Indigenous Weapons Development In China S Military Modernization

"China's process of modernizing its armed forces has involved the development of indigenously designed weapons systems, some of which appeared to undergo a process of development, procurement, and/or deployment that outpaced the estimates of U.S. and other foreign observers. This paper specifically focuses on four key weapons platforms that have been discussed as 'surprise' developments to U.S. analysts. ... Based on the four case studies covered in this report, there are no universal trends in publicly reported U.S. government analysis on the development of indigenous Chinese weapon systems. ... The trends of past decades are no longer a reliable guide to the performance of China's defense industries. Furthermore, U.S. observers should not take at face value statements from the Chinese government on military policy, as they could either be deceptive, or simply issued by agencies (e.g., the PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs) that have no real say over military matters. Based on the trends identified in this paper, U.S. analysts and policymakers should expect to see continued advancements in the ability of the PRC to produce modern weapons platforms, and an attendant increase in the operational capabilities of the People's Liberation Army."--Exec. sum.

China’s military development has become a key focus of US security policy as well as that of virtually all Asia-Pacific states. This report from the CSIS Burke Chair in Strategy examines trends in Chinese strategy, military spending, and military forces based on Chinese defense white papers and other official Chinese sources; US reporting by the Department of Defense and other defense agencies; and other government sources, including Japanese and Korean defense white papers and the International Monetary Fund. The analysis also draws on the work of experts outside of government, various research centers, and nongovernmental organizations.

China’s reform policies during the past decade have resulted in the reorganization of economic and political structures and have led to a dramatic reorientation of the nation’s foreign policy. These reforms have especially influenced China’s military establishment, which is now in a period of major transition. What new paradigm is replacing the old Maoist model of People’s War, however, is not clear. This book examines what China’s military modernization means for the global and regional balance of power and for China’s internal political-economic system. Specific chapters focus on changes in Chinese strategy and doctrine, developments in defense industries and military procurements, China’s acquisition of foreign technology, its military education system, and its nuclear weapons program.

"Four essays ... analyze broad trends in Chinese military modernization. While they treat strategic capabilities ... the essays analyze considerably more. They look at the whole pattern of Chinese military modernization-- strategy, doctrine, information warfare, ground, naval and air forces. The essays come to ... much the same conclusion: that while the PLA ... is acquiring "pockets" of modern capabilities through a variety of legal and illegal endeavors, these selective acquisitions do not offset the overall obsolescence of most of China's armed forces."

Examining Chinese intentions and the means they have to achieve those intentions, this volume begins with Roger Ames's essay analyzing the Chinese military through from the earliest times

This report udates the analysis of the trends in Chinese military strategy and forces. This is the final draft before publication, and any comments will be gratefully received. The goal behind this report is not to present the authors' view of the balance, but rather to provide the basis for an unclassified dialogue on the military developments in China, including the size and structure of the country's current and planned military forces. It draws on official US, Chinese, and other Asian official reporting, as well as the work of other scholars and the data bases developed by the IISS and Jane's in an effort to compare different views of Chinese strategy and military developments, and is meant to provide US, Chinese, and other analysts with a better basis for understanding Western estimates of the changes in Chinese force strength and force quality.