8th Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps

The 8th Division (新疆生产建设兵团第八师; abbreviation for 兵团八师) is a division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) distributed over Shihezi and Karamay cities, Manas and Shawan counties, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. It is an economic and paramilitary unit formed in 1953 from the former 26th Infantry Division of the 9th Army of the 22rd Corps of the PLA. The 8th Agricultural Construction Division (农业建设第八师; abbreviation for 农八师) was approved and renamed to the present 8th Division of the XPCC in 2012. The division is composed of 14 regiments, and headquartered in Shihezi City, it merges work in one official with Shihezi City. The Shihezi Reclamation Area of the 8th Division has an area of 5,851 square kilometers with a total population of 696,900 and a permanent population of 661,300 (as of 2018), of that, the Shihezi City has an area of 460 square kilometers with a total population of 448,100 and a permanent population of 437,900 (as of 2018). In the year of 2018, GDP of the 8th Division was CN¥54.85 billion (US$8.29 billion), and the GDP per capita CN¥82,584 (US$12,480). Since the establishment of Shihezi City in April 1975, the 8th Division and the city have practised management model of unity of the division and Shihezi City. The Shihezi Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Joint Enterprise Group Corporation (石河子农工商联合企业) was formed in the reclamation area of the former 8th division in February 1979, the group corporation is co-located with Shihezi City and is integrated into administrative and business enterprises. In December 1981, the XPCC was restored, and its 8th Agriculture and Production Division (renamed as the 8th Division of XPCC in 2012 ) was resumed at the same time, from then onwards the 8th Division has enjoyed the same institution and two brands, and continued to work with Shihezi City. On December 20, 1949, the former Kuomintang 78th Division, 227th Brigade (二二七旅), Cavalry Regiment of 178th Brigade (一七八旅骑兵团), 194th Regiment of 65th Brigade (六五旅一九四团), Munition Battalion of 42nd Division (四二师辎重营) were incorporated as the 26th Infantry Division of the 9th Army of the 22nd Corps of the PLA.