Andrew S. Erickson

Edward Francis, Jennifer Chang, and Ken Allen, The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Type 23 Military Ribbons: Turning Chicken Ribs into Chicken Drumsticks (Vienna, VA: Exovera, 15 August 2024).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A CACHED COPY.
This report analyzes the PLA’s new “Type 23” military ribbon system, implemented in January, 2023. This comprehensive study examines how the revamped system […]

Continue Reading

Legendary China military analyst Ken Allen provided the following written testimony for USCC to accompany the Commission’s release of his coauthored BluePath Labs report, Personnel of the People’s Liberation Army. It is published, with permission, for the first time here. Click here to download a cached PDF.

Kenneth W. Allen
Independent Consultant, China Military Analyst
Written testimony for […]

Continue Reading

The RAND Corporation is hiring two China-specific positions: a China researcher position for mid-career or senior researchers and a China analyst position for early career folks.
China Defense & Security Researcher (mid-career/senior position)

Position description
RAND advises a variety of national security clients, including a wide array of DoD organizations, U.S. allies and partners, and foundations, on policy-level […]

Continue Reading

Important new book! Cutting-edge contributions from innovative authors on critical topics of concern—could hardly be more relevant today!
Book from the People’s Liberation Army Conference

China’s Military Decision-making in Times of Crisis and Conflict

Edited by Roy D. Kamphausen
September 26, 2023 // The National Bureau of Asian Research

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD FULL-TEXT PDF.

China’s Military Decision-making in Times […]

Continue Reading

Apply here to become first-ever Research Professor of China Military Studies at The United States Army War College’s brand new China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC)! CLSC will be similar to the centers at other professional military educational institutions such as National Defense University, Air University, and the Naval War College.

By bringing cutting-edge insights regarding PRC […]

Continue Reading

Honored to meet President Tsai Ing-wen in 2016 and 2023—bookends to a historic presidency.

It was wonderful to discuss key issues with a great leader and hear her insights on 29 June 2023 as part of the Wilson Center’s week-long delegation to Taiwan.

Official news release:

President Tsai Meets Delegation from the Wilson Center
29 June 2023
On the afternoon […]

Continue Reading

A comprehensive compendium of PLAN, PLAAF, CCG ships & aircraft + missiles/weapons & sensors from 1955 to present, as found nowhere else… 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 Trilogy Group, […]

Continue Reading

Only from the Admiralty Trilogy Group… Check out these unique, fully updated Soviet/Russian orders of battle from 1955 to the present: (1) naval ships and (2) military aircraft! Consult these unparalleled unclassified references for analysis or war gaming today!
First, a comprehensive compendium of Moscow’s naval ships and associated missiles/weapons & sensors from seven decades ago […]

Continue Reading

Great news! The U.S. Army War College is establishing a China military studies center at Carlisle Barracks, PA. The center will be similar to those at other professional military educational institutions such as National Defense University, Air University, and the Naval War College.
The China Landpower Studies Center will uniquely focus on the study of the […]

Continue Reading

Updated with non-substantive copy edits 26 December 2022
THE PENTAGON’S 2022 CHINA MILITARY POWER REPORT: MY SUMMARY

XI’S VISION MATERIALIZING—RELENTLESS RAMP-UP TOWARD 2027 & BEYOND

ANDREW S. ERICKSON
Andrew S. Erickson, “The Pentagon’s 2022 China Military Power Report: My Summary,” China Analysis from Original Sources 以第一手资料研究中国, 25 December 2022.

A printable version of my summary is available here.

Document analyzed: Office […]

Continue Reading

My initial take:
This year’s report documents a relentless ramp-up of PRC military capabilities toward 2027 and beyond. Despite having over 400 nuclear warheads already, and expanding at a rate that would reach 1,500 by 2035, Beijing refuses to acknowledge its buildup, let alone engage in arms control discussions. We are seeing the dangerous results of […]

Continue Reading

This post is under construction. Please check back soon for new content.
Meanwhile, if you haven’t already, please be sure to examine the superb new edited volume detailed below…
***
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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading

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 […]

Continue Reading