new opportunities and old problems
With an increase in size and power, the PLA is developing new abilities while simultaneously confronting reocurring issues
Developing abilities and resources
Improving Technology
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Cyber Warfare
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Massive Budget
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China is working to close the gap with its foreign counterparts in terms of military technology. A number of notable developments have propelled the PLA into an elite--but not yet dominant--class.
After several years of testing, the PLA Air Force publicly revealed its newest stealth fighter, the J-20. A radar evading fighter with long range capabilities, the J-20 constitutes a new generation of aircraft for the Chinese Air Force, but its technical capabilities still lag behind those of the United States and its allies (Lendon, 2016). The PLA Navy announced this November that its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is combat ready. A refitted Soviet vessel, the Liaoning lacks a sufficient power system and a catapult laucnh system for the aircraft ("How does China's first aircraft carrier stack up?"). However, the sizable vessel with its basic capabilities is well suited to regional duties and represents a large step forward for the Chinese Navy. |
In a world saturated with technology, the need for effective cyber defense and cyber warfare is growing. The PLA is rapidly expanding its cyber capabilites under the newly established Strategic Support Force branch of the PLA (Rajagopalan, 2016).
The SFF is comprised of three primary sections: cyber attacks and defense, space, and electronic warfare (Rajagopalan, 2016). Cyber attacks and defense is responsible for both hacking foreign governments and corporations and protecting Chinese institutions from the same. Space focuses on reconnaissance activities and satellite navigation, while electronic warfare aims to interfere with foreign radars and communications (Rajagopalan, 2016). "The SSF is a new-type combat force to maintain national security and an important growth point of the PLA's combat capabilities"
Chinese President Xi Pinjing |
To support its emerging army, China has steadily increased its military expidentures, quickly surpassing surrounding states. With a reported budget of over $140 billion for 2015, China has the highest military budget aside from the United States. This marks a 10.1% increase from last year's budget, and the twenty-sixth year of double digit budget increases for the PLA over the past three decades (Erickson and Liff, 2015).
For reference, the expidenture of Japan, an important player on the global stage and a regional power, has averaged growth of only 1.9% in recent years. India, a nation of comparable population to China, has a budget of only $40 billion, less than a third of that of the Chinese (Erickson and Liff, 2015). The constant flow of available funds has allowed the PLA to advance, but the sustainability of such a practice is yet to be seen. Accordingly, the budget for 2016 is projected to grow by only 7-8% in response to a global economic turndown (Blanchard and Martina, 2016). |
future objectives
Reorganizing the PLA for the Modern World
Announced in late 2014, President Xi Pinjing is working to enforce sweeping reforms aimed at reorganizing the PLA into a more integrated, modern fighting force. This is likely to be the most drastic reconstructuring of the PLA since its inception in the twentieth century.
Prior to the reforms, the PLA was primarily a domestic force designed to protect the Chinese mainland. China itself was divided into seven military regions, each with its own regional commander and a relatively self-contained force, while the upper level military bureaucracy consisted of four separate departments led by senior army officials. Only three military branches existed--the army, air force, and navy--but the army held nearly all of the power. Under this system, the PLA had little streamlined communication between the different military leaders, breeding infighting and corruption that made cooperative efforts nearly impossible (Yamaguchi, 2016).
Accordingy, the reforms address many of these issues. President Pinjing has made moves to stomp out corruption and further consolidate control of the army within the Communist Party (note that the PLA is officially the army of the Communist Party, not the state) by disbanding the exisitng bureaucracy in favor of the newly formed Central Military Commission. Chaired by Pinjing, the CMC consists of fifteen departments responsible for procuring resources, logistics, personell management, and other administrative tasks. The seven regions will be reduced to five theaters of command and the PLA itself is to be reorganized into five military branches--the army, air force, navy, strategic support force, and rocket force--with a separate command for each, placing the army on equal footing with other branches ("Xi's new model army," 2016). This new system attempts a top down approach, with clear deliniations of power and a central decision making body capable of coordinating between the branches to allow for rapid response and effective cooperation. |
New PLA theaters by Li Chao used under CC BY-SA
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existing problems
Corruption
"History has repeatedly proven that if corruption is not eliminated, we will defeat ourselves even before a war" - People's Liberation Army Daily |
Veterans
The PLA is often accused of failing to deliver promised benefits to its veterans. Click the button below to access an article explaing the issue, current protests, and ways in which the problem could be exasperated in the near future. |
Corruption on a massive scale is perhaps the most immediate threat to the PLA today. Long considered a widespread problem, corruption appears in a variety of ways, including the PLA engaging in illegal commercial dealings and selling upper level positions (Wee, 2015).
Eliminating corruption is among the top priorities of President Jinping's reforms and his government has led a series of investigations into senior military officials. The most recent investigation into the affairs of a former vice-chairman of the CMC, General Guo Boxiong, revealed that he had taken nearly $12.3 million in bribes ("Former top military official took huge bribes," 2016). With the practice so entrenched in the military culture, efforts to completely eliminate corruption will prove difficult. Retired military officers as well as some state media have begun to question if the PLA can effectively fight a modern war while crippled by obvious corruption in its upper chain of command (Wee, 2016). |
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Freedom of Thought
Placing extreme emphasis on party loyalty and discipline, PLA soldiers exercise great self-control and obdience. However, in an ever evolving world with complex threats, the need for creativity and individual decision making skills is paramount. The video below explores the typical training regiment of a PLA officer and its potential advantges and disadvantages. |
References
Blanchard, B., & Martina, M. (2016, March 4). China's 2016 defence budget to slow in line with economy. Reuters. Retrieved
December 5, 2016
Erickson, A. S., & LIff, A. P. (2015, May 5). China's Military Spending Swells Again Despite Domestic Headwinds. Wall Street Journal.
Retrieved December 5, 2016
Former top military official 'took huge bribes'. (2016, April 5). BBC. Retrieved December 5, 2016
How does China's first aircraft carrier stack up? (n.d.). Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Lendon, B. (2016, November 1). China's new J-20 stealth fighter screams on to the scene. CNN. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Rajagopalan, M. (2016, January 29). Chinese military to take lead on cyber, space defense. Reuters. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Wee, S.-L. (2015, August 2). Chinese military paper warns a corrupt army does not win wars. Reuters. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Xi' new model army. (2016, January 16). The Economist. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Yamaguchi, N. (2016, September 12). The Meaning of the People's LIberation Army Reforms. The Diplomat. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Blanchard, B., & Martina, M. (2016, March 4). China's 2016 defence budget to slow in line with economy. Reuters. Retrieved
December 5, 2016
Erickson, A. S., & LIff, A. P. (2015, May 5). China's Military Spending Swells Again Despite Domestic Headwinds. Wall Street Journal.
Retrieved December 5, 2016
Former top military official 'took huge bribes'. (2016, April 5). BBC. Retrieved December 5, 2016
How does China's first aircraft carrier stack up? (n.d.). Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Lendon, B. (2016, November 1). China's new J-20 stealth fighter screams on to the scene. CNN. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Rajagopalan, M. (2016, January 29). Chinese military to take lead on cyber, space defense. Reuters. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Wee, S.-L. (2015, August 2). Chinese military paper warns a corrupt army does not win wars. Reuters. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Xi' new model army. (2016, January 16). The Economist. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Yamaguchi, N. (2016, September 12). The Meaning of the People's LIberation Army Reforms. The Diplomat. Retrieved December 5, 2016
Splash Image: Liaoning aircraft carrier at port by Simon Yang used under CC BY-SA