Archive | Blog Posts

13 May 2013

Toward “Land” or Toward “Sea”? The High-Speed Railway and China’s Grand Strategy

Looking for substantive geostrategic analysis by a top Chinese scholar? Read on!
Wu Zhengyu, “Toward ‘Land’ or Toward ‘Sea’? The High-Speed Railway and China’s Grand Strategy,” Naval War College Review 66.3 (Summer 2013): 53-65.
China’s maritime development having come up against pressures and challenges in recent years, the concept of “strategic hedging”—that is, pursuit of and investment […]

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13 May 2013

Authoritarian Signaling, Mass Audiences, and Nationalist Protest in China

Incisive analysis on a timely and important topic!
Jessica Chen Weiss, “Authoritarian Signaling, Mass Audiences, and Nationalist Protest in China,” International Organization, 67.1 (January 2013): 1-35.
How can authoritarian states credibly signal their intentions in international crises? Nationalist, antiforeign protests are one mechanism by which authoritarian leaders can visibly demonstrate their domestic vulnerability. Because protests in authoritarian […]

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06 May 2013

DoD “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2013” Report Just Released

Click here to read the full text report.
Here is a summary via American Forces Press Service of statements by David F. Helvey, deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, at the time of the report’s release (HT: Burgess Laird).
In extremely welcome change from last year, the 2013 report is detailed and substantive.
Text of particular interest:
ASBM
pp. 5-6:

“China is […]

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15 April 2013

China’s 2013 Defense White Paper (“The Diversified Employment of China’s Armed Forces”/“中国武装力量的多样化运用”) Just Released

Here’s my initial read:
As its name implies, this latest PRC Defense White Paper provides an overall survey not only of further development of core PLA capabilities, but also of an array of secondary roles and missions that is broadening in nature and geographic scope.
In terms of specific data points, it is interesting that personnel figures […]

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04 March 2013

China’s 2013 Military Budget to Rise 10.7% to US $114.3 Billion–What it Means, and Why it Matters

What happened?
Today, on Tuesday 5 March 2013 (Beijing time), China revealed its latest official defense budget: a projected 10.7% increase to 720.2 billion yuan (US $114.3 billion) for 2013.
The English version of the relevant report released at the National People’s Congress, Ministry of Finance of the People’s Republic of China, “Report on the Implementation of […]

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04 February 2013

Registration Open for Fourth Summer Training Workshop on the Relationship Between National Security and Technology in China, 21 July-2 August 2013

I can’t recommend this event highly enough, and I’m voting with my feet! Hope to see you there.
Fourth Summer Training Workshop on the Relationship Between National Security and Technology in China
The Project on the Study of Innovation and Technology in China (SITC), led by IGCC Director Dr. Tai Ming Cheung, seeks to understand the approaches, challenges, […]

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04 February 2013

“China and Its Military” Library Guide–A Contribution from Naval War College Librarian Alice K. Juda

Alice K. Juda, “China and Its Military,” China LibGuide, Henry E. Eccles Library (Newport, RI: Naval War College, 31 October 2012).
This China Library Guide with useful links to research sources on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been compiled by Reference Librarian Alice Juda, who retired at the end of 2012 after 25 years of […]

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25 October 2012

The Chinese Army Today: Tradition and Transformation for the 21st Century, 2nd ed.

An essential reference for all serious observers of today’s PLA. You won’t find this incisive analysis anywhere else. A must-read!
Dennis J. Blasko, The Chinese Army Today: Tradition and Transformation for the 21st Century, 2nd ed. (New York: Routledge, 2012).
From the Publisher:
The Chinese Army Today is a comprehensive study of the Chinese military, examining its ground forces […]

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04 October 2012

Book Launch for “Strategic Asia 2012–13: China’s Military Challenge”—Watch Live C-SPAN Coverage & Full Webcast!

View C-Span Video with timeline transcript here.
Click here for a webcast of entire event.
For Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter’s keynote address, go to minutes 27:45-1:04:18.
For my presentation on China’s naval and air force modernization, see minutes 1:22:50-1:33:13; 1:58:36-2:00:39.
In Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge by the National Bureau of Asian Research, leading experts assessed […]

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01 October 2012

National Bureau of Asian Research to Launch “Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge” on Wednesday 3 October

Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge – Book Launch Event
The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) will hold the launch of the twelfth volume in the Strategic Asia series this Wednesday, 3 October 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC.
Select contributors from Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s […]

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25 September 2012

China’s Ministry of National Defense: 1st Aircraft Carrier “Liaoning” Handed Over to PLA Navy

Now it’s finally official!
China’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has announced on its official website that on the morning of 25 September China’s first aircraft carrier, “Liaoning,” was handed over to the PLA Navy (PLAN).
According to MND, Liaoning will have important significance for raising the Chinese Navy’s level of integrated combat force modernization, strengthening defensive operational […]

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24 September 2012

Global Times: PLA National Defense University Professor States China’s 1st Aircraft Carrier Not Yet Delivered to Navy; Flag-Raising Ceremony Only a Rehearsal

China’s popular Global Times newspaper has just reported that despite obvious preparations underway for the past few days China’s first aircraft carrier has not yet been delivered officially to the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and hence still belongs to Dalian Naval Shipyard. It quotes two knowledgeable experts to this effect: Dr. Fang Bing, an […]

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23 September 2012

China’s Navy Receives 1st Aircraft Carrier

UPDATE: For the latest Chinese sources regarding the exact current status of China’s 1st Aircraft Carrier, see Andrew S. Erickson, “Global Times: PLA National Defense University Professor States China’s First Aircraft Carrier Not Yet Delivered to Navy; Flag-Raising Ceremony Only a Rehearsal,” China Analysis from Original Sources, 24 September 2012.
Today (23 September 2012) at 4 […]

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15 September 2012

Ashley Tellis: “Uphill Challenges: China’s Military Modernization and Asian Security”

Ashley J. Tellis, “Uphill Challenges: China’s Military Modernization and Asian Security,” in Ashley J. Tellis and Travis Tanner, eds., Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge (Seattle, WA: National Bureau of Asian Research, 2012), 2-24.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This chapter provides an overview of the dramatic shifts in the Asian balance of power as a result of China’s military modernization over the […]

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15 September 2012

“Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge” Available for Pre-Order: e-version out 25 Sept., paperback release 3 Oct.

Ashley J. Tellis and Travis Tanner, eds., Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge (Seattle, WA: National Bureau of Asian Research, 2012).
Electronic version available on September 25, 2012
Paperback Release: October 3, 2012
Paperback edition now available for pre-order
ISBN: 978-0-9818904-3-2
Paperback: $34.95
Pre-Order Now
The Strategic Asia annual edited volume incorporates assessments of economic, political, and military trends and focuses on […]

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15 September 2012

Abraham Denmark Interviews Robert Kaplan on His New Book “The Revenge of Geography”

Abraham Denmark, “The Revenge of Geography and the Asia-Pacific: An Interview with Robert Kaplan,” Policy Q&A, National Bureau of Asian Research, 12 September 2012.
In his new book, The Revenge of Geography: What the Map Tells Us About Coming Conflicts and the Battle Against Fate, Robert Kaplan (Stratfor Global Intelligence) contends that current global conflicts, including wars, political […]

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10 September 2012

China Will Name its First Aircraft Carrier ex-Varyag “Liaoning”: PRC State Media Portal

An official state media source reports that China will name its first aircraft “Liaoning” after the province that contains Dalian Naval Shipyard, where it has been refitted. An authorized government portal site, China Internet Information Center (China.org.cn) is published under the auspices of the State Council Information Office and the China International Publishing Group (CIPG) in Beijing.
Since ~2 […]

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31 August 2012

Strategic Asia 2012-13: China’s Military Challenge Book Launch Event

Ashley J. Tellis and Travis Tanner, eds., Strategic Asia 2012–13: China’s Military Modernization, Regional Stability, and U.S. Extended Deterrence (Seattle, WA: National Bureau for Asian Research, 2012).
On Wednesday, October 3, 2012, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for the National Bureau of Asian Research will launch of […]

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31 August 2012

Cultivating Tomorrow’s Asia Hands

This spot-on analysis by the influential Eric Sayers is a must-read for policy makers and aspiring Asia hands alike!
Eric Sayers, “Cultivating Tomorrow’s Asia Hands,” PacNet 54A, 30 August 2012.
Discussions about the US “rebalancing” to the Asia-Pacific region have focused on the rhetoric and resources surrounding the effort. But after more than a decade of America’s […]

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