China’s military has entered a new era. It has acquired modern weapons to rival the world’s finest, undergone a major restructuring under Xi Jinping, and been on the frontlines of territorial disputes with Japan, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines. It is readying forces to be able to seize Taiwan sometime in the next decade. International concerns about China’s intentions have been piqued by Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine—many are now asking ‘will Taiwan be next?’ Yet the People’s Liberation Army’s ambitions are even greater. It aims to be a “world-class” military on par with the United States.
China’s Quest for Military Supremacy provides a broad and accessible exploration of Chinese military power, including relations between the Chinese Communist Party and its army, the strategic worldview of Chinese leaders, military strategy and resourcing, force structure and modernization across all the domains, military diplomacy and coercive activities, preparations for war, and the emerging global role for the People’s Liberation Army. It also identifies constraints on China’s military progress from tensions between the party and the army to limited expertise in modern (“joint”) operations, alongside maneuvering by the United States and others to deter Chinese aggression. Moreover, China’s focus on military supremacy regionally means that it currently lacks the capabilities and infrastructure needed to operate with the same lethality beyond Asia. Different futures are possible, and the book concludes with a preview of what it might take for a truly “world-class” Chinese military to take the global stage.
