Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T17:50:21.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Changing Concepts of Doctrine, Strategy and Operations in the Chinese People's Liberation Army 1978–87*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 February 2009

Paul H. B. Godwin
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Introduction Since the late 1970s, when the current programmes seeking to modernize China's defence establishment began, issues of military doctrine, strategy and operations have remained at the forefront of China's quest for a defence capacity capable of being ranked among the world's great powers. As the Chinese leadership contemplated defence modernization, they could not but recognize the Janus-like quality of their armed forces. One face looked back on the people's war traditions that served them so well and for so long, while the other faced the complexities of conventional and strategic nuclear warfare and deterrence in the latter part of the 20th century.

Type
Research Article
Information
The China Quarterly , Volume 112 , December 1987 , pp. 572 - 590
Copyright
Copyright © The China Quarterly 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Xiangqian, Xu, “Strive to achieve modernization in national defence, Hongqi (Red Flag), No. 10 (2 October 1979); in Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Daily Report: People's Republic of China (hereafter FBIS-CHI), No. 203 (18 October 1979), p. LI 6.Google Scholar

2. Ibid. p. LI5.

3. Xiaohong, Cai, Wang Subo and Wang Dong, “Strategic competition has extended to outer space and the oceans—eighth in a series of articles on strategic studies in the development of national defence,” Jiefangjun bao (Liberation Army Daily), 2 January 1987, p. 3; in FBIS-CHI, No. 021 (2 February 1987), pp. Al/6.Google Scholar

4. Georges, Tan Eng Bok, “Strategic doctrine,” in Segal, Gerald and Tow, William T. (eds), Chinese Defense Policy (London: Macmillan Press, 1984), pp. 6–10.Google Scholar

5. “On protracted war,” in Selected Military Writings of Mao Tse-tung (hereafter SMW) (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1972), pp. 226–28.

6. Note 2, “Problems of strategy in China's revolutionary war,” SMW, p. 147.

7. See Rice, Condoleezza, “The making of Soviet military strategy,” in Paret, Peter (ed.), Makers of Modern Strategy (Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1986), pp. 663–64.Google Scholar

8. “Problems of strategy in China's revolutionary war,” SMW, p. 79.

9. Xiangqian, Xu, “Strive to achieve modernization,” p. LI6.Google Scholar

10. Shangkun, Yang, “Steadfastly uphold and develop Mao Zedong's military thought—commemorating the 90th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong,” Renmin ribao (People's Dailv), 26 December 1983; in Joint Publications Research Service (henceforth JPRS), China Report, No. 008 (24 January 1984), p. 42.Google Scholar

11. See Tai, Ming Cheung, “Trends in the research of China's military strategy,” Survival (May-June 1987), pp. 239–59, for an excellent survey of military research centres and the topics they are pursuing.Google Scholar

12. Aiping, Zhang, “Several questions concerning modernization of national defense,” Hongqi, No. 5 (1 March 1983); in FBIS-CHI, No. 053 (17 March 1983), p. K2.Google Scholar

13. These criticisms were made by Xiaoping, Deng in his speech at the enlarged meeting of the Military Commission on 14 July 1985, “The task of consolidating the army,” in Selected Works of Deng Xiaoping “1975–1982” (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1984), pp. 33–34.Google Scholar

14. Ibid. p. 27.

15. See Tow's, William T. thoughtful analysis, “The interplay of science and technology in Chinese military modernization,” in Lovejoy, Charles D. Jr., and Watson, Bruce W. (eds), China's Military Reforms: International and Domestic Implications (Boulder: Westview Press, 1986), pp. 15–34.Google Scholar

16. “Nieh Jung-chen's “Nie Rongzhen” 4 August Speech at the National Militia Conference,” Beijing, NCNA Domestic Services, 7 August 1978; in FBIS-CHI, No. 154(9 August 1978), p. E7.

17. He, Zong, “Tentative discussion of the characteristics of modern warfare” Shijie zhishi (World Knowledge), No. 15 (1 August 1983); in JPRS, China Report, No. 461 (11 October 1983), p. 79.Google Scholar

18. Jiang, Su, “Unscientific trends in military theory,” Zhexue yanjiu (Philosophical Studies), No. 5 (n.d.); in FBIS-CHI, No. 126 (29 June 1983), p. K7.Google Scholar

19. Shilun, Song first outlined the emphasis on positional warfare supported by mobile defence in “Mao's military thinking is the guide to our armies victories,” Hongqi, No. 16 (16 August 1981); in FBIS-CHI, No. 81 (17 September 1981), pp. K21–22.Google Scholar

20. Order of battle information is taken from The Military Balance 1986–1987 (London: The International Institute for Strategic Studies, Autumn 1986), pp. 142–45.

21. Shilun, Song, “Mao's military thinking,” p. K21.Google Scholar

22. “Nieh Jung-chen's 4 August speech.”

23. Baoshan, Xu, “We must be prepared to fight nuclear war in the first stages of any future war,” Jiefangjun bao, 16 September 1979; in JPRS, China Report, No. 088 (4 June 1980), pp. 97–99.Google Scholar

24. Jencks, Harlan W. has provided a detailed critique of this strategy in ‘“People's war under modern conditions’: wishful thinking, national suicide, or effective deterrent?”, The China Quarterly, No. 98 (June 1984), pp. 305–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

25. Editorial, Jiefangjun bao, 4 March 1983; in FBIS-CHI, No. 045 (7 March 1983), pp. K17–18.

26. Beijing, Xinhua Domestic Service, 11 June 1985; in FBIS-CHI, No. 113 (12 June 1985), pp. Kl-3.

27. Dezhi, Yang, “A strategic decision in strengthening the building of our army in the new period,” Hongqi, No. 15 (1 August 1985); in FBIS-CHI, No. 153 (8 August 1985), pp. Kl-7.Google Scholar

28. Ibid. p. K4.

29. Ibid. p. K3.

30. Wei, Li, “China makes remarkable progress this year in army modernization work,” Beijing, Zhongguo xinwen she, 26 December 1985; in FBIS-CHI, No. 250 (30 December 1985), p. Kl 3.Google Scholar

31. Ta, Kung Pao (Hong Kong), 16 February 1986; in FBIS-CHI, No. 032 (18 February 1986), p. W12.Google Scholar

32. Ibid. p.W11.

33. See my discussion of this problem in “People's war revised: doctrine, strategy, and operations,” Lovejoy and Watson, China's Military Reforms, pp. 8–9.

34. Beijing, Xinhua, 22 April 1986; in FBIS-CH1, 24 April 1986, p. K9.

35. Heping, Hong, “Air force universally establishes joint operation training zones,” Jiefangjun bao, 9 January 1987; in JPRS, China Report, No. 035 (6 May 1987), p. 81.Google Scholar

36. Beijing, Xinhua, 26 January 1987; in FBIS-CHI, No. 021 (2 February 1987), p. K19.

37. See, for example, the photographs and descriptions in CONMILIT(Hong Kong), No. 122(1 January 1987), p. 2.

38. Qinsheng, ZhangHunan, Liang and Xiaoyin, Yan “A study of local war theory,” Liaowang (Outlook) (overseas edition; Hong Kong), No. 37 (15 September 1986); in FBIS-CHI, No. 183 (23 September 1986), p. K5.Google Scholar

39. Ibid. p. K6.

40. Ibid. p. K6.

41. Chengbin, Wang “Changes in strategy and deepening the reform in training,” Jiefangjun bao, 6 February 1987; in FBIS-CHI, No. 040 (2 March 1987), pp. K.32–35.Google Scholar

42. Jian, Zhang “It is still necessary to base our plans on fighting a major war,” Jiefangjun bao, 24 April 1987; in FBIS-CHI, No. 085 (4 May 1987), p. A2.Google Scholar

43. Ibid.

44. Jianzhi, Zhang “Views on medium-sized nuclear powers's nuclear strategy,” Jiefangjun bao, 20 March 1987; in FBIS-CHI, No. 062 (1 April 1987), p. K29.Google Scholar

45. Ibid. p. K31.

46. Ibid. p. K32.

47. Ibid.

48. Ibid. p. K33.

49. Ibid. p. K30.

50. Ibid. p. K31.

51. Beijing, Xinhua, 1 February 1987; in FBIS-CH1, No. 021 (2 February 1987), p. K19.

52. Shiyang, Pan, “Thoughts about the principal contradiction in our country's national defense construction,” Jiefangjun bao, 14 April 1987; in FBIS-CHI, No. 082 (29 April 1987), p. K.14.Google Scholar

53. Ibid.

54. Ibid. p. K.15.

55. Beijing, Xinhua, 11 June 1985;in FBIS-CHI,No. 113(12 June 1985), pp. Kl-3, esp. p. 2.

56. Dezhi, Yang, “A strategic decision,” p. K3.Google Scholar