Despite corruption problems, China moves toward modernization > US Department of Defense > Department of Defense News

The Department of Defense today released the annual “Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China,” a congressionally mandated annual report that provides insight into the capabilities, strategies, and objectives of China and his army.

Of note in this year's report is the increase in corruption within the People's Liberation Army, China's efforts to reduce that corruption, and how that corruption could affect the PRC's ambitions.

“I think the [intensity] “The continued anti-corruption fight reflects serious concern about the serious problems being faced,” said Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, during a speech today at the Center for strategic and international studies in Washington. “I think there are questions about the overall effect on the PLA and how corruption ripples through the whole system and what that means.”

Corruption affects all parts of the PLA, the report notes, and Xi Jinping, China's president, has made rooting out corruption in the military a priority of his term since taking office.

Last year, corruption-related investigations resulted in the dismissal of at least 15 high-ranking military officers and defense industry executives, including China's Defense Minister Li Shangfu.

“I think if you just look at the language that senior Chinese leaders use to describe the intensity of the anti-corruption campaign and why it is so vital, it gives you a good idea of ​​how they view it,” he said. said Assistant Assistant Michael Chase. Secretary of Defense for China, Taiwan and Mongolia.

According to Chase, who was removed from office and from which parts of the PLA, the corruption could involve things like major military construction projects as well as research, development and acquisition programs.

“SO, [this] This could have a different impact on the PLA's ability to achieve the capability development goals that Xi Jinping has set for them,” he said. “This must certainly shake the leadership's confidence in the political reliability of the PLA, and again, in its overall ability to deliver what they have been tasked to deliver. »

According to the report, the PRC's state defense budget increased in inflation-adjusted prices to $220 billion for 2023 and allows the PLA to focus on modernizing its weapons and equipment, on recruitment and retention of personnel, as well as strengthening the strategic capabilities of the army.

“[It] “This reflects investments in a range of capabilities focused on Taiwan contingencies, in the East or South China Seas – operations relatively close to the PRC's borders,” Chase said. “It also reflects investments in power projection capabilities, the kinds of things that we noted in the report that the PLA Navy is trying to improve its ability to operate beyond the first chain of defense. “Islands. And that reflects the long-term ambition to truly become a global army with capabilities capable, from the PRC's perspective, of defending its interests around the world.”

Chase said there was also investment in nuclear expansion and modernization as well as space and counter-space capabilities.

The report details China's construction of nuclear weapons. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that the PRC surpassed 600 operational nuclear warheads by mid-2024 and estimates that it will possess more than 1,000 by 2030.

“We also talk in the report about not only increasing the number, but also increasing the quality,” Chase said. “We are talking about the increasing technological sophistication [and] the growing diversity of China's nuclear arsenal. »

Similar reports in earlier reports several decades ago detailed China's small and obsolete nuclear weapons capabilities. That has changed.

“[What] What we have seen over time is that they have expanded into a nuclear triad, with the PLA Navy having ballistic missile submarines, conducting deterrent patrols, as we explained in the report, and that the PLA Air Force also regained a nuclear deterrent and strike mission with the addition of nuclear-capable bombers,” Chase said.

There is also an increase in diversity and capabilities, such as missiles capable of precision strikes with low-yield nuclear warheads.

“This gives the PRC a wider range of options in terms of the types of nuclear deterrence operations it would conduct, as well as … a greater number of rungs on the escalation ladder in terms of how it could conduct nuclear operations,” Chase said. said.

The report also highlights the difficulties linked to the shortcomings of the Chinese army. One area that is true concerns the readiness and capabilities of commanders. The term “the incapable five”, used by the PLA, describes areas in which Chinese military officers could improve, including the ability to assess situations, understand the intentions of higher authorities, make operational decisions, to deploy forces and manage unexpected situations.

“I think from the PRC's perspective, part of it comes from their lack of combat experience,” he said. “From the PRC's perspective, that means the experience they have comes from overseas operations, from exercises they conduct at home, not from any actual combat operations experience. ”

Other areas where the PLA may not be where it should be, the report concludes, include waging urban warfare and long-distance logistics.

Ties between the PRC and its allies, including Russia, are also included in the report. These include China's support for Russia in its ongoing war in Ukraine as well as its cooperation and military exercises.

“We continue to see them conduct maritime exercises (…) [and] “The PRC will participate in other Russian exercises and joint bomber patrols will occur with some regularity,” Chase said. “They will add new elements to it over time. But most of the time, I think [PRC is] we are also trying to maximize the value of the political signal, to highlight greater and deeper military cooperation. »

Chase said that as Russia became more dependent on the PRC, China would demand more.

“The PRC will probably want to exert more pressure, to obtain greater cooperation from Russia in areas where Russia has historically been more reluctant,” he said. “In the Arctic, for example, that would be an example where that could take place.”

Ratner said the PRC's relationship with Russia is not the only one to watch. The PRC also maintains relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, and Iranian proxy groups.

The PRC's support for Russia's war in Ukraine, Ratner said, “is just one of the ways in which the PRC's anti-Western, anti-American orientation has been destabilizing, not only in Europe but across countries.” 'other theaters around the world'.

The PRC is also active in the Middle East, he said, where it continues to support Iran and its proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

“The Houthis have built a supply chain in the PRC for drones and missiles that they use to attack international shipping,” he said. “This isn't just about one-off deals. This is a truly systemic phenomenon in how the Houthis are acquiring the capabilities they need.”

He also said that there is a “deal” between the Houthis and the PRC, whereby if the Houthis do not attack PRC ships, Beijing will continue to provide diplomatic and political support to the Houthis.

“This is just an extraordinarily destabilizing set of activities,” he said. “I think the issue of Russia is important, but we should not leave aside the issue of the Middle East either.”

The PRC has made public its PLA modernization goals. The PLA has made uneven progress toward its 2027 modernization goal, which the report said could make the PLA a more credible military tool for the Chinese Communist Party's Taiwan unification efforts. The year 2035 has also been touted as when the PLA plans to complete its modernization efforts, while 2049 remains a target to become a “world-class army.”

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