Latest Articles about East China Sea
Assessing Mental Health Challenges in the People’s Liberation Army, Part 2: Physical Operational Environments and Their Impacts on PLA Service Members
Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part article that addresses the efforts of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to deal more effectively with the challenges of mental health, which can have serious impacts on the morale and readiness of individual service members—and... MORE
Joint Bomber Patrol Over the Pacific: The Russo-Chinese Military Alliance in Action
On July 24, 2019, Russian and Chinese military planes flying together invaded Japanese and South Korean airspace only to encounter Korean fighters that shot at the Russian aircraft. The Russian contribution to this joint air patrol included an A-50 Beriev airborne radar, which can track... MORE
Taiwan Policymaking in Xi Jinping’s “New Era”
With the 19th Party Congress now complete, the “new era” (新时期) under Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary and President Xi Jinping has officially begun. The quinquennial Congress endorsed Xi’s ideological framework and policy agenda—a roadmap of how Xi will lead China in his second... MORE
Taiwan’s Search for Security Partners: Looking Beyond Washington
In November 2016, Hong Kong authorities seized nine Singaporean Terrex infantry carrier vehicles en route home after training exercises in Taiwan (Today News, November 29, 2016; Phoenix News, November 30, 2016). The carriers were taking the same route shipping containers have taken for decades as... MORE
Snapshot: China’s Eastern Theater Command
Delivering his work report to the National People’s Congress, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang noted that “the Chinese mainland will resolutely oppose and contain ‘Taiwan independence separatist activities’” (“台独”分裂活动) (Xinhua, March 5). [1] President Xi Jinping, however, was even more explicit in early November 2016, when... MORE
Renewable Energy and the PLA’s Next Generation of Self-Sufficiency (Part 2)
Part One of this series examined the state of renewable energy in China and the connections between civilian and military industry partners. Part Two looks in detail at the PLA’s developing energy strategy both on the mainland and, increasingly on offshore islands at the center... MORE
China’s Navy Gets a New Helmsman (Part 2): Remaining Uncertainties
Part 1 of this series discussed Vice Admiral Shen Jinlong’s background, meteoric rise, and recent promotion to PLAN Commander. However, his appointment raises a number of questions about his role in the PLA Navy’s modernization, his promotion’s implication for China’s promotion system, and about his... MORE
Food Security and Chinese “Comprehensive National Security”
On February 6, China published “Central Document No. 1”, its annual statement of agricultural policy. Two weeks later, on February 20, China's Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced that it will begin its annual moratorium on fishing starting on May 1 (MOA, February 20). Though on... MORE
China Hails Progress Toward Military Reforms, Improved Jointness
As the major reorganization of the Chinese military nears its 1-year anniversary, the Chinese press and propaganda organs are reflecting on the progress made and steps yet to take in this core part of China’s military modernization project. Though the reforms have made major progress... MORE
Chinese Military Aviation in the East China Sea
On September 25, the Chinese Air Force performed a series of long-range patrols through the Miyako Strait and into the Western Pacific involving more than forty aircraft (Xinhua, September 25). PLA Air Force spokesperson and Senior Colonel Shen Jinke (申进科) emphasized the routine nature of... MORE