The international profile of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has grown significantly over the last half decade, with a notable increase in the frequency and complexity of its activities with partners abroad. As the Chinese military participates in multilateral meetings and engages foreign militaries around…
CIRA China analyst Lauren Barney has authored a chapter in the edited volume The South China Sea: Maintaining Peace, Preventing War: Conflict Management Program Field Trip to China concerning Chinese maritime militias and fisheries in the South China Sea: Fish is the main current and…
CIRA China analysts released a new book, entitled China’s Evolving Military Strategy, that charts major new developments in China’s approach to military affairs. CIRA China analyst Joe McReynolds edited and co-authored this authoritative reference work, which includes chapters by both CIRA analysts and outside experts….
CIRA China analyst Morgan Clemens has co-authored a chapter in the new book Chinese Naval Shipbuilding: An Ambitious and Uncertain Course, edited by Andrew S. Erickson and released by the Naval Institute Press. His chapter concerns state strategy for China’s shipbuilding industry and is entitled…
In order to understand China’s approach to the information domain, it is important to examine the evolution of China’s geopolitical strategy. Since the 1980’s, China has adopted a policy of avoiding direct confrontation with the West. This approach is neatly encapsulated by Deng Xiaoping’s injunction…
Part 2 of CIRA China analyst John Chen’s analysis of PLA downsizing assesses the PLA’s ability to carry out a force reduction from 2.3 to 2.0 million (about 11 percent of total PLA strength) by the end of 2017. Can national level or local governments…
Former Chinese military personnel represent a large and important constituency within Chinese society. Large numbers of young, mostly rural men and women join the PLA through China’s conscription system and either leave the PLA or continue their careers after a two-year stint. A smaller number…
On October 25, 2016, the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) released a commissioned CIRA report on China’s industrial and military robotics development. The report examines the growth of China’s robotics industries and its development of unmanned industrial, service, and military systems, such…
Ground force officers run China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). About 70 percent of PLA soldiers serve in the PLA Army (PLAA), and ground officers occupy almost all senior positions on the Central Military Commission (CMC) and in China’s new theater commands. The PLA’s…
CIRA head Dr. James Mulvenon spoke at the MIT Center for International Studies’ annual Starr Forum on the topic of “Confronting the China Cyber Challenge.” Dr. Mulvenon’s presentation centered on Chinese technology standards mandates and their impact on device security. To view the full presentation,…
