Executive Summary: The People’s Liberation Army Navy conducted two live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea in February without providing customary notification to Australia or New Zealand and causing at least 49 civilian aircraft to divert course. The Tasman Sea drill was designed to demonstrate the... MORE

Executive Summary: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Cook Islands signed two agreements in February that extend Beijing’s engagement in the South Pacific to include deep-sea exploration and dual-use maritime infrastructure. Beijing seeks to overcome U.S.-imposed containment in the Pacific. The Cook Islands... MORE

Executive Summary: People’s Liberation Army (PLA) naval training drills near Taiwan and surrounding the First Island Chain on December 9–11 did not constitute a full-scale joint exercise but sent a signal to the incoming US administration. Beijing’s power projection demonstration, involving 60 vessels, signals to... MORE

(Part One) Executive Summary: Russia and China are conducting joint military exercises in the Far East and Arctic as China’s involvement in the region grows and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization expands into the Arctic. Moscow is increasingly aligning with Beijing to bolster its position... MORE

Executive Summary: The “Joint Sword: 2024A” exercise marks a shift in military strategy by integrating China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels with People’s Liberation Army (PLA) forces. This coordination enhances the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) ability to leverage maritime law enforcement resources to support military... MORE

Executive Summary: The new “Regulation of the China Coast Guard (CCG) Organization on Enforcing Law and Order” formalizes the increasingly assertive actions taken by Chinese forces in parts of the South China Sea (SCS), empowering the CCG to detain foreign vessels and persons for up to... MORE

Executive Summary Admiral Hu's expertise in undersea warfare is considered crucial as the PLAN prepares for potential conflicts in East Asia, particularly against the threat posed by the superior US submarine fleet. Hu is recognized as one of the finest submarine officers of his generation,... MORE

PLAN's submarine force faces autonomy issues due to historical distrust between leadership and boat commanders, impacting long-distance deployments. PLAN submarines historically employ senior officers as mission commanders for centralized control—a practice dating back to the force's early development—yet frequent and extended deployments strain senior officers,... MORE

China has made significant strides in its ongoing contest with the United States to dominate the technological vanguard, especially in the military realm. One primary indicator of these efforts is the People's Liberation Army's (PLA) vigorous pursuit of integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its defense... MORE

Introduction In April, French President Emmanuel Macron made a state visit to China. During Macron’s visit, the two sides signed a Sino-French joint statement that identified 51 priority areas for deepening cooperation, both bilaterally and through the EU (PRC Ministry of Foreign Affairs [FMPRC], April... MORE