China authorities issue ban on sale and marketing of retired military equipment, citing risks to military secrets

China’s military and public security authorities have issued an order banning the sale, assembly, and marketing of retired military equipment, according to reporting carried by Zero Hedge that cites The Epoch Times. The order is described as grounding the restrictions in concerns about “security risks to military secrets,” aimed at limiting access to decommissioned systems and associated materials.

The reporting says the ban is part of a broader effort by the Chinese regime to regulate how retired military hardware is handled once it leaves active service. Under the described requirements, the prohibited activities extend beyond direct resale to include activities such as assembly and marketing, which would affect both commercial transactions and certain forms of refurbishment and promotional activity.

The restrictions are presented as applying to “retired military equipment,” a category that the reporting ties to items previously used by China’s military. The reporting does not provide a detailed list of covered equipment types or a timeline for enforcement in the material provided to this desk.

Because the order is described as being issued jointly by military and public security authorities, it reflects a mix of defense and law-enforcement oversight rather than a purely internal defense procurement rule. That structure is relevant to how the ban could be enforced in practice, including whether compliance is handled through public security inspections and penalties rather than only through military administration.

The practical effect of the ban, based on the activities cited in the reporting, would be to narrow a potential market for decommissioned equipment. Companies or intermediaries that purchase retired items for resale, modification, or display could face restrictions covering not only the original sale but also intermediate steps such as assembly and marketing.

The reporting framework also indicates that the stated rationale centers on protection of military information. In that context, the core concern is not just the transfer of physical hardware but the risk that retired equipment could expose technical details, training or operational characteristics, or other sensitive information tied to military secrets.

No order number, publication date, or official text was included in the provided discovery material. Further verification would typically require locating the joint order in an official Chinese government or regulatory publication to confirm the exact legal citations, definitions of covered equipment, and the enforcement and penalty provisions referenced in the reporting.