safeguarding "social stability". [Lanzhou MR Renmin Jundui 28 Jan 2003 (PLA Activities Report Feb 2003)]

Leadership (as of : 03 March 2015)

	Liu Lei, political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Area Command
	Former position: Political commissar of the Xinjiang military command
	Predecessor: Miao Hua, current political commissar of the PLA Navy
	Shi Xiao, deputy political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Area Command
	Former position: Political commissar of the Yunnan provincial military command
	Predecessor: Wang Jianmin, who has reached his term limit for deputy commanders (deputy political commissars) at the military area command level
	Kang Chunyuan, deputy political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Area Command
	Former position: Deputy director of the Political Department of the Beijing Military Area Command
	Predecessor: Fan Changmi, under investigation for "suspected legal violations"
	Zhang Fuji, deputy director of the Political Department of the Lanzhou Military Area Command
	Former position: Political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Area Command 47th Group Army
	Li Wei, political commissar of the Xinjiang military command
	Former position: Political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Area Command 21st Group Army
	Predecessor: Liu Lei, current political commissar of the Lanzhou Military Area Command
	Zhan Guoqiao, investigated in December, 2014, for violation of law
	Former position: Deputy commander of the Hubei Provincial Military Area Command