Title page
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
1. ANNUAL UPDATE 9
NEW IN THE REPORT FOR 2017 10
DEVELOPMENTS IN MILITARY STRUCTURE, DOCTRINE, AND TRAINING 11
STRUCTURAL REFORM 11
MILITARY STRATEGY AND DOCTRINE 16
MILITARY EXERCISES AND TRAINING 16
ANTICORRUPTION CAMPAIGN 18
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT 18
DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA'S TERRITORIAL AND MARITIME DISPUTES 21
SOUTH CHINA SEA 21
EAST CHINA SEA 23
CHINA-INDIA-BHUTAN BORDER 23
DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA'S FOREIGN MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS 27
MILITARY COOPERATION 27
MILITARY DIPLOMACY 30
CURRENT CAPABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY 33
PLA ARMY 33
PLA NAVY 37
PLA AIR FORCE AND PLA NAVY AVIATION 42
PLA ROCKET FORCE (PLARF) 45
STRATEGIC SUPPORT FORCE (SSF) 48
2. UNDERSTANDING CHINA'S STRATEGY 51
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 52
MILITARY STRATEGY 54
FOREIGN POLICY 59
DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINA'S ECONOMIC POLICY 60
3. FORCE MODERNIZATION GOALS AND TRENDS 67
PLA CAPABILITIES IN DEVELOPMENT 68
ANTI-ACCESS/AREA DENIAL 68
PLA POWER PROJECTION 74
ADVANCING TOWARD AN INFORMATIZED MILITARY 82
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE 84
4. RESOURCES FOR FORCE MODERNIZATION 89
MILITARY EXPENDITURES TRENDS 90
DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN CHINA'S DEFENSE INDUSTRY 93
MILITARY EQUIPMENT MODERNIZATION TRENDS 94
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY GOALS IN SUPPORT OF MILITARY MODERNIZATION 96
FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION 97
5. FORCE MODERNIZATION FOR A TAIWAN CONTINGENCY 101
CHINA'S STRATEGY IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT 102
CHINA'S COURSES OF ACTION AGAINST TAIWAN 103
THE PLA'S CURRENT POSTURE FOR A TAIWAN CONFLICT 109
TAIWAN'S DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES 110
6. U.S.-CHINA MILITARY-TO-MILITARY CONTACTS 113
U.S. STRATEGY FOR ENGAGEMENT 114
MILITARY-TO-MILITARY ENGAGEMENT IN 2017 - HIGHLIGHTS 115
SPECIAL TOPIC 120
CHINA'S EXPANDING GLOBAL INFLUENCE 120
CHINA'S APPROACH TO NORTH KOREA 122
PLA PROGRESS IN BECOMING A JOINT FORCE 124
OVERWATER BOMBER OPERATIONS 127
XI JINPING'S INNOVATION-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 130
APPENDIX I: CHINA AND TAIWAN FORCES DATA 132
APPENDIX II: MILITARY-TO-MILITARY EXCHANGES 135
APPENDIX III: ACRONYMS 137