The Chinese PLA Threat

Listen to "The Chinese PLA Threat"

China's People's Liberation Army is threatening to the United States Armed Forces because it is fighting a "People's War" (7 million Chinese troops vs. 2.5 million US troops) under "modern conditions" (China's GDP will exceed America's by 2011). China also has significant international backing from the UN, ASEAN, SCO, etc. Therefore, these two superpowers are destined to clash in some way.

• When (analysis of each area is included in episode):
• Unconventional Warfare: US is way ahead
• Air Forces: US is ahead
• Naval Forces: US is ahead
• Ground Forces: US is ahead, but China is quickly catching up (this means that China will be able to fight regional conflicts but not global ones)
• Where (analysis of each area is included in episode):
• Taiwan
• Kazakhstan
• North Korea
• Middle East
• India
• Southeast Asia

Accompanying powerpoint can be purchased here:

For more information, read:
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/index.html.
http://www.comw.org/cmp/.
Annual Report to Congress (2005): The Military Power of the People's Republic of China
The Asian Conventional Military Balance (2006)

Military History Podcast is sponsored by Armchair General Magazine and the International Research and Publishing Corporation