Takshashila Discussion Slidedoc– Securing China: An Assessment of Xi’s Military Reforms

BY SUYASH DESAI AND MANOJ KEWALRAMANI

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China’s President Xi Jinping announced landmark military reforms in late 2015. The reforms aim to convert the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into a world-class force by 2050, that can achieve China’s national security objectives.

This document identifies seven broad areas of the PLA reforms and assesses their implementation. These include:

– Organisational Changes in the CMC

– Changes in the Force Structure

– Financial Allocation & Weapons Acquisition

– Weapons Allocation across Commands

– Changes in Training Regimes

– Military Education

– Veterans Affairs Management

This document further analyses the efficacy of reforms in enhancing Chinese Party-state’s capacity to achieve stated national security objectives.

The assessment concludes that the reforms have helped further China’s national security interests. They have enhanced the political control over the PLA, the quality and deployment of weapons, goal-oriented financial allocation, capacity for joint action and combat readiness. However, when assessed in the context of specific objectives, the PLA still faces key shortcomings.