On July 1, 2019, I will take over as director of the Security Studies Program at MIT. Read the press release here.
China as a “World-Class Military”
Yesterday, I testified before the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which was established to review developments in China. The hearing examined the ambitions of China’s People’s Liberation Army’s as a “world-class military.” My testimony reviewed the origins of the use “world-class military” to argue that it should be viewed as a force development concept, …
War on the Rocks podcast
Last week, I spoke with Brad Carson, host of the Jaw-Jaw podcast over at War on the Rocks. We discussed my new book, Active Defense: China’s Military Strategy Since 1949. Listen to the podcast here.
The (evolving) art of war
MIT News has run a nice story about my new book. Read The (evolving) art of war.
Active Defense now available
My new book on China’s military strategy, Active Defense: China’s Military Strategy Since 1949, is now available, published by Princeton University Press. The book offers the first systematic study of the military strategies adopted by the People’s Republic of China since 1949. Overall, the PLA has formulated nine military strategies, three of them which constituted …
Major Changes in China’s Military Strategy
I recently published an article in International Security on China’s military strategy, entitled “Shifts in Warfare and Party Unity: Explaining China’s Changes in Military Strategy.” The article contains three main points: China has adopted nine military strategies since 1949, or what the PLA calls “strategic guidelines.” The strategies adopted in 1956, 1980 and 1993 represented …
Why India did “Win” the Standoff with China
In response to the disengagement of Chinese and Indian forces announced on August 28th, I wrote a short essay for War on the Rocks. Specifically, I argue that it is misguided to view the disengagement is a “win” for India and a “loss” for China. Moreover, due to unique factors, Doklam does not provide a …
Danger at Dolam
I wrote the following op-ed, “Danger at Dolam,” for the Indian Express, on July 18, 2017 *** The standoff between Indian and Chinese forces on the Dolam Plateau is entering its fourth week. India and China have both miscalculated, with potentially dire consequences. China clearly did not appreciate the sensitivity that India attaches to any …
Standoff at the India-China-Bhutan border
For the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese forces have confronted each other near the trijunction of the Indian, Chinese and Bhutanese borders. In the interview below, I answered some questions for the Indian website Rediff News about the origins of this episode and how it might be resolved. Read the interview here.
Threading the Needle: The South China Sea Disputes and U.S.-China Relations
In a chapter in a recently published edited volume, Strategic Adjustment and the Rise of China, I examine how the United States and China have managed the South China Sea disputes in their relations with each other. First, actions by the United States and China have often created incentives for the other state to push …