Chinese Armed Forces In The 21st Century

Examines the armed forces of the People's Republic of China & how they will evolve. Includes papers prepared for the 8th in a series of conferences on the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Papers include: geographic ruminations; the Chinese military & the peripheral states in the 21st cent.; PLA capabilities in the 21st cent.: how does China assess its future security needs?; advanced military technology & the PLA: priorities & capabilities for the 21st cent.; U.S.-Chinese military relations in the 21st cent.; Taiwan's military in the 21st cent.: redefinition & reorganization; Taiwan's military: a view from afar; & the political angle -- new phenomena in Party-Army relations.

The debate about China and Taiwan is re-emerging in the United States. The accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, of course, put on the front burner the way that nationalistic fervor has grown in China, at least some of it as a result of manipulation by the Communist Party. President Lee Teng-hui's comments about state-to-state relations between Taiwan and the mainland raised the temperature of relations across the strait and among the three concerned parties (China, the United States, and Taiwan). China threatened, China postured, and China ran political campaigns against the United States and Lee. But the questions of military capability, security policy, and intent are rarely treated seriously. This book is a serious look at the armed forces of China and how they will evolve.

CONTENTS Introduction Geographic Ruminations The Chinese Military and the Peripheral States in the 21st Century: A Security Tour d'Horizon PLA Capabilities in the 21st Century: How Does China Assess Its Future Security Needs? Advanced Military Technology and the PLA: Priorities and Capabilities for the 21st Century U.S.-Chinese Military Relations in the 21st Century Taiwan's Military in the 21st Century: Redefinition and Reorganization Taiwan's Military: A View from Afar Concluding Comment: The Political Angle-- New Phenomena in Party-Army Relations About the Authors Index

The Chinese Army Today is a comprehensive study of the Chinese military, examining its ground forces in a level of detail not found in any other contemporary works. This new, revised edition has been fully updated to take account of recent changes in the institution. In 1999, the military modernization program of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army increased in intensity and achieved a focus not seen in the previous two decades. Based primarily on actual Chinese sources, this book details these changes and puts them in the context of the many traditions that still remain. Written by a retired professional military officer who has served in China, the text uses first-hand observation of the Chinese military and three decades of military experience to weave many disparate threads from official Chinese statements, documents, and media reports into an integrated whole. The author also conducts an in-depth exploration into the many forces that constitute the People’s Liberation Army. This is an essential book for all students of Chinese military and security affairs, and highly recommended for students of Chinese Politics, Asian Security, and International Relations and Strategic Studies, in general.

The debate about China and Taiwan is re-emerging in the United States. The accidental bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, of course, put on the front burner the way that nationalistic fervor has grown in China, at least some of it as a result of manipulation by the Communist Party. President Lee Teng-hui's comments about state to-state relations between Taiwan and the mainland raised the temperature of relations across the strait and among the three concerned parties (China, the United States, and Taiwan). China threatened, China postured, and China ran political campaigns against the United States and Lee. But the questions of military capability, security policy, and intent are rarely treated seriously. This book is a serious look at the armed forces of China and how they will evolve. The chapters in this volume were developed from papers prepared for the eighth in a series of conferences on the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The people at the conferences were recognized experts on armed forces and security matters in China and drawn from academe, government, the military, and policy think tanks. Each chapter's author was challenged to analyze some aspect of the Chinese armed forces as they moved into the next century. The goal was to contribute a realistic view of how domestic and international pressures would shape both Beijing's and Taipei's security environment. Over a 2-day period at Wye Plantation, Maryland, each paper was discussed and criticized by a wider body of participants and then revised for publication. Not surprisingly, when a body of experts of such high caliber is assembled and dialogue flows freely, comments by participants at the conference led to the development of two more papers. The first, addressing strategic geography from Michael McDevitt, appears as Chapter 1. The second from Ellis Joffe, summarizing changes in party-army relations in China, appears as Chapter 8. The result is a highly readable and relevant publication applicable to today's politico-military environment. One of the participants in this series of annual conferences on the PLA refers to the event as an "azimuth check of trends and ideas in the community of China watchers." To anyone who has had to navigate the land, sea, or air by compass, the meaning of this analogy will be instantly clear. It is difficult to move through uncharted areas, where conditions change often and in unpredictable ways, attempting to reach a common goal or objective with others. This goal is even more difficult to reach because we all travel on different intellectual paths. Therefore, from time to time it is useful and necessary to confirm one's course. This set of conferences served that purpose. In the context of the PLA conferences held over the years, the common objective is a realistic appreciation of the policies, power, and operational dimensions and limitations of the PLA. The majority of the participants in this effort came from the United States, but all of them come from democracies with important security interests in China and Asia. Thus, the other common goal shared by the participants is a strong desire to ensure that the security of their own nation is not adversely affected by events in China.

The Chinese Army Today is a completely unique and comprehensive study of all elements of the Chinese military, focusing on its ground forces to a degree not found in any other contemporary works. In 1999, the military modernization program of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army that had been underway for twenty years increased in intensity and achieved a focus not seen in the previous two decades. Based primarily on actual Chinese sources, this book details the changes implemented since 1999 and puts them in the context of the many traditions that still remain. Written by a retired professional military officer who has served in China, this book presents the reader with the key developments since 1999. Its discussion on training and doctrine provides a level of detail not found in other works, but is essential to understanding the progress made in China’s military modernization and the obstacles yet to be overcome. The author uses first-hand observation of the Chinese military and three decades of military experience to weave many disparate threads from official Chinese statements, documents, and media reports into an integrated whole. This text defines exactly what forces make up the People’s Liberation Army and examines in detail ground force organization and structure, personnel policies, doctrine and training, new equipment entering the force, and missions routinely undertaken in support of society. This is an essential book for all students and scholars of China and Asia, political science and international relations and of contemporary military affairs and strategic studies.

An introduction to the works of authoritative and innovative Chinese authors whose writings focus on the future of the Chinese military. These carefully selected, representative essays make Chinese military thinking more accessible to western readers. It reveals, for example, China's keen interest in the Revolution in military affairs. This volume is an important starting point for understanding China's future military modernization. "Must reading for every executive of every Western firm doing business in China." "Readers will be impressed by China's ambitions in space, information warfare, stealth, and robots, in future warfare." Photos.

The contributions contained herein address the role of the Chinese military in shaping its country's security environment. Of course, the PLA itself is shaped and molded by both domestic and foreign influences. In the first decade of the 21st century, the PLA is not a central actor in China's foreign policy the way it was just a few decades ago. Nevertheless, the significance of the PLA must be understood. The military remains a player that seeks to play a role and influence China's policy towards such countries and regions as the United States, Japan, the Koreas, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and of course, Taiwan. It is important not to overlook that, in times of crisis or conflict, the role and influence of the PLA rise significantly.