A New Step in China’s Military Reform

Authors

Joel Wuthnow, Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University

Abstract

Joel Wuthnow, a senior research fellow in NDU’s Institute of National Strategic Studies, discusses the current state of military reform in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). In April 2024, Xi Jinping launched a sweeping military reorganization aimed at enhancing the PLA's ability to achieve information dominance and conduct integrated joint operations. The reform dismantled the Strategic Support Force, introduced a new Information Support Force (ISF), and placed key support elements under Xi’s direct control—marking the PLA’s most significant structural change in five years. Motivated in part by lessons from Russia’s failures in Ukraine, the changes aim to boost PLA readiness for potential conflict scenarios, particularly over Taiwan. This article analyzes the reform’s components, assesses its impact on operational effectiveness, and explores how it may influence Chinese leadership’s calculus in future military actions. It also calls attention to the need for the U.S. to consider these shifts in updating its Joint Warfighting Concept.

Recommended Citation

Joel Wuthnow, "A New Step in China’s Military Reform," Joint Force Quarterly 117 (2nd Quarter 2025), 4-13, https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/joint-force-quarterly/vol117/iss2/3.