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

14. Chinese leaders chose to use the term “transformation”
rather than “revolution” for several reasons. First, revolution
suggests complete change whereas transformation means adaptation.
Second, revolution usually comes as a sudden change
while transformation makes gradual progress. Finally, and as a
corollary to the first two, China wants to transform the PLA while
retaining its “core values” such as its loyalty to the CCP and so
on. The decision to use this term came all the way from President
Jiang Zemin. See Xiong Guangkai (熊光楷), “论世界新军事变革趋
势和中国新军事变革” (“On the Trend of Change in the World’s
New Transformation in Military Affairs and China’s New Transformation
in Military Affairs”), 外交学院学报 (Journal of China
Foreign Affairs University), No. 76, June 2004; and Fang Gongli (房
功利), 中国国防战略演变研究 (A Study of the Evolution of the PRC’s
Defense Strategy), Ph.D. Dissertation, Beijing, China: 中共中央党校
(The Central Party School) 2004, pp. 197-198.
15. See the following writings on the PLA analysts’ comments.
Sun Kejia (孙科佳), “试论中国特色军事变革” (“On Military
Reform with Chinese Characteristics”), 军事科学 (Military
Science), Vol. 16, No. 1, 2003; Sun Keijia (孙科佳), “中国特色的
军事变革” (“Military Transformation with Chinese Characteristics”),
Beijing, China: Changzheng Chubanshe (长征出版社),
2003; Pi Mingyong (皮明勇), “关注与超越:中国军事改革历史透
视” (“Concern and Surpassing: Perspective of the History of Military
Reform in China”), cited in 南方周末 (South China Weekend),
June 12, 2003; Peng Guangqian (彭光谦), “迎接新军事变革的挑战”
(“Embrace the Challenge of Transformation in Military Affairs”),
瞭望新闻周刊 (Liaowang Weekly News), June 9, 2003; Wang Baocun
(王保存), Wu Yujin (吴玉金), and Ku Guisheng (库桂生), “直面军
事变革—中国将军纵论机遇和挑战” (“On Transformation in Military
Affairs—Chinese Generals Discuss Opportunities and Challenges”),
瞭望周刊 (Liaowang Weekly), July 16, 2003. Professor Sun
Kejia also notes that in the mid 1990s, the PLA’s basic trainings
were still bayonet drills and hand grenade throwing. Sun Kejia
(孙科佳), 中国特色的军事变革 (Transformation in Military Affairs
with Chinese Characteristics), Beijing, China: Changzheng Chubanshe,
2003, p. 185.
16. Xiong Guangkai (熊光楷), “关于新军事变革问题” (“On the
New Revolution in Military Affairs”), 军事历史 (Military History),
No. 4, 2003; Yao Youzhi (姚有志), “世界新军事变革的战略特征和
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