In the event of a conflict, Beijing wants to be able to quickly switch to a war economy. A new law will allow the government to access all companies based in China for this purpose, including, explicitly, foreign companies and their subsidiaries. The new rules will take effect on October 1, 2026. In the future, companies will be required to provide the authorities with comprehensive information about their capacities even in peacetime. In the event of an emergency, according to Article 2, this is intended to “ensure a rapid transition from a state of peace to a state of war and to convert economic and social strength into defensive strength”. This conversion encompasses a wide range of resources: production facilities, equipment and intellectual property, such as data and software, could be seized. The law no longer refers solely to confiscation but, for the first time, also to expropriation. It also enshrines the possibility of shifting production to goods that can be used for military purposes. Another striking change is the wording stating that China intends to use the new regulations to respond to its “development interests”. The term appears in the law for the first time and seems deliberately vague. Since the Chinese security narrative typically encompasses economic security, access to technology, raw materials and supply chains, this expansion could also include sanctions, export controls or a blockade directed against China. However, the new law does not affect only businesses. In the event of a mobilization, male citizens between the ages of 18 and 60 and female citizens between the ages of 18 and 55 are required to perform national defense service. The law thus reflects lessons learned from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. It demonstrates Beijing’s efforts to streamline the mechanisms and structures of military mobilization and to improve its ability to quickly allocate and mobilize the necessary resources and manpower in the event of potential conflicts.