China ‘not ready to win wars’ despite PLA modernisation, says US report
Report by Rand Corporation for Congress finds graft, poor staffing and lack of training hinders the military - and some retired generals agree
The People's Liberation Army is incapable of winning wars even though it has spent heavily on modernisation over the past two decades, according to a report commissioned by a US congressional committee.
Chinese military experts said the shortcomings identified were valid, and the report could be a "good reference" to the PLA leadership as it showed a thorough understanding of the army's latest developments.
The report by Santa Monica-based research group Rand Corporation, which was released yesterday, said the PLA faced continuing vulnerability because of widespread corruption, lack of qualified personnel and insufficient training.
"Although the PLA's capabilities have improved dramatically [amid its military modernisation], its remaining weaknesses increase the risk of failure to successfully perform some of the missions Chinese Communist Party leaders may task it to execute," said the report, sponsored by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
Beijing-based retired Major General Xu Guangyu said that as a veteran, he would like to thank the Rand Corporation for its efforts to help the Chinese military to understand its shortcomings.
"I agree that corruption is one of the key problems that should be tackled. That's why President Xi Jinping has urged the anti-graft watchdog to weed out corruption in the army by all means," he said.
