Title page
Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3
1. UNDERSTANDING CHINA'S STRATEGY 10
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES 12
FOREIGN POLICY 16
DEVELOPMENTS IN ECONOMIC POLICY 19
CHINA'S HYDROCARBON STRATEGY 22
MILITARY STRATEGY AND DOCTRINE 23
CIVIL-MILITARY INTEGRATION (CMI) 31
MILITARY EXERCISES AND TRAINING 32
MILITARY COOPERATION 34
2. FORCE MODERNIZATION GOALS AND TRENDS 40
CURRENT CAPABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY 41
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY ARMY (PLAA) 41
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY (PLAN) 45
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE (PLAAF) AND PLAN AVIATION 50
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY ROCKET FORCE (PLARF) 54
STRATEGIC SUPPORT FORCE (SSF) 58
JOINT LOGISTICS SUPPORT FORCE (JLSF) 61
INCREASING INTEROPERABILITY WITH PARAMILITARY AND MILITIA 62
PLA CAPABILITIES IN DEVELOPMENT 64
ANTI-ACCESS/AREA DENIAL (A2/AD) 64
POWER PROJECTION 68
ADVANCING TOWARD AN INFORMATIZED MILITARY 73
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE 75
3. CAPABILITIES FOR OPERATIONS ALONG CHINA'S PERIPHERY 78
EASTERN THEATER COMMAND 79
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT 80
EAST CHINA SEA 81
SOUTHERN THEATER COMMAND 83
SOUTH CHINA SEA 83
WESTERN THEATER COMMAND 87
CHINA-INDIA BORDER 87
NORTHERN THEATER COMMAND 89
RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA 89
CENTRAL THEATER COMMAND 91
CHINA'S STRATEGY AND CAPABILITIES DEVELOPMENT IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT 93
CHINA'S COURSES OF ACTION AGAINST TAIWAN 94
THE PLA'S CURRENT POSTURE FOR A TAIWAN CONFLICT 97
TAIWAN'S DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES 100
4. RESOURCES FOR FORCE MODERNIZATION 102
MILITARY EXPENDITURES TRENDS 103
DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN CHINA'S DEFENSE INDUSTRY 106
MILITARY EQUIPMENT MODERNIZATION TRENDS 108
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY GOALS IN SUPPORT OF MILITARY MODERNIZATION 109
FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION 112
ESPIONAGE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING CHINA'S MILITARY MODERNIZATION 113
5. U.S.-CHINA MILITARY-TO-MILITARY CONTACTS 116
U.S. STRATEGY FOR ENGAGEMENT 117
MILITARY-TO-MILITARY ENGAGEMENT IN 2018 - HIGHLIGHTS 118
PLANNING FOR MILITARY-TO MILITARY ENGAGEMENTS IN 2019 121
SPECIAL TOPIC: INFLUENCE OPERATIONS 122
SPECIAL TOPIC: CHINA IN THE ARCTIC 124
APPENDIX I: CHINA AND TAIWAN FORCES DATA 125
APPENDIX II: MILITARY-TO-MILITARY EXCHANGES 128
APPENDIX III: CHINA'S TOP CRUDE SUPPLIERS IN 2018 130
APPENDIX IV: ACRONYMS 131