Chinese Military Modernization: Force Development and Strategic Capabilities (Significant Issues Series) - Softcover

Cordesman, Anthony H.; Kleiber, Martin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 089206496X ISBN 13: 9780892064960

Publisher: Center for Strategic & International Studies, 2007

Synopsis

Changing political relationships and a substantial increase in resources have prompted the Chinese leadership to accelerate the modernization of its armed forces. Observers, not least the United States, have wondered what objectives China's military buildup is meant to serve. The Chinese government's extreme secrecy about military budgets, force training, and weapon system procurement leaves considerable room for speculation. Perhaps naturally, China is believed to be preparing capacities for a possible conflict with Taiwan, which might or might not involve the United States. But other developments, like the modernization of strategic nuclear weapons and the acquisition of naval surface combatants, have raised the attention of analysts as to what role the Chinese armed forces will play in China's evolving security policy.This study provides an assessment of the current state of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). It addresses command structures, doctrine development, military spending, weapon system procurement, and the force structure of all four branches of the PLA. It does so by providing comparisons of current assessments of all aspects of PLA modernization and trend analyses that point out the developments in manpower, spending, and holdings of weapon systems, among others, over the past two decades. Thus, the volume seeks to lay a basis for a meaningful analysis of the role and trajectory of the Chinese military.

About this title

About the Author

Anthony H. Cordesman holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC, USA. He formerly served as national security assistant to Senator John McCain of the Senate Armed Services Committee, as director of intelligence assessment in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as civilian assistant to the deputy secretary of defense.

ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN is Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a military analyst for ABC News. A frequent commentator on National Public Radio, he is the author of numerous books on security issues and has served in a number of senior positions in the US government.


ANTHONY H. CORDESMAN is Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a military analyst for ABC News. A frequent commentator on National Public Radio, he is the author of numerous books on security issues and has served in a number of senior positions in the US government.

Edition details

• Publisher: Center for Strategic & International Studies
• Publication date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 089206496X
• ISBN 13: 9780892064960
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240