Shaping China's Security Environment: The Role of the People's Liberation Army

Edited by Dr. Andrew Scobell, Dr. Larry M. Wortzel.

October 2006

321 Pages

Brief Synopsis

This volume addresses the role of the Chinese military in shaping its country’s security environment. The PLA itself is shaped and molded by both domestic and foreign influences. In the first decade of the 21st century, the PLA is not a central actor in China’s foreign policy the way it was just a few decades ago. Nevertheless, the significance of the PLA should not be discounted. The military remains a player that seeks to play a role and influence China’s policy towards the such countries and regions as United States, Japan, the Koreas, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Taiwan. It is important not to overlook that, in times of crisis or conflict, the role and influence of the PLA rise significantly.

CONTENTS

Foreword
Ambassador James R. Lilley

1. Introduction
Andrew Scobell and Larry M. Wortzel

Part I: What’s Shaping the PLA?

2. Changing the Landscape of Civil-Military Relations in China: The PLA Responds to Recruiting and Retention Challenges
Frank Miller

3. China’s Military Buildup: Beyond Taiwan?
Ellis Joffe

Part II: War and Defense Modernization

4. Assessing America at War: Implications for China’s Military Modernization and National Security
Susan M. Puska

5. War Control: Chinese Concepts of Escalation Management
Lonnie D. Henley

6. China as a Major Asian Power: The Implications of Its Military Modernization (A View from the United States)
Paul H. B. Godwin

Part III: Northeast Asia

7. How the PLA Sees North Korea
John J. Tkacik, Jr.

8. The PLA, Japan’s Defense Posture, and the Outlook for China-Japan Relations
Robert G. Sutter

Part IV: South and Southeast Asia

9. The Chinese Military Eyes South Asia
Srikanth Kondapalli

10. China and Southeast Asia: Building Influence, Addressing Fears
Larry M. Wortzel

About the Contributors

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