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

For a long time, American leaders have been surprised
with the PLA’s advances. This volume (and
many of the previous volumes from past PLA conferences)
show that these advances did not come out of
the blue. Although much of the learning and many of
the improvements are still far from what is desired
(from Chinese expectations and American critiques),
and some of the learning has even created contradictions
for the PLA, these persistent and diligent learning
practices will eventually bring the PLA to a higher
level of proficiency in its capabilities. The emergence
of a much more sophisticated PLA in the coming years
should not be a surprise.
ENDNOTES - CHAPTER 1
1. In the literature on the territorial conflicts in the Pacific,
“disputed islands” is a standard term. However, in Chinese discussions
the term “stolen” is often used, because the Chinese argue
that these territories were taken from China when it was under
foreign invasions.
2. China’s National Defense in 2008, Beijing, China: The Information
Office of China’s State Council, January 2009, available
from merln.ndu.edu/whitepapers/china_endlish208.pdf.
3. Hu Jintao (胡锦涛), “Report to the 17th Party Congress,”
October 25, 2007.
4. China’s National Defense in 2008, p. 8.
5. Wang Faan, (王法安), “坚持富国和强军统一, 在更高起点
上推进强军战略 上, 中, 下” (“Stressing the Unity of Building a
Prosperous Nation and Strong Military, Pursuing the Strategy of
Strong Military at a Higher Level, Parts I, II, and III”), 国防 (National
Defense,) Vols. 1, 2, and 3, 2008.
6. China’s Defense White Paper, 2006.
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