Assessing the ambitious reform plans of the Chinese People's Liberation Army: progress and challenges

Drawing principally from authoritative Chinese-language sources, this study details the critical advances and ongoing challenges for the current reform and reorganisation plans of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), with a particular focus on joint operations and the development of deterrent and coercive capabilities across multiple warfighting domains. The research included field work in the United States, especially interviews and feedback seminars with officials and experts focusing on China’s military modernisation. It is the most comprehensive and up-to-date study currently available on this topic in the open-source literature.