Chinese Military Capabilities - Strategy, Technology & The Changing PLA

The modernisation of the Chinese PLA has represented a dramatic shift in the balance of military power in Asia. Over the course of several decades, the PLA has shifted from a primarily ground combat force with a large stock of outdated equipment, to one that is increasingly capable of projecting power and holding targets at risk over longer and longer distances. Having discussed the PRC's military budget, industry, rocket force and other critical drivers, today I finally want to give an overview of the PLA's changing capabilities and ask the question - what kind of force has China's modernisation process created, and how may it continue to evolve going forward? Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/PerunAU Relevant Reading/sourcing China's National Defence in a New Era (2019) https://english.www.gov.cn/archive/whitepaper/201907/24/content_WS5d3941ddc6d08408f502283d.html US DOD - Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2023 https://media.defense.gov/2023/Oct/19/2003323409/-1/-1/1/2023-MILITARY-AND-SECURITY-DEVELOPMENTS-INVOLVING-THE-PEOPLES-REPUBLIC-OF-CHINA.PDF The PLA Strategic Support Force: Future-proofing China's Military - Cosmo Cao https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/the-pla-strategic-support-force-future-proofing-chinas-military/ China's Strategic Support Force: A Force for a New Era - Costello & McReynolds, National Defence University https://ndupress.ndu.edu/Portals/68/Documents/stratperspective/china/china-perspectives_13.pdf Russian and Chinese Combat Air Trends: Current Capabilities and Future Threat Outlook - Bronk (2020) https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/whitehall-reports/russian-and-chinese-combat-air-trends-current-capabilities-and-future-threat-outlook CRS-- China's military, the PLA - 2021 https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46808 China Naval Modernisation: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities - Background and Issue for Congress https://sgp.fas.org/crs/row/RL33153.pdf The Chinese Military Speaks to Itself, Revealing Doubts - Dennis Blasko https://warontherocks.com/2019/02/the-chinese-military-speaks-to-itself-revealing-doubts/ China Expanding YY-20 fleet https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/china-expanding-yy-20-aerial-refueller-fleet The Creation of the PLA Strategic Support Force and its Implications for Chinese Military Space Operations - Pollpeter, Chase & Heginbotham (2017) https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR2058.html The U.S. China Military Scorecard - RAND - 2017 https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR392.html Learning Warfare from the Laboratory - China's progression in wargaming and opposing force training - Kania, Burns & Caslin https://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Learning%20Warfare%20from%20the%20Laboratory%20ISW%20September%202021%20Report.pdf Mentioned reporting of Chinese Type 99 usage during wargaming http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/WeaponryEquipment/News_209182/9409397.html 2007 Reporting on ASAT test https://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/jan/23/spaceexploration.china Type 59 image (2018) http://eng.mod.gov.cn/focus/2018-03/16/content_4806946_3.htm J-16 EW Version https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/airshow-china-2021-chinese-air-force-unveils-ew-variant-of-j-16-multirole-fighter-aircraft PLA Operational Concepts - Burke, https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA300/RRA394-1/RAND_RRA394-1.pdf Featured Economist article https://www.economist.com/special-report/2023/11/06/xi-jinping-worries-that-chinas-troops-are-not-ready-to-fight Caveats & Comments: All normal caveats and comments apply. In particular – I would like to note as always that this material has been created for entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a complete or comprehensive examination of the topic in question and should not be relied upon to inform financial or other similar decisions. Featured Image of multinational exercises https://thediplomat.com/2016/05/us-japan-south-korea-plan-missile-defense-exercise-on-rimpac-2016-sidelines/ Timestamps: 00:00:00 — Opening Words 00:00:42 — What Am I Talking About? 00:02:00 — Strategy And Strategic Environment 00:13:11 — The Forces 00:13:35 — The Strategic Support Force 00:17:59 — The Space Systems Department 00:18:49 — Network Systems Department 00:21:10 — PLA Ground Forces 00:27:51 — PLAAF (Air Force) 00:36:15 — PLAN (Navy) 00:49:22 — The Rocket Force 00:53:09 — Shortfalls, Trends & Perspectives 01:05:48 — Channel Update