The PLA at Home and Abroad - Strategic Studies Institute - U.S. Army

disappear, there may be voices claiming that less funding
for defense is necessary, and these monies can be
allocated to other worthy projects. However, unlikely
as this eventuality may be, the New Historic Missions
require significant defense outlays. Defense spending
is rarely—if ever—deemed by military professionals
to be adequate to meet programs considered essential
to national security (hence the existence of the first
contradiction identified above).
Yet, equal if not greater aggravation may be directed
at the wide spectrum of MOOTW that threatens
to place ever-increasing demands on the PLA. In conversations
this writer had with PLA researchers in the
aftermath of the Wenchuan earthquake, for example,
they appeared perturbed by the demands placed upon
the military in relief operations. When this writer was
asked what he thought of the PLA response to the
disaster, he answered that he was full of admiration
for the heroism and herculean efforts of Chinese soldiers.
Nevertheless, it seemed to him that the armed
forces were ill-equipped to handle the scope or scale
of the disaster. The PLA researchers readily agreed
remarking on the factors that had hampered rescue
efforts including a lack of appropriate equipment and
transportation. In particular, they cited a lack of helicopters.
One officer remarked that if only China had
a “FEMA” (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
equivalent organization then this would lessen the
onus on the PLA. 53
Challenge #4: Can the PLA Disarm Its Foreign
Critics?
The PLA has an ongoing global PR campaign to
persuade other countries that China does not pose
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