Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’S Republic of China
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015 Office of the Secretary of Defense Preparation of this report cost the Department of Defense a total of approximately $92,000 in Fiscal Years 2014-2015. This includes $3,000 in expenses and $89,000 in DoD labor. Generated on 2015 April 07 RefID: D-117FA69 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015 A Report to Congress Pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 Section 1246, “Annual Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China,” of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, Public Law 111-84, which amends the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, Section 1202, Public Law 106-65, provides that the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report “in both classified and unclassified form, on military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China. The report shall address the current and probable future course of military-technological development of the People’s Liberation Army and the tenets and probable development of Chinese security strategy and military strategy, and of the military organizations and operational concepts supporting such development over the next 20 years. The report shall also address United States- China engagement and cooperation on security matters during the period covered by the report, including through United States-China military-to-military contacts, and the United States strategy for such engagement and cooperation in the future.” OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China Executive Summary OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China The People’s Republic of China (PRC) demonstrated a willingness to tolerate a higher continues to pursue a long-term, level of regional tension as China sought to comprehensive military modernization advance its interests, such as in competing program designed to improve its armed territorial claims in the East China Sea and forces’ capacity to fight short-duration, high- South China Sea. intensity regional conflicts. Preparing for potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait remains China’s military modernization has the the focus and primary driver of China’s potential to reduce core U.S. military military investment; however, the PRC is technological advantages. China’s officially- increasing its emphasis on preparations for disclosed military budget grew at an average contingencies other than Taiwan, such as of 9.5 percent per year in inflation-adjusted contingencies in the East China Sea and South terms from 2005 through 2014, and China will China Sea. Additionally, as China’s global probably sustain defense spending growth at footprint and international interests grow, its comparable levels for the foreseeable future. military modernization program has become Moreover, China is investing in capabilities progressively more focused on investments designed to defeat adversary power projection for a range of missions beyond China’s and counter third-party —including U.S.— periphery, including power projection, sea intervention during a crisis or conflict. lane security, counter-piracy, peacekeeping, During 2014, the PLA continued to improve and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief its capabilities for theater contingencies, (HA/DR). including: cruise missiles; short- and medium- China views modernization of the People’s range ballistic missiles; high performance Liberation Army (PLA) as essential to aircraft; integrated air defense; information achieving great power status and what operations; and amphibious and airborne Chinese President Xi Jinping calls the “China assault. The PLA is developing and testing Dream” of national rejuvenation. Chinese new intermediate- and medium-range leaders see a strong military as critical to conventional ballistic missiles, as well as long- prevent other countries from taking steps that range, land-attack, and anti-ship cruise would damage China’s interests and to ensure missiles that extend China’s operational reach, China can defend itself, should deterrence fail. attempting to push adversary forces— China seeks to ensure basic stability along its including the United States—farther from periphery and avoid direct confrontation with potential regional conflicts. China is also the United States in order to focus on focusing on counter-space, offensive cyber domestic development and smooth China’s operations, and electronic warfare capabilities rise. Despite this, Chinese leaders in 2014 meant to deny adversaries the advantages of i modern, informationized warfare. In 2014, cooperation in areas where both countries’ China also started reclaiming land and interests overlap, and to constructively building infrastructure at its outposts in the manage differences. Spratly Islands. China will be able to use them as persistent civil-military bases of operation Sustaining the positive momentum in the to enhance its presence significantly in military-to-military relationship supports U.S. disputed areas. policy objectives to encourage China to uphold international rules and norms to PLA global operations in 2014 included contribute to regional and global problem- counter-piracy patrols, humanitarian solving. DoD seeks to continue building a assistance and disaster relief, exercises and sea military-to-military relationship with China lane security. Highlights include the that is sustained and substantive, while deployments of the 17th and 18th Naval Escort encouraging China to contribute Task Forces to the Gulf of Aden, PLA Navy constructively to efforts to maintain peace and frigates escorting cargo ships carrying stability with the United States, our allies and chemical weapons materials out of Syria, partners, and the greater international search and rescue support for Malaysia community. Airlines MH370, participation in UN peacekeeping missions, circumnavigation of As the United States builds a stronger the African continent, and the first-ever foundation for a military-to-military deployment of a SHANG-class nuclear relationship with China, it must also continue powered submarine (SSN) and SONG-class to monitor China’s evolving military strategy, diesel electric submarine (SS) to the Indian doctrine, and force development, and Ocean. encourage China to be more transparent about its military modernization program. In The Department of Defense (DoD) approach concert with its allies and partners, the United to China is part of a broader U.S. strategy for States will continue adapting its forces, the Asia-Pacific region that is focused on posture, and operational concepts to maintain building a stable and diversified security order, a stable and secure Asia-Pacific security an open and transparent economic order, and environment. a liberal political order. U.S. policy toward China is based on the premise that it is in both countries’ interests to expand practical OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China Executive Summary i Chapter 1: Annual Update 1 Chapter 2: Understanding China’s Strategy 21 Chapter 3: Force Modernization Goals and Trends 31 Chapter 4: Resources for Force Modernization 49 Chapter 5: Force Modernization for a Taiwan Contingency 57 Chapter 6: U.S.-China Military-to-Military Contacts 63 Special Topic: Space Lift Capabilities and Launch Trends 69 Special Topic: China’s Development and Testing of Missile Defense 71 Special Topic: China’s Land Reclamation in the South China Sea 72 Appendix I: Military-to-Military Exchanges 73 Appendix II: China and Taiwan Forces Data 78 Appendix III: Additional Maps and Charts 85 1 ANNUAL UPDATE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China This chapter provides a brief synopsis of raising the enlisted-to-officer ratio; significant developments in Chinese military establishing a theater joint command system; and security activities over the course of the and reducing up to two military regions. The past year, with an emphasis on developments PLA is currently in the “study and verification” specifically highlighted in section 1246 of the phase of the process and will likely make a National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal public announcement on specific reforms Year 2010 (P.L. 111-84). once decided, possibly as early as 2015. These reforms will probably be fully executed by DEVELOPMENTS IN CHINESE 2020. MILITARY DOCTRINE AND The PLA continues to convert divisions to TRAINING: PLA WEIGHING brigades with the idea this will increase SUBSTANTIAL REFORMS effectiveness by boosting overall combat capabilities. This is part of an overall At the conclusion of the 3rd Plenum of the modernization effort to streamline the force