US Think Tank: "Chinese Military Not Ready for War... Communist Party's Goal is to Maintain Power"

RAND Report: 'China’s Dubious Combat Readiness'
"Focuses on Supporting Communist Party Rule Rather Than Preparing for War"
"Up to 40% of Military Training Time Devoted to Political Topics"

A U.S. think tank has released an analysis stating that the Chinese military is not prepared for war. The purpose of the People's Liberation Army is not war but the maintenance of Communist Party power. On the 16th (local time), CNN reported, "Timothy Heath, a China expert at the U.S. think tank RAND Corporation, recently published a report titled ‘China’s Dubious Combat Readiness.’"

Donald Trump, President of the United States, and Xi Jinping, President of China. Photo by AFP Yonhap News

According to CNN, in the report, Heath argued, “The Chinese military fundamentally focuses on supporting Communist Party rule rather than preparing for war,” and “military modernization is primarily aimed at enhancing the appeal and credibility of the Chinese Communist Party’s governance.”

At times, the military objectives of the Chinese forces appear to conflict with political considerations. One example cited was that up to 40% of military training time is devoted to political topics. Instead of training, they are summoned for Communist Party matters. Heath pointed out, “Reducing the time allocated to mastering skills essential for combat operations raises questions about the People's Liberation Army’s readiness for modern warfare.”

Another issue highlighted was that, besides commanders, political commissars emphasizing ‘loyalty to the Party’ lead the military. Heath analyzed, “The divided command structure diminishes commanders’ ability to respond flexibly and swiftly to emerging situations.” Due to these factors, he assessed that the likelihood of a conventional war breaking out between the U.S. and China is low.

However, there were opposing voices to this claim. Colin Koh, a researcher at the Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, told CNN, “The achievements of the Chinese military should not be lightly dismissed as mere domestic messaging,” and “No military planner would belittle the Chinese military as a paper tiger just because it has problems.” Drew Thompson, senior fellow at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, also reminded that “the Chinese military is a genuinely capable adversary to Taiwan and the United States.”

Recently, military tensions have increased as a U.S. warship passed through the Taiwan Strait for the first time since Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. president. According to China Central Television (CCTV), from the 10th to the 12th, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS John S. McCain and the ocean survey ship USNS Bowditch transited the Taiwan Strait. In response, Li Xi, a naval colonel and spokesperson for the Chinese military’s Eastern Theater Command, stated, “The U.S. actions send the wrong signal and increase security threats,” adding, “The military will always maintain a high state of alert and resolutely oppose any actions that undermine national sovereignty, security, and regional peace and stability.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.