Modernization of the Armed Forces of China

 

How are services being reformed?

 Xi has focused on making big structural changes. Among their most significant reforms are new joint theater commands, deep personnel cuts, and improvements in military-civilian collaboration. He is pushing to transform the PLA from a largely territorial force into a great maritime power.

 Army. The military is the largest service and was long considered the most important, but its prominence has waned as Beijing seeks to develop an integrated fighting force with world-class naval and air capabilities. As the other services expanded, the army was reduced to around 975,000 soldiers, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Reforms have focused on streamlining its high-level command structure; creating smaller and more agile units; and empowerment of lower-level commanders. The army is also improving its weapons. Its Type 15 light tank, for example, entered service in 2018 and allows participation in high-altitude areas such as Tibet.

 Navy. The navy has expanded at an impressive rate to become the largest naval force in the world in terms of number of ships. In 2016, it commissioned eighteen ships, while the US Navy commissioned five. The quality of PLA ships has also improved: RAND Corporation found that more than 70 percent of the fleet [PDF] could be considered modern in 2017, down from less than 50 percent in 2010.

 Experts say the navy, which has about 250,000 active duty members, has become the dominant force in China's nearby seas and is conducting more operations at greater distances. Its modernization priorities include the commissioning of more nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. China has two aircraft carriers, compared to eleven in the United States. A third aircraft carrier, which is being built domestically, is expected to be operational by 2022.

 Air Force. The air force has also grown, with 395,000 active duty members in 2018. It has acquired advanced equipment, some believed to have been copied from stolen US designs, including airborne warning and control systems, bombers and UAVs. The air force also has a collection of stealth jets, including J-20 fighters. In 2015, RAND Corporation estimated that half of China's fighters and fighter-bombers were modern.

 Rocket force. Responsible for maintaining China's nuclear and conventional missiles, the rocket force was elevated to independent service during reforms in 2015. It has about 120,000 active soldiers. China has steadily increased its nuclear arsenal (it had approximately 290 warheads [PDF] in 2019) and modernized its capabilities, including developing anti-ship ballistic missiles that could target US warships in the western Pacific, as part of its A2 / AD strategy. China reportedly has the largest number of mid-range cruise and ballistic missiles, weapons that until recently were prohibited from producing by the United States and Russia.

 The PLA is also developing hypersonic missiles, which can travel many times faster than the speed of sound and are therefore more difficult for adversaries to defend. While Russia is the only country with a deployed hypersonic weapon, China's DF-17 medium-range missile is expected to be operational in 2020. The Pentagon has said it will likely be several years before the United States has one.

 Strategic support force. Established during the 2015 reforms, the Strategic Support Force manages electronic warfare, cyberwarfare, and psychological operations for the PLA, among other high-tech missions. With an estimated 145,000 service members, he is also responsible for the military's space operations, including those with satellites.

 Modernization of the Armed Forces of China

 Background

 Modernization of the Armed Forces of China

 The People's Liberation Army aims to become the dominant force in Asia-Pacific, strengthening China's hand towards Taiwan and international disputes in the South China Sea.

 PLA soldiers prepare for a military parade in 2017.

 PLA soldiers prepare for a military parade in 2017. China Daily / Reuters

 WRITTEN BY

 Lindsay maizland

 UPDATED

 February 5, 2020 4:00 pm (EST)

    

 Summary

 China's military, or the People's Liberation Army (PLA), is undergoing massive reforms and the government is spending more on defense than ever.

 President Xi Jinping aims to transform the PLA into a great maritime power that can dominate the Asia-Pacific region, including Taiwan and the South China Sea.

 It is unclear whether the Chinese government hopes to project energy around the world, as the United States does.

 Introduction

 The Chinese government is working to make its military stronger, more efficient, and more technologically advanced to become a top-tier force in thirty years. With a budget that has skyrocketed over the past decade, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is already among the world's leading armies in areas including artificial intelligence and anti-ship ballistic missiles.

 Experts warn that as China's armed forces modernize, they could become more assertive in the Asia-Pacific region by intensifying pressure on Taiwan and continuing to militarize the disputed islands in the East and South China Seas. The administration of US President Donald J. Trump believes that China is a great-power rival, although the PLA still has a way to go before it can challenge the United States, experts say.

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 What catalyzed the modernization of the PLA?

 The modern Chinese army began during the civil war (1927-1949) between the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the nationalist forces of the Kuomintang. The guerrilla-style army relied on a massive mobilization of Chinese citizens, and the PLA largely preserved this organizational structure in the following decades to protect its borders.

 A turning point came in the 1990s, when the CCP witnessed two demonstrations of American military might in its hemisphere: the Gulf War and the Taiwan Strait Crisis. Struck by the sophistication of American forces, Chinese leaders recognized that they lacked the technology to wage modern warfare and prevent foreign powers from intervening in the region. Officials launched an effort to catch up with the top-tier military by increasing defense spending, investing in new weapons to improve denial of anti-access areas (A2 / AD), and establishing programs to boost China's defense industry.

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 Another change began in 2012, when President Xi Jinping came to power. Defending what he calls the Chinese Dream, a vision to restore China's great power status, Xi has gone further to push for military reforms than his predecessors. Xi leads the Central Military Commission, the PLA's highest decision-making body, and is committed to producing a "world-class force" [PDF] that can dominate Asia-Pacific and "fight and win" global wars by 2049. .

 How are services being reformed?

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 Xi has focused on making big structural changes. Among its most significant reforms are new joint theater commands, deep personnel cuts, and improvements in military-civilian collaboration. He is pushing to transform the PLA from a largely territorial force into a major maritime power.

 Army. The military is the largest service and was long considered the most important, but its prominence has waned as Beijing seeks to develop an integrated fighting force with world-class naval and air capabilities. As the other services expanded, the army was reduced to around 975,000 soldiers, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). Reforms have focused on streamlining its high-level command structure; creating smaller and more agile units; and empowerment of lower-level commanders. The army is also improving its weapons. Its Type 15 light tank, for example, entered service in 2018 and allows participation in high-altitude areas such as Tibet.

 Navy. The navy has expanded at an impressive rate to become the largest naval force in the world in terms of number of ships. In 2016, it commissioned eighteen ships, while the US Navy commissioned five. The quality of PLA ships has also improved: RAND Corporation found that more than 70 percent of the fleet [PDF] could be considered modern in 2017, down from less than 50 percent in 2010.

 Experts say the navy, which has about 250,000 active duty members, has become the dominant force in China's nearby seas and is conducting more operations at greater distances. Its modernization priorities include the commissioning of more nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. China has two aircraft carriers, compared to eleven in the United States. A third aircraft carrier, which is being built domestically, is expected to be operational by 2022.

 Air Force. The air force has also grown, with 395,000 active duty members in 2018. It has acquired advanced equipment, some believed to have been copied from stolen US designs, including airborne warning and control systems, bombers and UAVs. The air force also has a collection of stealth jets, including J-20 fighters. In 2015, RAND Corporation estimated that half of China's fighters and fighter-bombers were modern.

 Rocket force. Responsible for maintaining China's nuclear and conventional missiles, the rocket force was elevated to independent service during reforms in 2015. It has about 120,000 active soldiers. China has steadily increased its nuclear arsenal (it had approximately 290 warheads [PDF] in 2019) and modernized its capabilities, including developing anti-ship ballistic missiles that could target US warships in the western Pacific, as part of its A2 / AD strategy. China reportedly has the largest number of mid-range cruise and ballistic missiles, weapons that until recently were prohibited from producing by the United States and Russia.

 The PLA is also developing hypersonic missiles, which can travel many times faster than the speed of sound and are therefore more difficult for adversaries to defend. While Russia is the only country with a deployed hypersonic weapon, China's DF-17 medium-range missile is expected to be operational in 2020. The Pentagon has said it will likely be several years before the United States has one.

 Strategic support force. Established during the 2015 reforms, the Strategic Support Force manages electronic warfare, cyberwarfare, and psychological operations for the PLA, among other high-tech missions. With an estimated 145,000 service members, he is also responsible for the military's space operations, including those with satellites.

 How much does China spend on its military?

 China's Finance Ministry said the 2019 defense budget was $ 177 billion, yet analyst estimates are typically higher than Beijing reports. The PLA enjoyed a dizzying budget as China's economy grew over the past decades. Defense spending increased more than sevenfold, from $ 31 billion in 1998 to $ 239 billion in 2018, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), making it the second country with the most spends in the world, behind the United States.

 What is the state of China's defense industry?

 For much of its history, the PLA relied on foreign military equipment, especially from Russia. But in recent decades, the Chinese government has invested heavily in private sector and state defense companies. Xi has pushed to lower the barriers between the two, emphasizing what he calls military-civil fusion. Many companies have forged relationships with foreign companies and universities, allowing them to acquire technology and knowledge with military applications. Experts say this has been especially helpful in developing PLA's artificial intelligence and automation capabilities.

 Much of the PLA equipment is now manufactured in the country. In fact, China is estimated to be the world's second largest arms producer, behind the United States and ahead of Russia, according to a 2020 report from SIPRI. Most of its exports go to developing countries, such as Pakistan. China still imports some specialized equipment, such as jet engines, and has been accused of copying designs from Russia, the United States and other countries without permission.