The folks at , a website and research firm that tracks the Chinese media and Internet, published its annual last week. The awards contain a “a list of the best specialist websites, blogs and online sources of information about China.” Yours truly was listed as one of ten runner-ups for China-related tweeters. The collection of …
The PLA in the South China Sea
In early June, an article in the New York Times quoted a TV interview with Gen.Ma Xiaotian, a Deputy Chief of the General Staff in the People’s Liberation Army. The Times, however, did not discuss the most interesting part of what he said. The rest of the interview illuminated China’s strategy in the South China Sea, especially an …
Japan, China’s Maritime Step
Many of the most salient disputes between China and its neighbors involve maritime issues. Moreover, as demonstrated by the current standoff between Beijing and Manila over Scarborough Shoal, China is often seen as assertive and uncompromising. Nevertheless, maritime talks held with Japan this week suggest that China can be more flexible in managing its maritime …
The Asian Arms Race That Wasn’t
My colleague Vipin Narang and I have written a piece on the test of India’s Agni V missile and the potential for an arms race in Asia. The piece, “The Asian Arms Race That Wasn’t,” was published by Foreign Policy.
Measuring Military Modernization
The U.S-China Security and Economic Review Commission (USCC) recently published a staff research paper entitled “Indigenous Weapons Development in China’s Military Modernization” that generated a great deal of media attention. One story noted that the report showed how the United States had “missed the emergence of significant military developments” and was “blinded by Beijing.” Another reportconcluded from the …
Investigating the Chinese Threat
Yesterday, I testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee — the first time that I had ever appeared before a Congressional committee. As for the purpose of the hearing, the title says it all: “Investigating the Chinese Threat, Part One: Military and Economic Aggression.” Topics addressed included the military modernization, cyber espionage, and trade policies, among …
All Quiet in the South China Sea (for now)
I just published a short piece on the South China Sea on the Foreign Affairs website. In the piece, I argue that China, for now, has adopted a more moderate approach to managing its claims in this dispute. In particular, China seeks to restore its tarnished image in East Asia and to reduce the rationale for a …
Clarification of China’s Claims in the South China Sea?
Ambiguity about the extent of China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea has been a key source of concern in this dispute. In the 1990s, China issued a series of domestic laws detailing its maritime claims under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, including 12 nautical mile territorial seas and 200 …
The Chinese Army Today
I have just received my copy of the second edition of Dennis Blasko’s The Chinese Army Today: Tradition and Transformation for the 21st Century (2nd edition). For anyone interested in the modernization of China’s armed forces, this book is a “must read.” The revised edition of The Chinese Army Today has many strengths: First, the book examines the modernization of …
Economic Growth, Regime Insecurity, and Military Strategy
In this article from the latest issue of Asian Security, I examine the sources of the PLA’s new emphasis on nonwar military operations (not to be confused with “military operations than war” or MOOTW in U.S. doctrine). In particular, I explore why China’s armed forces have sought to strengthen their ability to conduct noncombat operations, especially …