Skip to main content
  • Sections
  • Search

Center for Strategic & International Studies

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • Sign In

Topics

  • Climate Change
  • Cybersecurity and Technology
    • Cybersecurity
    • Data Governance
    • Intellectual Property
    • Intelligence, Surveillance, and Privacy
    • Military Technology
    • Space
    • Technology and Innovation
  • Defense and Security
    • Counterterrorism and Homeland Security
    • Defense Budget
    • Defense Industry, Acquisition, and Innovation
    • Defense Strategy and Capabilities
    • Geopolitics and International Security
    • Long-Term Futures
    • Missile Defense
    • Space
    • Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation
  • Economics
    • Asian Economics
    • Global Economic Governance
    • Trade and International Business
  • Energy and Sustainability
    • Energy, Climate Change, and Environmental Impacts
    • Energy and Geopolitics
    • Energy Innovation
    • Energy Markets, Trends, and Outlooks
  • Global Health
    • Family Planning, Maternal and Child Health, and Immunizations
    • Multilateral Institutions
    • Health and Security
    • Infectious Disease
  • Human Rights
    • Building Sustainable and Inclusive Democracy
    • Business and Human Rights
    • Responding to Egregious Human Rights Abuses
    • Civil Society
    • Transitional Justice
    • Human Security
  • International Development
    • Food and Agriculture
    • Governance and Rule of Law
    • Humanitarian Assistance
    • Human Mobility
    • Private Sector Development
    • U.S. Development Policy

Regions

  • Africa
    • North Africa
    • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Americas
    • Caribbean
    • North America
    • South America
  • Arctic
  • Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Australia, New Zealand & Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • Japan
    • Korea
    • Pakistan
    • Southeast Asia
  • Europe
    • European Union
    • NATO
    • Post-Soviet Europe
    • Turkey
  • Middle East
    • The Gulf
    • Egypt and the Levant
    • North Africa
  • Russia and Eurasia
    • The South Caucasus
    • Central Asia
    • Post-Soviet Europe
    • Russia

Sections menu

  • Programs
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Analysis
    • Blogs
    • Books
    • Commentary
    • Congressional Testimony
    • Critical Questions
    • Interactive Reports
    • Journals
    • Newsletter
    • Reports
    • Transcript
  • Podcasts
  • iDeas Lab
  • Transcripts
  • Web Projects

Main menu

  • About Us
  • Support CSIS
    • Securing Our Future
Photo: AFP/Getty Images
Report
Share
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Printfriendly.com

Chinese Strategy, Military Forces, and Economics

The Metrics of Cooperation, Competition and/or Conflict

September 19, 2018

By Anthony H. Cordesman

Download the Report
 



China’s actions, and its rapid emergence as a major regional military power, has led the U.S. to focus its military and strategic planning on China as one of two critical threats. Along with Russia, China has become the central focus of U.S. security planning in both the new National Security Strategy (NSS) issued by the President in December 2017, and in the new National Defense Strategy (NDS) issued by the Secretary of Defense in early 2018.

The Burke Chair at CSIS is issuing a new analysis entitled Chinese Strategy, Military Forces, and Economics: The Metrics of Cooperation, Competition and/or Conflict. A PDF version is avalable on the CSIS web site at https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/180919_China_Strategy_Metrics_Report.pdf?bgjttReIklyFTTJo3YqYUZ3cHG1E3hWr. A PowerPoint version is available at https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/180919_China_Strategy_Metrics_Report.pptx?xp0VY8UUeGdbV8V3t7E_bqx04nyBKQik.

The analysis provides an introductory summary of the new U.S. strategy, and a survey of the metrics that help illustrate the changes in China’s overall global position, military forces, and power projection capabilities. It draws on official U.S. reporting by the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy, reporting by the Japanese Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Defense of Taiwan, reporting by CSIS, the Congressional Research Service, IISS, SIPRI and a wide range of other think tanks, and on various media reports.

The wide range of sources help illustrate the complex relationships that are shaping China’s emergence as a major global military and economic power. The report also draws heavily on official Chinese reporting, and particularly on the May 2018 edition of the Department of Defense’s Military and Security Developments Involving the Republic of China, Annual Report to Congress.

At the same time, the metrics and data illustrate some of the many areas where there are no reliable data and/or conflicting estimates. The report is not designed to justify the conclusions drawn in theNational Security Strategy (NSS) and new National Defense strategy, but rather to illustrate a range of different assessments of key trends, and to put China’s military developments in a broader context.

More generally, metrics are useful indicators but are not a substitute for detailed analysis. There are also many aspects of China’s emerging power which either cannot be portrayed using metrics or where no metrics are available. As such, this is more an aid to research and a means of quickly gaining a broad overview of the areas where metrics do provide useful summary indicators rather than a comprehensive analysis.

Other Burke Chair studies on Chinese and Asia security include:

  • Chinese Strategy and Military Modernization in 2017, January 12, 2017
    https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/170112_Chinese_Strategy_and_Military_Modernization.pdf?Ikd72h18mXYw.mcTydjM5ljuu7cjk2AL
  • The Military Balance in the Koreas and Northeast Asia, January 31, 2017
    https://csis-website-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/publication/170131_Northeast_Asia_Korea_Book.pdf?IH5xTmaHrldeYRY7U6oqllps9XkTiCH9
Downloads
Download "Chinese Strategy, Military Forces, and Economics"
Download PowerPoint
Written By
Anthony H. Cordesman
Emeritus Chair in Strategy
Media Queries
Contact H. Andrew Schwartz
Chief Communications Officer
Tel: 202.775.3242

Contact Paige Montfort
Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
Tel: 202.775.3173
Related
Asia, Asian Economics, China, Cybersecurity, Cybersecurity and Technology, Defense Budget, Defense Industry, Acquisition, and Innovation, Defense Strategy and Capabilities, Defense and Security, Economics, Emeritus Chair in Strategy, Geopolitics and International Security, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Privacy, Long-Term Futures, Military Balance, Military Technology, Missile Defense, Space, Technology and Innovation, Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation

Most Recent From Anthony H. Cordesman

Commentary
Ranking the World’s Major Powers: A Graphic Comparison of the United States, Russia, China, and Other Selected Countries
By Anthony H. Cordesman
May 16, 2022
Report
U.S. Strategy: Rebalancing Global Energy between Europe, Russia, and Asia and U.S. Security Policy in the Middle East and the Gulf
By Anthony H. Cordesman
May 12, 2022
Commentary
The Ukraine War and U.S. National Strategy: The Need for a Credible Global Force Posture and Real Plans, Programs, and Budgets
By Anthony H. Cordesman
May 5, 2022
In the News
Many believe Biden isn’t tough enough on Russia says AP-NORC poll
PBS | Nomaan Merchant, Hannah Fingerhut
April 21, 2022
In the News
Many say Biden not tough enough on Russia: AP-NORC poll
Associated Press | Nomaan Merchant, Hannah Fingerhut
April 21, 2022
Report
The Ukraine War: Preparing for the Longer-Term Outcome
By Anthony H. Cordesman, Grace Hwang
April 14, 2022
Commentary
The Other Side of Chinese Sea Power: 'White Area Warfare'
By Anthony H. Cordesman
April 4, 2022
Commentary
The Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget Submission: A Strategic Intellectual Vacuum
By Anthony H. Cordesman
March 29, 2022
View all content by this expert
Footer menu
  • Topics
  • Regions
  • Programs
  • Experts
  • Events
  • Analysis
  • Web Projects
  • Podcasts
  • iDeas Lab
  • Transcripts
  • About Us
  • Support Us
Contact CSIS
Email CSIS
Tel: 202.887.0200
Fax: 202.775.3199
Visit CSIS Headquarters
1616 Rhode Island Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Media Queries
Contact H. Andrew Schwartz
Chief Communications Officer
Tel: 202.775.3242

Contact Paige Montfort
Media Relations Coordinator, External Relations
Tel: 202.775.3173

Daily Updates

Sign up to receive The Evening, a daily brief on the news, events, and people shaping the world of international affairs.

Subscribe to CSIS Newsletters

Follow CSIS
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

All content © 2022. All rights reserved.

Legal menu
  • Credits
  • Privacy Policy
  • Reprint Permissions