China - The Next Military Rival

摘要

Since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the United States has been the sole superpower of the world. In concert with its allies, the United States has been able to act with relative impunity militarily around the globe. The most recent example of that unshackled military strategic freedom was the United States led NATO campaign, Allied Force, of 1999. The campaign was conducted against Serbia, despite the strenuous objections of nuclear capable Russia and China. This military freedom of action, in part, was possible because the United States has no military peer competitor. China has a growing economy and has posted double digit defense budget increases annually for the past decade. China is in the midst of a military modernization that could produce a rival military power, thereby dramatically changing the strategic concerns of the United States as it attends to its global interests. Will China be the next military rival to the United States. This monograph reviews the historical relationship between the United States and China. The potential conflict areas, emphasizing Taiwan, between the two nations are examined to determine if important national interests are involved which would serve as motivation for conflict Finally, China's military modernization is studied in terms of doctrine, strategy and weapons systems to determine if the Chinese believe they can defeat the United States. The monograph concludes China is the next military rival to the United States. China is preparing to engage and defeat the United States.