Right Sizing the People's Liberation Army: Exploring the Contours of China's Military

Abstract

Abstract : Right-Sizing the People's Liberation Army: Exploring the Contours of China's Military is the ninth volume in this series published by the Strategic Studies Institute, and it represents the collective scholarly efforts of those who contributed to the People's Liberation Army Carlisle Conference 2006. With military spending and modernization that have persisted with little or no abatement or recantation for well over a decade, China has the entire international community wondering to what ends such growth will be put. This question, which was addressed at the 2006 PLA Conference, raises another important question: What would a sized PLA look like? In other words, in terms of China's national security strategy, regional and global requirements and expectations, and domestic drivers, what might an armed force consistent with Beijing's legitimate self-defense requirements be composed of and how large would it be? The PLA Conference, by exploring the right size for PLA missions, functions, and organization, provided insight into future Chinese defense planning, strategic intentions, and potential PLA missions. This volume -- harvesting the fruit of research and discussion from the 2006 PLA Conference -- considers the force structure of the PLA and China's latest training, doctrinal, and procurement efforts across the arms and services of its military forces. Organized on a service-by-service basis, this assessment provides new insights into the drivers behind the size, posture, and arming of the Chinese military. Though China's military intentions have long been shrouded in a veil of secrecy, the chapters herein draw vital information from a diverse assortment of Chinese and American sources to illuminate these hidden contours, offering perspectives and conclusions with far-reaching implications for policy makers and defense leaders in the United States and worldwide.