Title page
Contents
PREFACE 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
CHAPTER 1: UNDERSTANDING CHINA'S STRATEGY 17
CHINA'S NATIONAL STRATEGY 18
FOREIGN POLICY 28
ECONOMIC POLICY 35
MILITARY-CIVIL FUSION DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY 42
DEFENSE POLICY AND MILITARY STRATEGY 48
CHAPTER 2: MISSIONS, TASKS, AND MODERNIZATION OF CHINA'S ARMED FORCES IN THE "NEW ERA" 61
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PLA'S MODERNIZATION AND REFORM 62
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY ARMY (PLAA) 64
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY (PLAN) 68
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY AIR FORCE (PLAAF) AND PLAN AVIATION 74
PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY ROCKET FORCE (PLARF) 79
STRATEGIC SUPPORT FORCE (SSF) 85
JOINT LOGISTIC SUPPORT FORCE (JLSF) 90
MILITARY READINESS 91
INCREASING INTEROPERABILITY WITH PARAMILITARY AND MILITIA 93
PLA CAPABILITIES IN DEVELOPMENT 96
MILITARY CAPABILITIES FOR A2/AD WITHIN THE FIRST ISLAND CHAIN 96
MILITARY CAPABILITIES FOR POWER PROJECTION BEYOND THE FIRST ISLAND CHAIN 100
ADVANCING TOWARD AN INFORMATIZED MILITARY 105
NUCLEAR DETERRENCE 109
CHAPTER 3: FORCES, CAPABILITIES, AND ACTIVITIES ON CHINA'S PERIPHERY 117
EASTERN THEATER COMMAND 119
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SECURITY SITUATION IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT 120
EAST CHINA SEA 121
SOUTHERN THEATER COMMAND 123
SOUTH CHINA SEA 124
WESTERN THEATER COMMAND 128
CHINA-INDIA BORDER 128
NORTHERN THEATER COMMAND 131
RELATIONS WITH NORTH KOREA 131
CENTRAL THEATER COMMAND 134
CHINA'S STRATEGY AND CAPABILITIES DEVELOPMENT IN THE TAIWAN STRAIT 136
CHINA'S COURSES OF ACTION AGAINST TAIWAN 137
THE PLA'S CURRENT POSTURE FOR A TAIWAN CONFLICT 140
TAIWAN'S DEFENSIVE CAPABILITIES 143
CHAPTER 4: THE PLA'S GROWING GLOBAL PRESENCE 145
CHINA'S ONE BELT, ONE ROAD (OBOR) INITIATIVE 147
CHINA'S GLOBAL MILITARY ACTIVITIES 148
PLA OVERSEAS BASING AND ACCESS 152
THE PRC'S INFLUENCE OPERATIONS 154
CHINA IN THE ARCTIC 156
CHINA'S HYDROCARBON STRATEGY 157
CHAPTER 5: RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY FOR FORCE MODERNIZATION 161
MILITARY EXPENDITURES TRENDS 163
DEVELOPMENTS AND TRENDS IN CHINA'S DEFENSE SYSTEM 165
MILITARY INDUSTRIAL BASE TRENDS 167
S&T GOALS IN SUPPORT OF MILITARY MODERNIZATION 168
FOREIGN TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION 172
ESPIONAGE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING CHINA'S MILITARY MODERNIZATION 174
CHAPTER 6: U.S.-CHINA DEFENSE CONTACTS AND EXCHANGES 177
DEFENSE CONTACTS AND EXCHANGES IN 2019 179
PLANNING FOR DEFENSE CONTACTS AND EXCHANGES IN 2020 182
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PRE'S 2019 DEFENSE WHITE PAPER 183
SPECIAL TOPIC: PLA'S APPROACH TOWARD INFORMATIZATION AND INTELLIGENTIZATION, INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 185
SPECIAL TOPIC: EMERGING MILITARY CAMPAIGN CONCEPTS 187
APPENDIX I: CHINA AND TAIWAN FORCES DATA 188
APPENDIX II: DEFENSE CONTACTS EXCHANGES 191
APPENDIX III: SELECTED PLA BILATERAL AND MULTILATERAL EXERCISES IN 2019 193
APPENDIX IV: CHINA'S TOP CRUDE SUPPLIERS IN 2019 194
APPENDIX V: ACRONYMS 195