Andrew S. Erickson

Sarah Kirchberger, Svenja Sinjen, and Nils Wörmer, eds., Russia-China Relations: Emerging Alliance or Eternal Rivals? (New York, NY: Springer, 2022).
Click here to access full-text PDF.

This open access book examines Russia-China relations across a variety of civilian and military areas of cooperation. It provides an up-to-date assessment of strategic cooperation fields between China and Russia; examines the potential […]

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Li Weichao, “China Launches Third Aircraft Carrier,” Xinhua, 17 June 2022.

Photo taken on June 17, 2022 shows the launching ceremony of China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, in east China’s Shanghai. The carrier, named after Fujian Province, was completely designed and built by the country. (Xinhua/Li Gang) 
SHANGHAI, June 17 (Xinhua) — China launched its third […]

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Great chapter by CMSI’s own Prof. Kardon in NBR volume edited by Nadège Rolland analyzing critical infrastructure development by PRC-affiliated entities in Africa. Insights regarding PRC motives, Huawei undersea cables, and more! Download full text, read key excerpts/highlights here…
Xi Jinping: “there’s a common saying, ‘if you want to get rich, first build a road,’ but in […]

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Now making big waves… I’ve strongly encouraged and am deeply familiar with this body of work. Profs. Isaac Kardon and Wendy Leutert’s well-placed article is a cutting-edge piece of scholarship that elucidates important areas of China and its role in our world today. It probes the PRC “Port-folio” around the world with unique academic methodological discipline […]

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Check out this must-read testimony on China’s energy import dependency from Gabe Collins at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy! It’s part of a timely U.S.-China Economic & Security Review Commission (USCC) hearing on PRC energy issues…
Watch the webcast, read the text, or just scroll through Gabe’s 16 data-rich exhibits—and I guarantee you’ll come […]

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China to raise military budget by 7.1% this year
By Zhao Lei | China Daily | Updated: 2022-03-06 14:10

China plans to raise its annual defense budget by 7.1 percent to 1.45 trillion yuan ($230 billion) for the 2022 fiscal year, its seventh-straight year of single-digit growth, according to a draft budget plan unveiled on Saturday.
The figures were […]

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A comprehensive order of battle containing all aircraft in service over the previous seven decades right up to now in Moscow’s Naval Aviation (AVMF), Military Air Force (VVS), Air Defense Forces (PVO), and Long-Range Aviation (DA). Use this unique and timely unclassified reference for open source research and war gaming!
Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, and Peter […]

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A comprehensive compendium of Moscow’s naval ships and associated missiles/weapons & sensors from seven decades ago to right now, as you’ve never seen them before… Consult this unparalleled unclassified reference for analysis or war gaming today! 
Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, and Peter Grining, Russia’s Navy: The Soviet and Russian Navy, 1955 – Present Day (Admiralty Trilogy Group, […]

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Bottom line up front: Virtue signaling is no substitute for deterrence signaling!
Andrew S. Erickson, “Putin’s Ukraine Invasion Underscores: Nuclear Posture Review Must Preserve (Extended) Deterrence 100%, Avoid Dangerous ‘Sole Purpose’ Language, etc.,” China Analysis from Original Sources 以第一手资料研究中国, 24 February 2022.
As tonight’s unfolding Ukraine tragedy underscores only too starkly, the Biden Administration must preserve deterrence, including […]

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Rear Admiral Eric A. McVadon, Jr. was a Naval Aviator, Vietnam War veteran, Commanding Officer of Naval Station Keflavik (Iceland), and celebrated U.S. Defense Attaché in Beijing (1990–92). With his deep experience, thoughtfulness, and infectious enthusiasm, he was a valued mentor to many China Hands.

True to form, he was also a great friend and supporter […]

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This Decade of Danger is poised to represent the most critical period in U.S.-China great power competition, and will play a decisive role in determining its outcome. As part of his efforts to build a world-class military, Commander-in-Chief Xi Jinping has established a new goal of accelerating important aspects of that modernization—shifting forward the development of certain capabilities—for […]

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Updated 7 November 2021
The Pentagon’s 2021 China Military Power Report: My Summary
Worth Waiting For—Now No Time to Waste!
Andrew S. Erickson
Andrew S. Erickson, “The Pentagon’s 2021 China Military Power Report: My Summary,” China Analysis from Original Sources 以第一手资料研究中国, 5 November 2021.

Click here for a printable PDF version.
Despite coming out late in the year, the Pentagon’s 2021 […]

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Despite coming out late in the year, the Pentagon’s 2021 China Military Power Report (CMPR) was worth the wait!
Since the first edition in 2000, the annual CMPR issued by the Department of Defense (DoD) has offered government-verified data on China’s meteoric military rise simply unfindable or unconfirmable anywhere else.
Among today’s top takeaways: in a shocking […]

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I am forever honored to have met Colin Powell, then Secretary of State, during his July 28–29, 2001 visit to Beijing, China.

[PHOTO: Andrew S. Erickson and fellow interns with Secretary of State Colin Powell, U.S. Embassy Beijing, July 2001. Newly-arrived Ambassador Clark T. “Sandy” Randt Jr. (雷德) stands in background.]
Powell quietly commanded respect—exuding maximum authority […]

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A comprehensive compendium of PLAN, PLAAF, CCG ships & aircraft + missiles/weapons & sensors from 1955 to present, as you’ve never seen them before… Consult this unparalleled unclassified reference for analysis or gaming today! 
Larry Bond, Chris Carlson, and Peter Grining, eds., China’s Navy: Ships and Aircraft of the People’s Republic of China, 1955 – 2021 (Admiralty […]

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Timely, relevant, and predictive analysis by brilliant analyst Thomas Shugart. Best read together with (1) the pathbreaking, widely-cited article by Conor Kennedy that he mentions, and (2) the Quick Look summary of the CMSI Conference to which both superstars made critical contributions. I’ve linked all three pieces here; please scroll down to access all now!
Thomas Shugart, […]

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Established in 2017, the Naval War College (NWC) Civilian Faculty Research Excellence Award is presented annually to the faculty member of the College who has exhibited the highest quality of achievement through research on behalf of the College over the preceding three years. This year, at Monday’s Faculty Cloister in Newport, RI, my China Maritime Studies […]

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It’s not often that an article opens up a major window into a vital, under-studied area. Leading Tibetan scholar Robert Barnett and colleagues do so by probing acutely the intersection of geopolitics with the lives of those compelled to serve in frontline positions by Party persistence. This must-read piece, like its predecessor in a two-part […]

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Conor Kennedy, “Ramping the Strait: Quick and Dirty Solutions to Boost Amphibious Lift,” Jamestown China Brief 21.14 (16 July 2021).

Introduction
The threat of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) using military force to coerce or perhaps launch an amphibious invasion of Taiwan has received significant attention in the past year. Meanwhile, the recent commissioning of the PLA […]

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