Hi! Welcome...

Andrew S. Erickson China's rapid development is reshaping the world in all dimensions. Chinese language open sources offer insights into these critical trends. While such materials are increasing constantly in number, diversity, and sophistication, only a fraction is available in English. The analyses available here, many based on sources not previously considered outside China, are designed to help bridge that gap--and thereby increase understanding of the most dynamic great power in the international system today.

28 March 2012

Troubled Waters: the Implications of China’s First Aircraft Carrier

Ashley Townshend and Shashank Joshi, “Troubled Waters: the Implications of China’s First Aircraft Carrier,” Commentary, Royal United Services Institute, 16 August 2011.
Far from transforming Asia’s naval balance, the launch of China’s first aircraft carrier will only begin to expose China to the rigours of modern naval warfare. The region should respond to the strategic ripples […]

28 March 2012

China’s Anti Access Future is Here

John Reed, “China’s Anti Access Future is Here,” Defense Tech, 27 March 2012.
China may already be able to hold U.S. forces in the far western Pacific Ocean at [risk], argues DT’s go to China expert and Naval War College professor Andrew Erickson in one of his latest analysis pieces.
While China can’t yet project serious military […]

23 March 2012

The People’s Liberation Army’s Selective Learning: Lessons of the Iran-Iraq ‘War of the Cities’ Missile Duels and Uses of Missiles in Other Conflicts

Christopher Twomey, “The People’s Liberation Army’s Selective Learning: Lessons of the Iran-Iraq ‘War of the Cities’ Missile Duels and Uses of Missiles in Other Conflicts,” in Andrew Scobell, David Lai, and Roy Kamphausen, eds., Chinese Lessons From Other Peoples’ Wars (Carlisle, PA: Army War College Strategic Studies Institute and National Bureau of Asian Research, 2011), […]

23 March 2012

Sinica Rules the Waves? The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Power Projection and Anti-Access/Area Denial Lessons from the Falklands/Malvinas Conflict

Christopher D. Yung, “Sinica Rules the Waves? The People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Power Projection and Anti-Access/Area Denial Lessons from the Falklands/Malvinas Conflict,” in Andrew Scobell, David Lai, and Roy Kamphausen, eds., Chinese Lessons From Other Peoples’ Wars (Carlisle, PA: Army War College Strategic Studies Institute and National Bureau of Asian Research, 2011), 75–114.
Introduction, p. 22: […]

23 March 2012

Asia Connect Reprints China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #45 “Tango for Trade, Samba for Sales: Strategic Implications of China’s Growing Investment and Commercial Ties in Latin America”

Gabe Collins and Andrew Erickson, “Tango for Trade, Samba for Sales: Strategic Implications of China’s Growing Investment and Commercial Ties in Latin America,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国), No. 45 (19 August 2011); reprinted in Asia Connect 1 (Spring 2012): 70-76.
Asia Connect Magazine is issued quarterly with primary objective to stimulate global business by bringing quality, innovation and influence […]

21 March 2012

Robert Farley and Andrew Erickson Discuss “Chinese Aerospace Power” on bloggingheads.tv

Andrew S. Erickson, “Chinese Aerospace Power,” interview with Robert Farley, bloggingheads.tv, 20 March 2012.
On Foreign Entanglements, Rob speaks with Andrew Erickson, editor of the new book Chinese Aerospace Power.  Andrew and Rob discuss the long road to development of China’s new aircraft carrier, including the choices that the carrier represents and what it might portend […]

21 March 2012

China Quarterly Reviews “China, the United States, and 21st Century Sea Power: Defining a Maritime Security Partnership” (CMSI Vol. 4)

Harlan W. Jencks, review of  Andrew S. Erickson, Lyle J. Goldstein, and Nan Li, eds., China, the United States, and 21st Century Sea Power: Defining a Maritime Security Partnership (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2010); in The China Quarterly, 208 (December 2011): 1034–36.
“It is unusual for a book on military affairs to be suffused with optimism, […]

14 March 2012

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #56–China’s Economic Environment: Implications for Military Development

Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel B. Collins, “China’s Economic Environment: Implications for Military Development,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 56 (14 March 2012).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
Strategic Horizon 1B: The U.S.-China relationship will be central to international relations in the twenty-first century, as the two great Asia-Pacific powers compete, coexist, and cooperate across the full spectrum of national capabilities. While […]

14 March 2012

Sunday Book Review: Chinese Aerospace Power

Robert Farley, “Sunday Book Review: Chinese Aerospace Power,” Information Dissemination, 11 March 2012. 
Chinese Aerospace Power is a collection of essays generated at a December 2008 colloquium organized by the Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute. The collection is held together by a common focus on maritime oriented Chinese aerospace military capabilities. Edited by Andrew […]

13 March 2012

The European Union and the Modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army Navy: The Limits of Europe’s Strategic Irrelevance

Mathieu Duchâtel and Alexandre Sheldon-Duplaix, “The European Union and the Modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army Navy: The Limits of Europe’s Strategic Irrelevance,” China Perspective 4 (2011): 31-41.
This superb article on a vital but under-researched topic is well worth reading. One of its recommendations should receive particular attention in Washington: it’s time for the U.S. […]

13 March 2012

Big Sticks: China’s and America’s Global Strike Weapons

Steve Weintz, “Big Sticks: China’s and America’s Global Strike Weapons,” War is Boring, 6 March 2012.
…Today the … United States and China are developing special new conventional missiles, both intermediate- and long-range.
Both Chinese and American approaches change the flight path of the missiles from a purely ballistic trajectory to one where ballistic flight quickly gives […]

06 March 2012

China SignPost™ (洞察中国) #55–Near Seas “Anti-Navy” Capabilities, not Nascent Blue Water Fleet, Constitute China’s Core Challenge to U.S. and Regional Militaries

Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel B. Collins, “Near Seas ‘Anti-Navy’ Capabilities, not Nascent Blue Water Fleet, Constitute China’s Core Challenge to U.S. and Regional Militaries,” China SignPost™ (洞察中国) 55 (6 March 2012).
China SignPost™ 洞察中国–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
Strategic Horizon 1A: The U.S.-China relationship is central to international relations in the twenty-first century, as the two great Asia-Pacific powers compete, coexist, […]

04 March 2012

China’s Defense Spending Dilemma

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “China’s Defense Spending Dilemma,” China Real Time Report (中国事实报), Wall Street Journal, 5 March 2012.
China’s always-controversial defense budget announcement will attract particular notice this year.
While the U.S. implements potentially dramatic cuts to its defense spending growth, China is robustly increasing its military spending, which is officially set to grow at […]

04 March 2012

China’s Defense Spending to Rise 11.2% to 670.2 billion RMB (US$106.4 billion) in 2012

China’s defense budget to grow 11.2 pct in 2012: spokesman
BEIJING, March 4 (Xinhua) — China said Sunday it plans to raise its defense budget by 11.2 percent to 670 billion yuan (106.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2012.
The year’s draft defense budget is 67.6 billion yuan (10.7 billion U.S. dollars) more than that of 2011, said […]

03 March 2012

5th Annual Tufts China-US Symposium (塔夫兹大学中美关系年会), 9-10 March

5th Annual Tufts China-US Symposium
Register for the Symposium NOW!
March 9-10th, 2012 in ASEAN auditorium at The Cabot Intercultural Center of Tufts University. 
The China-US Symposium, 塔夫兹大学中美关系年会, believes in building on the crossroads of ideas, nations, and people, at Tufts University.  To do this, we seek to bring the communities of Tufts and Boston, into close contact with […]

02 March 2012

Benefits for China in New East African Resource Rush

Gabriel B. Collins and Andrew S. Erickson, “Benefits for China in New East African Resource Rush,” China Real Time Report (中国事实报), Wall Street Journal, 2 March 2012.
A new great game is afoot as recently uncovered stores of mineral resources in East Africa create competition between Brazilian, Japanese, Indian, Irish, Anglo-Australian and Chinese investors.
Already a strategic region […]

28 February 2012

China’s Military Modernizes, Declares Regional Strength—Robust Investments in Hardware, Technology, and Modern Operational Concepts Yield Benefits

Clarence A. Robinson, Jr., “China’s Military Modernizes, Declares Regional Strength—Robust Investments in Hardware, Technology, and Modern Operational Concepts Yield Benefits,” Defense (Winter 2011): 112-17.
… the People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues … an ambitious and broad-based effort to transform [its] military. The principal A2AD capability involves conducting high-intensity regional military operations, according to Andrew S. […]

21 February 2012

Enter China’s Security Firms

Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel B. Collins, “Enter China’s Security Firms,” The Diplomat, 21 February 2012.
Chinese private security companies are seeing an opportunity as the U.S. withdraws troops from Iraq and Afghanistan. But plenty of complications await them.
A security vacuum is developing around Chinese workers overseas. The recent kidnapping of 29 Chinese workers in Sudan […]

10 February 2012

China’s New Challenge: Protecting Its Citizens Abroad

Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel B. Collins, “China’s New Challenge: Protecting Its Citizens Abroad,” China Real Time Report (中国事实报), Wall Street Journal, 10 February 2012.
Recent incidents in which a total of 54 Chinese citizens working in Sudan and Egypt were abducted — with one killed during a rescue attempt — highlight the increasing risks Chinese expatriates […]