1. Space Program
1.1. Composition/ Disposition
1.1.1. Budget was approximately UDS11bn in 2013
1.2. Training
1.2.1. Astronauts are trained at Astronaut Center of China (ACC)
1.2.1.1. Prior Active Duty Military Pilots
1.2.1.2. Training is approximately 4 years
1.2.1.3. Study basic science of spaceflight, including advanced mathematics, aerodynamics, basic mechanics, electronics, astronomy, and spacecraft design
1.3. News
1.3.1. China launches hi-res SAR imaging satellite
1.3.2. China to launch two manned space missions this Fall
1.3.3. China Sends Country's Largest Carrier Rocket to Launch Base
1.3.4. China Unveils Mars Rover Design
1.3.5. China Launches Pioneering 'Hack-Proof' Quantum-Communications Satellite
2. The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)
2.1. Strength
2.1.1. 325,000
2.1.2. Equipment In Service
2.1.2.1. 2500+ Fixed Wing Aircrafts
2.1.2.2. Approx. 122 Rotary Wing Aircrafts
2.1.2.3. 946 Modern Combat Aircrafts (2014)
2.2. In midst of major modernization program
2.2.1. Combat Aircrafts
2.2.2. Transport Aircrafts
2.2.3. Air Defense Missiles
2.2.4. Weaponry
2.2.5. Importing Russian combat aircrafts and weapons
2.2.6. At least two new fighter programmes under way
2.2.6.1. Emphasizing stealth attributes, super-cruise capable turbofan engines, modern phased array radar technology, and internal weapons carriage
2.2.6.2. J-20 and J-31
2.2.7. Devoting greater resources to modern air defence systems and to support of airborne troops
2.3. Strong interest in developing UAVs for reconnaissance and combat applications
2.4. Challenges
2.4.1. Integration of new support aircraft - like the A-50 AWACS and the Il-78 tanker - are at an early stage
2.4.2. Joint service training, especially with the PLA Navy, is still in its infancy
2.4.3. Training receiving more investment, still lags behind Taiwan in terms of pilot capability and flight time
2.5. Missions
2.5.1. Air defence, medium-range nuclear weapon delivery, attack, close air support, anti-aircraft missile and gun defence, and support for airborne forces
2.5.2. Believed to be preparing to undertake new mission of long-range strategic strike
2.6. Major News
2.6.1. June 2016, US Air Force aircraft flying in international airspace over the East China Sea was intercepted in "unsafe manner" by a Chinese J-10 fighter jet
2.6.2. May 2016- Chinese fighters intercepted a US Navy signals intelligence aircraft flying in international airspace over South China Sea
2.6.2.1. Fighters flew approx. 50 ft from US aircraft
2.7. Command and Control
2.7.1. Commander
2.7.1.1. General Ma Xiaotian
2.7.2. Political Commissar
2.7.2.1. General Tian Xiusi
2.8. Organization
2.8.1. Military region air forces (MRAF)
2.8.2. Air corps
2.8.3. Command posts and bases
2.8.4. Operational units
3. Cyber Warfare
3.1. Challenges
3.1.1. China advocates concept of 'cyberspace sovereignty'
3.1.2. Diverging definitions of what actually constitutes a cyber-crime
3.2. News
3.2.1. Resorting to low-level cyber warfare against the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan
3.2.1.1. In pursuit of its territorial claims in the resource-rich South China Sea
3.2.2. Beijing plans to rapidly build a new PLA cyberwarfare force in response to U.S. military cyberforces.
3.2.3. China-originated cyber-theft cases frequently linked to military and government organizations
3.2.3.1. Non-state-affiliated China-based hackers are likely to be responsible in many cases.
3.2.3.2. Tackling the threat posed by these groups is a shared interest for China and other states
3.2.3.3. Often targeting large US companies and defense organizations
3.2.4. Many Chinese hackers charged with cyber-espionage against US companies worked for the Chinese military
3.2.5. Chinese attacks have decreased in volume, but increased in sophistication
3.2.5.1. Attackers pick their targets more carefully than in prior years
3.3. Regional Coorperation
3.3.1. Beijing engages in constructive cyber-security dialogue, including with South Korea and Japan
3.3.2. Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum (ARF), developed a framework for cyber-security cooperation
3.3.3. Regional cyber-security co-operation is likely to remain limited and fragmented for the foreseeable future
3.4. US-China Agreement
3.4.1. Bans economic espionage designed to steal trade secrets for benefit of competitors
3.4.2. Chinese military considered one of main sponsors of attacks
4. Nuclear
4.1. Nuclear Capabilities
4.1.1. Estimated 200-300 Nuclear warheads
4.1.1.1. 190 of those warhead are operational
4.1.2. Estimated to have 50-60 ICBMs
4.1.3. 4 Jin class submarines are bieng modified to be capable of making nuclear missile launches
4.1.4. Officially claim a policy of No-First-Use
4.1.5. 6 different types of nuclear warheads
4.1.5.1. 15-40 Kiloton fission bomb
4.1.5.2. 20 kt missile warhead
4.1.5.3. 3 megaton thermonuclear missile warhead
4.1.5.4. 3 megaton thermonuclear gravity bomb
4.1.5.5. 4-5 megaton missile warhead
4.1.5.6. 200-300 kiloton missile warhead
4.1.6. Operating at minimum level necessary for deterance
5. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (CPLA)
5.1. News
5.1.1. China deploys Army in non- aggressive stance along Indo- China Border
5.1.2. India's Army Chief General inspects Chinese Military preparedness along Indo- China Border
5.1.3. Australia must choose between China or US
5.1.4. Chinese Military to provide aid and support to Syria
5.1.5. Chinese Army gets more advanced Helicopters (WZ-10)
5.1.6. 3 Army Generals commit suicide in a month
5.2. Mission Set/ Objective
5.2.1. The PLA's primary role is defending national sovereignty and the people's revolution
5.2.2. Each Theater should be able to respond and defend against threats within the assigned geographic area
5.2.3. Changing from heavy- infantry, low- tech, to a more high tech military
5.3. Composition/ Dispostion
5.3.1. Active: 850,000
5.3.1.1. Command and Control
5.3.1.1.1. Eastern Theater Command
5.3.1.1.2. Western Theater Command
5.3.1.1.3. Southern Theater Command
5.3.1.1.4. Northern Theater Command
5.3.1.1.5. Central Theater Command
5.3.1.2. Armament
5.3.1.2.1. Armor (~12,422)
5.3.1.2.2. Artillery (~12,833)
5.3.1.2.3. Air Defense (~12,526)
5.3.1.2.4. Anti Tank Weapons (~3,600)
5.3.1.2.5. Infantry
5.3.1.2.6. Army Aviation (~823)
5.3.1.2.7. Unmaned Aerial Vehicles (UAV
5.3.1.2.8. Missles
5.3.2. Active Reserve: 510,000 (Estimate)
5.3.2.1. Infantry
5.3.2.1.1. Division x18
5.3.2.1.2. Brigade x4
5.3.2.2. Artlillery
5.3.2.2.1. Division x3
5.3.2.2.2. Brigade x6
5.3.2.3. Air Defense
5.3.2.3.1. Division x17
5.3.2.3.2. Brigade x7
5.4. Training
5.4.1. Bilateral Training with Cambodia
5.4.2. China and Thai Marines conduct Blue Strike 2016
5.4.3. China sends soldiers to participate in International Army Games in Russia and Kazakhstan
5.5. Key Developments
5.5.1. Upgrades in Command and Control, C4ISR
5.5.2. Joint Warfare
5.5.3. Mechanisation
5.5.4. Informationisation
5.6. Missions
5.6.1. Contributed 2,833 PLA to UN Missions
5.6.1.1. MINURSO (Western Sahara): 10 experts on mission
5.6.1.2. MINUSMA (Mali): 402 troops
5.6.1.3. MONUSCO (Democratic Republic of the Congo): 221 troops and 13 experts on mission
5.6.1.4. UNAMID (Darfur): 2351 troops
5.6.1.5. UNIFIL (Lebanon): 418 troops
5.6.1.6. UNMIL (Liberia): 512 troops and 2 experts on mission
5.6.1.7. UNMISS (South Sudan): 1,045 troops and 3 experts on mission
5.6.1.8. UNOCI (Côte d'Ivoire): 6 experts on mission
5.6.1.9. UNTSO (Middle East): 4 experts on mission
5.6.2. Internally deployed for peacekeeping/ Humanitarian
5.6.2.1. 2008 Sichuan earthquake
5.6.2.2. 2013 Sichuan earthquake
5.6.2.3. 2015 Nepal earthquake
5.7. Shortfalls
5.7.1. Corruption
5.7.1.1. Bribery
5.7.1.2. Misuse of Funds
5.7.1.3. Abuse of Power
5.7.2. Communist Party Control
5.7.2.1. PLA at times seem rogue
5.7.3. Lack of Equipment
6. People's Liberation Army Navy
6.1. Composition/Disposition
6.1.1. Command and Control
6.1.1.1. PLAN Commander: Admiral Wu Shengli Political Commissar: Lieutenant General Miao Hua
6.1.1.2. North Sea Fleet
6.1.1.3. East Sea Fleet
6.1.1.4. South Sea Fleet
6.1.1.4.1. PLA Marine Corps
6.1.1.5. Personnel
6.1.1.5.1. 235,000 Sailors
6.1.2. Vessels
6.1.2.1. 4 Strategic missile submarines
6.1.2.2. 60 Submarines
6.1.2.3. 26 Destroyers
6.1.2.4. 55 Frigates
6.1.2.5. 26 Corvettes
6.1.2.6. 129 Fast attack craft
6.1.2.7. 1 Aircraft Carrier
6.2. Training
6.2.1. 5 PLAN Ships participated in RIMPAC 2016
6.2.1.1. https://janes.ihs.com/Janes/Display/1322663
6.2.2. A PLAN ship and USN ship practiced CUES protocol in the South China Sea in 2015
6.2.2.1. https://janes.ihs.com/Janes/Display/1322663
6.2.3. China and Russia will conduct the Joint Sea-2016 training exercise from 11 September 2016 through 19 September 2016
6.2.3.1. https://janes.ihs.com/Janes/Display/1322663
6.3. News
6.3.1. China growing increasingly assertive over claims to the South China Sea
6.3.2. Philippine president Duterte is expressing concerns over Chinese flotilla near Scarborough Shoal. Asked to meet the Chinese ambassador on 5 September 2016
6.3.3. China plans to make PLAN the largest navy in the globe by 2020
6.4. Mission
6.4.1. Strengthening maritime control and management
6.4.2. Systematically establishing patrol mechanisms
6.4.3. Effectively enhancing situational awareness in surrounding sea areas
6.4.4. Tightly guarding against various types of harassment, infiltration, and sabotage activities
6.4.5. Coping promptly with maritime and air incidents and emergencies
6.4.6. Advancing maritime security co-operation
6.4.7. Maintaining maritime peace and stability, as well as free and safe navigation