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Chinese Doctrine

Doctrine Overview

Sources and Resources

Basic Documents

• Science of Military Strategy: 2020, via China Aerospace Studies Institute
• China's National Defense in 2006, White Paper, December 29, 2006
• White Paper on China's Endeavors for Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, September 2005
• White Paper on China's National Defense in 2004, December 2004
• Fact Sheet: China: Nuclear Disarmament and Reduction of [sic], April 27, 2004
• White Paper on China's Non-proliferation Policy and Measures, Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, December 2003
• China's National Defense in 2002, Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, December 2002
• China's National Defense in 2000 Information Office of the State Council Of the People's Republic of China, October 2000
• China's National Defense Information Office of the State Council Of the People's Republic of China July 1998
• White Paper-- China: Arms Control and Disarmament Information Office of the State Council Of the People's Republic of China -- November 1995

• Selected writings of Chairman Mao Tse-tung
  • ON GUERRILLA WARFARE 1937
  • ON PROTRACTED WAR May 1938
  • THE CHINESE PEOPLE HAVE STOOD UP! [Opening address at the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.] September 21, 1949
  • U.S. IMPERIALISM IS A PAPER TIGER [Part of a talk with two Latin-American public figures.] July 14, 1956
  • BOMBARD THE HEADQUARTERS - MY FIRST BIG-CHARACTER POSTER (August 5, 1966)
  • PEOPLE OF THE WORLD, UNITE AND DEFEAT THE U.S. AGGRESSORS AND ALL THEIR RUNNING DOGS (May 23, 1970)

• Selected works of Deng Xiapeng
  • SPEECH AT AN ENLARGED MEETING OF THE MILITARY COMMISSION OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA June 4, 1985

  Chinese Sources

• CHINA'S STRATEGIC NUCLEAR WEAPONS Major General Yang Huan, Deputy Commander, Second Artillery
• NUCLEAR SHADOWS ON HIGH-TECH WARFARE Major General Wu Jianguo
• REFORM OF CHINA'S DEFENSE INDUSTRY Shun Zhenhuan, State Planning Commission
• REFORMING DEFENSE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INDUSTRY General Ding Henggao -- Chairman, Commission on Science, Technology and National Defense Industry (COSTIND)
• TRADITIONAL MILITARY THINKING AND THE DEFENSIVE STRATEGY OF CHINA Lieutenant General Li Jijun Vice President of the Academy of Military Science The Chinese People's Liberation Army Letort Paper No. 1 -- August 29, 1997

  Strategic Forces

• China and Ballistic Missile Defense: 1955 to 2002 and Beyond by Brad Roberts, Institute for Defense Analyses (for the Defense Intelligence Agency), September 2003
• CHINA'S STRATEGIC MODERNIZATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES Mark A. Stokes [U.S. Army Strategic Studies Institute] -- September 1999
• Evolution of China's Nuclear Capability: Implications for U.S. Policy James A. Sands
• The Economics of Proliferation in the People's Republic of China Kevin F. Donovan

  Conventional Forces

• Mainland China's (PRC) Military Situation Chapter 3 in Republic of China 1998 National Defense Report [April 1998]
• The Gulf War -- Lessons for Chinese Military S&T A report from U.S. Embassy Beijing November 1996
• PLA Colonels : "Unrestricted Warfare": Part I -- November 1999 report from U.S. Embassy Beijing
• PLA Colonels : "Unrestricted Warfare": Part II -- November 1999 report from U.S. Embassy Beijing
• PLA Senior Colonels On Globalism And New Tactics: "Unrestricted Warfare": Part III
• PLA Senior Colonels On Strategy And Geopolitics: "Unrestricted Warfare": Part IV

• CHINESE ARMY BUILDING IN THE ERA OF JIANG ZEMIN Andrew Scobell Strategic Studies Institute, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks July 2000
• THE PLA AND THE KOSOVO CONFLICT June Teufel Dreyer Strategic Studies Institute, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks May 2000
• CHINA DEBATES the FUTURE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT MICHAEL PILLSBURY National Defense University Press January 2000
• Chinese Views of Future Warfare edited by Michael Pillsbury, Institute for National Strategic Studies
• THE CHINESE ARMED FORCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY Edited by Larry M. Wortzel Strategic Studies Institute, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks December 1999
• Prognosis for China by Sidney Trevethan [Revision 4, November 1999] It appears the PLAN can deliver about two Agroup armies@ (i.e., corps) of amphibious units by ships and another two by large LCU type landing craft. In addition, it can deliver at least three or four more by merchant ships to any operating port.
• THE CHINESE PEOPLE�S LIBERATION ARMY: "SHORT ARMS AND SLOW LEGS" Russell D. Howard, USAF Institute for National Security Studies Occasional Paper 28 -- September 1999
• CHINA'S MILITARY POTENTIAL Larry M. Wortzel US Army Strategic Studies Institute October 2, 1998
• CHINA AND THE REVOLUTION IN MILITARY AFFAIRS Bates Gill & Lonnie Henley US Army Strategic Studies Institute May 20, 1996
• Military Modernization in the People's Republic of China--Implications for the United States and the Region David B. Mathews; James M. Norris (Faculty Advisor) Air Command and Staff College 1998 -- Economic reform in the People's Republic of China (PRC) has actually slowed military modernization efforts and hindered indigenous defense production.
• CHINA'S STRATEGIC VIEW: THE ROLE OF THE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY June Teufel Dreyer -- April 25, 1996
• The PLA In Search of a Strategic Focus Ronald N. Montaperto Joint Forces Quarterly Spring 1995 [404 kb PDF]

• THE DYNAMICS OF RUSSIAN WEAPON SALES TO CHINA Stephen J. Blank US Army Strategic Studies Institute March 4, 1997
• Evaluating Chinese Military Procurement from Russia Dennis J. Blasko, Joint Forces Quarterly Autumn/Winter 1997�98 [540 kb PDF] Many reported deals are never consummated. Purchases and technology transfers have been limited because of Chinese financial constraints and Russian strategic suspicions.
• CHINESE ARMS EXPORTS: POLICY, PLAYERS AND PROCESS Evan S. Medeiros & Bates Gill Strategic Studies Institute, United States Army War College, Carlisle Barracks July 2000

  Science & Technology

• Science and Education for a Prosperous China: Lessons From Abroad A report from U.S. Embassy Beijing November 1996
• PRC State Council "Decision on Accelerating S&T Development" A report from U.S. Embassy Beijing November 1996
• Chinese Challenges in Absorbing and Producing New Technology A report from U.S. Embassy Beijing December 1996
• China's Science and Technology Policy for the Twenty-First Century -- A View From the Top A Report from U.S. Embassy Beijing November 1996
• "Science and Education for a Prosperous China" -- A Brutal and Frank Assessment A report from U.S. Embassy Beijing November 1996
• China's S&T Policy: A View From Within A report from U.S. Embassy Beijing December 1996
• U.S. Commercial Technology Transfers to the People's Republic of China Defense Market Research Report Bureau of Export Administration, Office of Strategic Industries and Economic Security -- January 1999

  Politico-Military Trends

• STRATEGIC TRENDS IN CHINA - NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY 1998
  • Strategic Perspectives James Lilley and Richard Solomon
  • Defense Policy and Posture I Richard Fisher and Paul H. B. Godwin
  • Defense Policy and Posture II John Culver and Michael Pillsbury
  • Nuclear Issues Michael Nacht and Tom Woodrow
  • Taiwan and the South China Sea Ralph Clough and Scott Snyder
• China's Future Intent: Responsible World Power or International Rogue State Brian A. Simpson; Robert H. Hendricks (Faculty Advisor) Air Command and Staff College 1997
• East-West "Giants' On Collison Course Underlying Causes For Future Us-China Conflict Michael J Wallace Air Command and Staff College 1997
• OVERCOMING UNCERTAINTY: U.S.-CHINA STRATEGIC RELATIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY Walter Neal Anderson, USAF Institute for National Security Studies Occasional Paper 29, October 1999
• China: the Emerging Superpower by Major H.A. Hynes Ex New Horizons � 1997-98 Department of National Defence (Canada)

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