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China's Military in Transition: Politics, Professionalism, Procurement and Power Projection*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 February 2009
Extract
International attention is increasingly focusing on the modernization of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Discussions about the Chinese military have moved from intelligence circles and esoteric defence journals into the global media spotlight. Chinese moves in Burma and the South China Sea, continued nuclear testing, arms purchases and, exports, lack of budgetary transparency, increasing influence in elite politics and the political succession to Deng Xiaoping, and coercive pressure against Taiwan have all drawn attention to the PLA and have contributed to growing concerns about a muscular and assertive China.
- Type
- The People's Liberation Army Towards the 21st Century: Continuity and Change
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- Copyright © The China Quarterly 1996
References
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23 Interview with Japanese Foreign Ministry, April 1994.
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42 Personal communication from knowledgeable Bermuda banker, 4 April 1995.
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57 “Veteran General Zhang Zhen's students are all over the three armed services,” Ming bao(Hong Kong), 9 November 1992, in FBIS-CHI, 13 November 1992, p. 40.
58 “PLA officers, soldiers become better trained,” p. 58.
59 “National Defence University reforms education,” Xinhua Domestic Service, 22 August 1992, in FBIS-CHI, 26 August 192, p. 42.
60 Ibid.
61 Xinhua Domestic Service dispatch, 17 July 1994, in FBIS-CHI, 19 July 1994, p. 32.
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69 The best and most comprehensive source is Gill and Kim, China's Arms Acquisitions.
70 This assumes smooth development and production-an assumption which historically is not a safe one. The development of a variety of aircraft and guidance and propulsion systems, as well as submarine programmes have long been plagued by design and production difficulties.
71 General Jimmy D. Ross (U.S. Army Rtd.), lecture at the PLA National Defence University, 25 May 1994. This claim was not reassuring to the audience of PLA officers.
72 United States General Accounting Office, Impact of China's Military Modernization in the Pacific Region,p. 16.
73 For explorations of the issues involved in calculating Chinese military expenditure and estimates of defence spending see International Institute of Strategic Studies, “China's military expenditure”; “World military expenditure: China”; Bitzinger and Chong-Pin Lin, Off the Books;Wang Shaoguang, “China's defence expenditure,” The China Quarterly,September 1996, forthcoming; Harris, James et al.,“Interpreting trends in Chinese defense spending,” in United States Congress Joint Economic Committee, China's Economic Dilemmas in the 1990s(Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1991), pp. 676–677Google Scholar; and Shambaugh, David, “Wealth in search of power: the Chinese defense budget and revenue base,” paper presented at the conference on “Economic Reform and Chinese Security,” Hong Kong, July 1994.Google Scholar
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81 No author, “New ships for the PLAN,” Jane's Defense Weekly,18 January 1992, p. 88; Caldwell, China's Conventional Military Capabilities,p. 7.
82 Acquired from Germany and the United States, respectively, prior to 1989.
83 Jane's Fighting Ships, 1992–93(Surrey, UK: Janes Information Group, 1993), p. 113.
84 China built 50 of the Dauphin-IIunder licence from France. The Chinese designation is Z-9 or Z-9A.
85 Cowan, Warships,p. 129.
86 “New ships for the PLAN,” p. 88.
87 “China's new naval missile,” International Defense Review(July 1992), p. 636.
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92 Janes Fighting Ships 1992–1993,p. 108.
93 Starr, Barbara, “USA keeps an eye on slow ‘Kilo’ to China,” Jane's Defense Weekly(25 February 1995), p. 3. Also see “Further on purchase of Russian submarines,” Asahi Shinbum,7 March 1995, in FBIS-CHI, 8 March 1995. p. 44.Google Scholar
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101 Israel has continuously refused to comment on the issue. Among the numerous reports of Israeli assistance see Fulgham, David A., “New Chinese fighter nears prototyping,” Aviation Week and Space Technology,13 March 1995, pp. 26–27; and “China pursuing two fighter plan,” Aviation Week and Space Technology,27 March 1995, pp. 44–45Google Scholar; ann, Jim, “U.S. says Israel gave combat jet planes to China,” Los Angeles Times,28 December 1994, p. 1.Google Scholar
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103 Quoted in “China to build new fighter by 2000,“ World Aviation, Space & Electronics Air Letter,No. 12,915, 20 January 1994, p. 1.
104 See also Shambaugh, David, ”Taiwan's security,“ The China Quarterly(December 1996), forthcoming.Google Scholar
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