Commentary The United States is the world’s No. 1 military power, while China is No. 3. To catch up with the United States, China will need to maintain a certain level of economic growth. However, given the slowing economy and the demographic challenge, the Carnegie Foundation expects China’s long-term GDP growth not to exceed 2–3 percent….

Commentary If you want to make Americans uncomfortable—or desperate—don’t talk to them. During his recent visit to China, Secretary of State Antony Blinken repeatedly asked his hosts to set up a military-to-military crisis communications hotline. They declined. John Aquilino, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, complained earlier this year that the Chinese ignored his requests to…

Commentary The Chinese spy balloon is just one small example of the threat posed to U.S. national security by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s Strategic Support Force (SSF) which specializes in new, innovative, high-tech, and hybrid warfare. In 2015, as part of his push for the modernization of the PLA, Chinese leader Xi Jinping commissioned…

Commentary The U.S. Marines, particularly its presence on Okinawa, has often seemed the bellwether of the Japan-U.S. defense relationship. And it’s usually been problematic. But recently, there was good news involving the Marines. At the “2+2 Meeting” of top Japanese and American defense and foreign affairs officials in Washington on Jan. 11, it was agreed…

Commentary What is missing in preparing Taiwan and the United States to protect Taiwan against the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) military aggression? This article describes the basic process for the United States, the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan’s official name), their militaries to work together, and the legislation required. Risk Analysis The National Institute of…

Thirty-one Chinese military personnel attended training courses in the UK in the years between 2016 and 2020, while British personnel gave nine training sessions in China since 2014, a UK government minister revealed on Monday. Responding to written questions from a number of MPs, Armed Forces minister James Heappey said that the training did not include…

Commentary They used to say that when you stayed at a Holiday Inn the big surprise was no surprise. You pretty much knew what to expect and you usually got it. The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was the “Holiday Inn” of CCP political happenings. We knew what was going to…

News Analysis The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is developing infrastructure and access all around the world. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) created a unique process to get countries to agree to give the PLA access to key ports and bases via several methods, including the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For example, this process can…

News Analysis China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been undergoing a profound transformation since at least the turn of the century. In the first place, it has spent years pursuing a “double construction” approach of mechanization and “informationization.” This “two-track” approach called for the near-term modernization of “existing equipment combined with the selective introduction of…