China’s Quest for Military Technology through Foreign and Civil Sources: Strategic Trends under Xi Jinping and Tactical Adjustments amid Geopolitical Challenges
Yifei Zhu and Niklas Swanström
Over the past decades, the military capabilities of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) have witnessed remarkable developments. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has transformed from a large yet outdated force into a modern great power, with significant advancements in air base attack capabilities, air superiority, anti-surface warfare, counterspace operations, cyberwar capabilities, nuclear strength, etc. These achievements are driven by a concentrated campaign for military modernization with a reinforced emphasis on technological upgrading. As the bard chart below illustrates, from 2010 to 2020, the nation’s annual military equipment expenditure increased from 26.2 billion US$ to 68.2 billion US$, with the proportion of total military spending increasing to as high as 41.1%.
In addition to indigenous innovation within the nation’s defense industry, the acquisition of external technology, spanning from military to dual-use (i.e., both military and civilian), has played a pivotal role in driving this progress.It’s essential to clarify that the term “external” here refers to acquisitions beyond the narrowly defined domestic defense industry, which encompasses mainly arsenals and defense contractors. In this context, China employs two primary forms of external technology acquisition.
Read this full piece at The European Hub for Contemporary China (EuroHub4Sino).
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