China’s Military POWER Explained | Just how strong is the Chinese military?

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China is investing in advanced weaponry and equipment, and overhauling its military command structure to modernize its armed forces.

Under President Xi Jinping, China has become more diplomatically assertive and shown an increased willingness to back up its claims over disputed territory with demonstrations of its military prowess. Neighboring countries and the United States have been watching closely.

“The increasingly loud voices sounding alarmed of a potential China-US conflict in the South China Sea mostly came from the fact that the US is now seeing China on equal footing because of the latter’s growing army,” said Yin Dongyu, a Beijing-based analyst on the Chinese military. “And that’s quite a good indication of China’s growing military strength already.”

In recent months, the navies of the US and its diplomatic allies have sailed regularly through Asia Pacific waters – including the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait – to assert navigational rights in international waters.

In October, the US announced AUKUS — a new security alliance with the UK and Australia — that will lead to Australia acquiring nuclear-powered submarines from the United States.

Rapid naval expansion
The PLA’s ground force has traditionally been China’s foundation for asserting power in the region. It took the lead recently with India at the two countries’ Himalayan border, for instance.

In 2021, the Department of Defense published a report to Congress titled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China”, which analyses the relative strength of the Chinese and Taiwanese militaries in depth.