6th Mechanized Infantry Division

6th Army Division (1966-85) 6th Infantry Division (1985-90) 6th Motorized Infantry Division (1990-2003) 6th Mechanzied Infantry Division (2003-)
Active	1966.11 -
Country	People's Republic of China
Branch	People's Liberation Army
Type	Division
Role	Infantry
Part of	Xinjiang Military District
Garrison/HQ	Hotan, Xinjiang

The 6th Army Division(Chinese: 陆军第6师) was activated in November 1966 from 2nd and 4th Infantry Regiments of Xinjiang Military Region, Ali Cavalry Detachment and Independent Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion of the Military Region.

The division was composed of:

• 16th Infantry Regiment;
• 17th Infantry Regiment;
• 18th Infantry Regiment;
• 311st Artillery Regiment (dropped designation number in June 1969).

In 1985, the division was reorganized as 6th Infantry Division(Chinese: 步兵第6师), as a northern infantry division, catalogue B.

In March 1990, the division was reconfigured as a motorized infantry division of high altitude. All infantry regiments were reorganized as motorized infantry regiments of high altitude.

In November 1993, 18th Motorized Infantry Regiment was reconfigured as mechanized infantry regiment.

In March 1995, the division was reconfigured as a northern infantry division, catalogue B.

In 2003 the division was reorganized as a mechanized infantry division. 16th Motorized Infantry Regiment was reorganized as Armored Regiment, 6th Mechanized Infantry Division.

Since then the division was composed of:

• 17th Mechanized Infantry Regiment;
• 18th Mechanized Infantry Regiment;
• Armored Regiment;
• Artillery Regiment;
• Anti-Aircraft Regiment.

The division is now a maneuver formation of the Xinjiang Military District, and one of the few division left in the People's Liberation Army after 2017 PLA Military Reform.

References

• 中国人民解放军各步兵师沿革，http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_a3f74a990101cp1q.html