A new report from RAND Corporation raises questions about China’s ability to effectively pay traditional wars against the US military despite rapid modernization efforts.
The report entitled “Suspicious Combat Preparations for the Chinese Army” suggests that even if US defense officials have long identified the PLA, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will be properly prepared for conflicts in the Indo-Pacific region. It challenges the concept of being. An urgent threat.
The study, published on January 27 by senior defense researcher Timothy R. Heath, argued that the main function of the PLA is to maintain, rather than maintain, the power of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It’s there.
Heath argues that this mission has shaped an army that focuses on political loyalty rather than combat effectiveness.
“The core of the PLA’s political management system includes political commissioners, party committees and political organization systems,” Heath wrote in his paper. “These management is designed to ensure military subordination to CCP authorities, all at the expense of reducing the effectiveness of potential combat.”
Despite extensive investments in military modernization, including an increase in warships and fighter jets, the PLA’s lack of real-world combat experience raises concerns about preparations for conflict with the United States.
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The authors point out that the PLA has not fought war since 1979, and recent exercises have been criticized for their lack of integration and effectiveness.
“Chinese media is slurping criticism of the inability of the military to carry out unified joint operations and lack of combat readiness,” Heath said, citing widespread complaints within the ranks.
According to Heath, its political structure is at the heart of the military’s lack of operational readiness. The political commissioner was a military officer tasked with enforcing loyalty to the CCP, and held equal authority with military commanders, preventing timely decision-making.
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Heath points out that these committee members are often criticized for lacking military knowledge and physical fitness, further reducing the PLA’s fighting capabilities.
PLA centralized command structure problem
The decision-making process is further complicated by the existence of party committees that must approve most military actions. Even basic operational decisions, the need for higher levels of government approval raised concerns about the military’s ability to effectively respond in the crisis.
The requirement for party committee approval for most decisions raises questions about the speed and efficiency of decision-making in combat. This system of approval and centralized management provides minimal motivation for commanders to take independent actions.
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Beyond structural issues, Heath stands up to the powerful enemy, such as the US military, that PLA focuses on political loyalty and reflected in recruitment practices, promotions and the existence of corruption. It claims to hinder the development of a capable military.
Researchers point out that the incomplete nature of military reforms designed to improve combat readiness suggests that these goals are secondary to maintaining CCP rules. Masu.
While the modern capabilities of the PLA are impressive, Chinese leaders have little desire to engage in traditional wars with the United States, particularly over Taiwan.
Furthermore, the Chinese Communist Party’s focus has largely focused on domestic issues such as corruption, unemployment and social unrest rather than military conflict.
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According to Heath, Xi Jinping’s rhetoric about Taiwan unification is primarily stylistic, consistent with previous administrations, and lacks the urgency typically seen before major military involvement. .
“There is no research into how the Chinese military can beat the US military at academy belonging to the Chinese military,” Heath added, adding that the PLA has a comprehensive plan on how to occupy and control Taiwan. He said it wasn’t published.
Heath argues that the lack of such research raises questions about the strength and seriousness of China’s military programmes despite modernization efforts. Beijing’s military preparations continue, but Heath says that the CCP far more than engages in full-scale conflicts, using economic, political and military tools to block Taiwan’s independence I claim that I’m interested.
Nevertheless, the possibility of conflict remains, especially if China continues to decline. In such a scenario, Heath warns that the PLA could increasingly prioritize the survival of the administration over military involvement, prompting the United States to reevaluate its threat framework.
The report suggests that the US should consider a wider potential threat, while recognizing the remote potential of traditional wars with China.
The new report highlights the flaws in the PLA’s centralized command structure, but China’s military doctrine emphasizes political surveillance and ideological unity as an essential safeguard against military disobedience.
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Analyst Payton Lawson in a November 2023 article for strategists I looked it up PLA’s dual command system that integrates both military and political leadership to ensure unwavering CCP management.
This structure is designed to prevent independent military actions that could challenge party powers and strengthen the main role of Pra as a national tool rather than an autonomous combat force.
Lawson said that the PLA’s command framework consists of party committees, political committees and various political organisations, all of which work together to support party leadership, fight corruption and ideological alignment. Work to maintain.
These mechanisms allow military operations to be consistent with the CCP’s objectives and prevent deviations from parties’ directives.
