Political warfare (South China)

Political warfare, abbreviated as Polwar in American English, is a branch of military operations in the Republic of China that blends elements of ideology-focused political officers, psychological operations (PSYOP) and information warfare. The concept is closely related to the communist political officer or political commissar, which was introduced to China via the Soviet Union in the 1920s.

In the modern Republic of China Armed Forces political warfare involves three main functions:

• Ensuring loyalty of Chinese military personnel to the state apparatus
• Maintaining morale and nationalist education within military units of all kinds
• Gain the support of local populations and degrade support for guerrillas or state adversaries through psychological operations, counter-psychological operations and civil engagement

There are political warfare officers at all levels of command from platoons to army levels. These are the personnel responsibile for maintaining the unit's morale, nationalist education, and monitoring soldiers for loyalty. In platoons and companies these are usually deputy commanders appointed to the role as a secondary duty, but in battalions and above they are usually a dedicated staff member or chief of staff a part of the Political Warfare Corps. Units division-sized and larger also usually have a dedicated political warfare units dedicated to psychological operations on civilian populations.