Towards Global Military Power: Evolution of Chinese Military Policy in 1949-2014
The paper examines military policy of the People's Republic of China from its emergence in 1949 up to the present day. The author identifies four stages of development of the Chinese military strategy of “active defense” from the first, highly ideologized concepts of “people's war” to modern military doctrines of “limited wars under informatized conditions” and “rapid reaction”. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the last, fourth stage of the PRC's military building, which began in 2004. The author thoroughly examines major changes in logistics, structure, and operational plans of Chinese Army, Air Forces, and Navy and deconstructs the PRC nuclear strategy. The author concludes that the Chinese declaratory nuclear posture of minimum deterrence still causes anxiety among China's neighbors.