China’s military (2/3): Its three major flaws and how Xi is trying to fix them

China’s military is not a real army - it’s the armed wing of the
Chinese Communist Party. Ideology is paramount and corruption is
endemic. 


Plus, the People’s Liberation Army hasn’t fought a war since
1979. Xi Jinping calls it “the peace disease”. 


In episode two of this three-part series, Venetia Rainey looks at
the PLA’s weaknesses and how the Chinese president Xi is trying
to fix them, from endless purges of top generals to a specially
built training centre in Mongolia and live-fire drills around
Taiwan. 


This series on China’s military dives into the strengths and
weaknesses of China’s military and its remarkable transformation
over the last few decades from obsolete to world-class.


How significant is China’s military buildup? What does Xi
Jinping’s ongoing purge mean for the People’s Liberation Army?
And how likely is an invasion of Taiwan in the next few
years? 


As the US pivots to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of a truly
global war looms, understanding the evolving role of China’s
military on the world stage has never been more important.


With thanks to Dr Phillip Saunders and Joel Wuthnow from the
Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs at the Institute
for National Strategic Studies, Oriana Skylar Mastro from the
Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford
University, Meia Nouwens from the China Programme at the
International Institute for Strategic Studies, Timothy Heath at
RAND, and Amanda Hsiao at Eurasia Group.


 


Archive used: WION, SBS News, PBS News Hour, Channel 4, NATO, DRM
News, Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, Reuters


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