China's Military Is Getting More Lethal

Soldiers stand at attention during the training for the military parade of the 60th National Day celebration, Beijing, September 7, 2009. [Xinhua]

Dingding Chen, The Diplomat: Take Notice, Asia: China's Military Is Getting Leaner and More Lethal

Reforms to the People’s Liberation Army will help the Chinese military emerge as a more potent war-fighting force.

After a long delay, China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army, is finally beginning to reform itself in a big way (see here, here, and here for details). These reform measures are the most significant changes to the PLA since the 1950s and will have huge implications for China’s future international behavior and global order.

The details of the sweeping reforms are hard to list here, but the major ones include strengthening the role of the Central Military Commission, restructuring the existing seven military regions, cutting off some non-military organizations, and increasing the power of the Military Party Discipline Commission. Combined with President Xi Jinping’s promise in September to cut 300,000 troops, these reforms are indeed unprecedented.

WNU Editor: The Chinese have abandoned the Soviet military model .... and are embracing the U.S. one.