Not as powerful as the West believes: the Chinese army can be weaker than everyone thinks

In the West, a discourse was formed that China is a powerful military force that is constantly upgraded and prepared for war with Taiwan. However, the structure of the army is still Soviet, lacking arms and there are another number of issues. The war in Ukraine showed that the West greatly overestimated the power of the Russian Federation and underestimated the Armed Forces. Analysts now wonder if they are overestimating the capacity of the China's People's Liberation Army (NVAK).

About it reports The Economist. The history of the world is a lot of stories when the enemy's combat capacity was overestimated. This was the case during the Cold War between the US and the USSR, so it happened on the eve of a full -scale war in Ukraine. The Chinese army has indeed undergone extraordinary transformation. When the PRC normalized relations with the United States and began to open the economy in 1979, the People's Liberation Army was poorly equipped.

However, today the NVAK can be shaken by the largest army and naval fleet, third largest air forces and one of the most powerful arsenal of rockets. Also, according to the Pentagon, the number of nuclear missiles by 2030 will increase to 1000, ie it will double. In addition, the PRC builds artificial islands in the South Chinese Sea and regularly patrols it to ensure its maritime claims.

The first foreign military base in Dzibut is open, operations around Taiwan and a number of other events are expanding. The attack on Taiwan may be inevitable, US officers believe. However, it is still far from the United States to fight the United States, journalists write. The Chinese army should change the confusing command structure, outdated material and technical base and lack of combat experience for the last 45 years for the success of the Taiwan invasion of Taiwan.

In addition, it is necessary to learn war lessons in Ukraine and to solve questions with technologically prepared recruits. Since 2016, Xi Jinping has tried to modernize the NVAK: to organize the "tight" structures of the Soviet times, to ensure joint actions between all services, but all this lasts longer than expected. The lack of discipline and corruption of the Chinese army is still a problem.

American officials say that they have intelligence, which indicate that SI ordered the NVAK to be able to invade Taiwan by 2027, but that does not mean that it should definitely happen. Even if not, the US should prepare: find funding for hostilities, redistribute resources between regional commands and services, motivate the army. While the Chinese's intentions are unknown, aggressive discussions in the West on the militarism of the PRC continue.

In part, discourse is formed by the headlines in the media about the power of the NVAK, as well as the feverish election policy of the United States. Currently, scientific centers have little money to identify the weaknesses of the NVAK. Most are emphasized that the Chinese army can do. "A ruthlessly balanced look at the NVAK is necessary in order to avoid war and to win it, if necessary," - summarized in the publication.