China’s national security authorities have called on police forces nationwide to prioritise the use of the Kunming dog, a domestically bred working dog, instead of foreign breeds such as German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Malinois and Springer Spaniels. The move underscores Beijing’s wider strategy of pursuing technological and operational self-reliance.
The Ministry of Public Security issued the directive on Thursday, describing the initiative as part of efforts to “promote the development goal of international first-class police dog technology.” The statement praised the Kunming dog as a symbol of China’s independent control over police dog breeding and its growing expertise in this specialised field.
A Home-Grown Hybrid with Global Aspirations
Although not native to China, the Kunming dog is a wolf-dog hybrid developed in the 1950s through crossbreeding Alsatians with local dogs in Yunnan province. The ministry established a dedicated canine breeding centre in the region and has since expanded the programme to include three additional indigenous breeds.
“The Kunming dog’s advantage lies in its diverse genetic composition,” said Wang Guodong, a zoological researcher based in Kunming, in a video released alongside the ministry’s statement. Wang explained that while foreign breeds may excel in specific roles, they often display clear limitations. The Kunming dog, by contrast, performs reliably across a wider range of policing tasks.
Performance and Innovation
According to the ministry, the Kunming dog is China’s first and only police breed with fully independent intellectual property rights. It has been recognised for its “high technological and innovation value,” reflecting the government’s growing emphasis on domestic research and breeding capacity.
Handlers featured in the ministry’s promotional material said the breed surpasses foreign dogs in operations such as narcotics detection, explosives searches, and suspect apprehension. Its adaptability to different environments also makes it particularly suited to China’s varied policing needs.
In earlier years, some Chinese police dogs were trained using German commands, based on the belief that they would respond better to the language. However, authorities now aim to align training entirely with local systems to strengthen domestic expertise.
National Self-Reliance in Police Dog Technology
“As global competition in police dog technology becomes increasingly fierce, maintaining a stable supply of high-quality breeds suited to local conditions is essential,” the ministry said. The push to popularise the Kunming dog reflects a broader policy goal: to ensure China’s law enforcement operations are supported by locally developed resources and technologies.
with inputs from Reuters
