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Description

Russia’s failures in the early phases of the 2022 Ukraine conflict, and Ukraine’s successes, have raised questions about the implications for China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). U.S. and other foreign analysts have identified several lessons the PLA could learn from the Ukraine conflict that would improve China’s prospects in a future conflict with Taiwan and the United States or potentially with a different regional rival. The PLA has made it frustratingly difficult to answer these questions using direct evidence: several months into the conflict, PLA officers have produced almost nothing detailing their views on the implications of the conflict for future Chinese operations and modernization. It is also doubtful that internal assessments, if they exist, will be available in a way that can substantiate foreign speculation.

Document Type

Policy Brief

Region(s)

East-Asia/Indo-Pacific

Topic(s)

Chinese Military, National Security, Defense Policy

Publication Date

9-2022

Publication

Strategic Forum

Publisher

National Defense University Press

City

Washington, DC

Keywords

People's Liberation Army (PLA), Chinese military adaptation, lessons from Ukraine, China military lessons, PLA doctrine and strategy, Chinese force posture, joint operations and reform, PLA ground force restructuring, China-Taiwan security implications

Rightsizing Chinese Military Lessons from Ukraine

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