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Andrew S. Erickson China's rapid development is reshaping the world in all dimensions. Chinese language open sources offer insights into these critical trends. While such materials are increasing constantly in number, diversity, and sophistication, only a fraction is available in English. The analyses available here, many based on sources not previously considered outside China, are designed to help bridge that gap--and thereby increase understanding of the most dynamic great power in the international system today.

23 December 2024

CMSI Translation #11: “Mid-Life Overhaul and Upgrade of the Type 052C Guided Missile Destroyer”

Ju Lang, “Mid-Life Overhaul and Upgrade of the Type 052C Guided Missile Destroyer,” CMSI Translation 11 (Newport, RI: Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute, 19 December 2024).

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A CACHED COPY.
From CMSI Director CAPT Christopher H. Sharman, USN (Ret.):
Numerically, the PRC has the largest navy in the world with a battle force of […]

20 December 2024

China’s Military Power: The Capability Forest Beyond Corruption Trees

Andrew S. Erickson, “China’s Military Power: The Capability Forest Beyond Corruption Trees,” 19FortyFive, 20 December 2024.
This week, the Department of Defense released its twenty-fourth annual China Military Power Report (CMPR). Here are the most important revelations from its 182 pages that informed professionals need to know.

China’s Military Might, Explained
China’s armed forces are massive, well-funded, and […]

19 December 2024

What the Pentagon’s New Report on Chinese Military Power Reveals About Capabilities, Context, and Consequences

Just out in War on the Rocks—My take on the Pentagon’s 2024 China Military Power Report!
I offer both TL;DR for the 182-page document and a hard-hitting conclusion.

The bottom line: If Xi and the PLA were in the disarray some imagine, there’s no way China’s military could be developing, deploying, and exercising the way it clearly […]

19 December 2024

Politico China Watcher Features “Chinese Amphibous Warfare”

Honored to have CMSI’s new book featured by Phelim Kine in Politico’s China Watcher!

“One Book, Three Questions”
The Book: Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Prospects for a Cross-Strait Invasion (a compilation of expert analyses of how a Chinese invasion of Taiwan might unfold)
The Editors: Andrew Erickson is a professor of strategy at the Naval War College’s China Maritime Studies Institute; […]

18 December 2024

Department of Defense Just Released 2024 China Military Power Report–Fact Sheet, Full Text, & Key Points Here!

The Department of Defense just released the 2024 China Military Power Report (CMPR)!

Access here the Full Text (cached copy) & Fact Sheet (cached copy).
Rollout at CSIS, 18 December 2024.
Watch rollout webcast on YouTube.

KEY REVELATIONS—MY TAKE:

By CMPR’s suspense date of “early 2024,” China already had over 600 operational nuclear warheads.
All of China’s roughly 400 ICBMs can […]

18 December 2024

U.S. Department of Defense Annual Reports to Congress on China’s Military Power—2000 to 2024—Download Complete Set + Read Highlights Here

Now that the Department of Defense (DoD) has just released the 2024 China Military Power Report (CMPR)… you can access the Full Text & accompanying documents below. Since I couldn’t find a single-source location on the Internet, and the Pentagon has deactivated some of the previous links, I decided to make my own. Now you can […]

14 December 2024

Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Taiwan Targeted, Scenarios Swirling

Andrew S. Erickson, “Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Taiwan Targeted, Scenarios Swirling,” The Diplomat, 14 December 2024.
Part two of a two-part series detailing China’s amphibious warfare and the implications for Taiwan.

As China deploys the most warships around Taiwan in its largest maritime operation in three decades, scrutiny of the potential military operations Xi Jinping envisions is long […]

14 December 2024

China’s Amphibious Warfare: History, Doctrine, and Forces

Andrew S. Erickson, “China’s Amphibious Warfare: History, Doctrine, and Forces,” The Diplomat, 14 December 2024.
Part one of a two-part series detailing China’s amphibious warfare and the implications for Taiwan.

Republished in RealClearDefense, 16 December 2024.

As China surrounds Taiwan with warships, it’s time to consider what military operations Xi Jinping may be preparing for. This first part […]

09 December 2024

Studying a Closing China: Open Source Methodology

As we follow Admiral Miao Hua (苗华)’s fall and watch for more shoes to drop, it’s useful to reflect on Chinese open source methodology more broadly. With the PRC continually tightening up under Xi, the discipline faces rising challenges. Surveying the state of affairs and reviewing past practices from earlier years of PRC isolation offers […]

08 December 2024

The Ryan Martinson Bookshelf: Illuminating China’s Military Maritime Strategy, Forces & Operations

Read the latest and greatest from my brilliant my Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) colleague Prof. Ryan Martinson! Review his unique insights on PLA Navy personnel issues as we analyze Admiral Miao Hua (苗华)’s fall and watch for more shoes to drop…
For analysis of Chinese maritime strategy and policy, force development and deployment, […]

03 December 2024

China Maritime Report #43—“Shadow Force: A Look Inside the PLA Navy Reserve”

Tiffany Tat, Shadow Force: A Look Inside the PLA Navy Reserve, China Maritime Report 43 (Newport, RI: Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute, December 2024).

From CMSI Director Christopher Sharman:
The PLA Navy Reserve is an important and understudied element of PRC maritime power. The PLAN Reserve appears to be transitioning from a substandard backup force […]

28 November 2024

CMSI Note 11: “Admiral Miao Hua’s Fall: Further Navy Fallout?”

Andrew S. Erickson and Christopher H. Sharman, “Admiral Miao Hua’s Fall: Further Navy Fallout?” CMSI Note 11 (Newport, RI: Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute, 28 November 2024).
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A CACHED PDF COPY.

From CMSI Director Christopher Sharman:
Happy Thanksgiving from the China Maritime Studies Institute! We have much to be thankful for.

China’s Navy, […]

25 November 2024

CMSI Translation #10: “Transformation, How Significant is the Role of an Airfield Station?”

Gao Hongwei, Shen Hongquan, and Zhang Tong, “Transformation, How Significant is the Role of an Airfield Station?” CMSI Translation 10 (Newport, RI: Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute, 25 November 2024).
Transformation, How Significant is the Role of an Airfield Station?1
——News Investigation of a Certain Southern Theater Command Navy Aviation Airfield Station
Improving Core Support Capabilities […]

19 November 2024

Lead Key Research Center at Critical Time—Apply by 6 January 2025 to Become Director, Russia Maritime Studies Institute, Naval War College!

Apply now to become the next Director, Russia Maritime Studies Institute (RMSI) at the Naval War College (NWC) in Newport, Rhode Island—the Navy’s “Home of Thought”! The next professional in this intellectually pivotal position will provide thought leadership and management for a dynamic team of top-caliber professionals all serving the Navy and Nation—in ways that matter greatly. Akin to […]

18 November 2024

Naval Officer, Lawyer, Director, Dean, Scholar: The Peter Dutton Bookshelf

New in New Haven! After twenty-three years of superlative leadership, scholarship, teaching, and other academic and policy contributions at the U.S. Naval War College, Dr. Peter Alan Dutton, J.D., has joined Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center as a Senior Research Scholar in Law and a Senior Fellow. His updated bio is appended immediately […]

07 November 2024

Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Prospects for a Cross-Strait Invasion—CMSI Vol. 8 in “Studies in Chinese Maritime Development” series

Andrew S. Erickson, Conor M. Kennedy, and Ryan D. Martinson, eds., Chinese Amphibious Warfare: Prospects for a Cross-Strait Invasion (Newport, RI: Naval War College Press, 7 November 2024).
Coauthor of:

Andrew S. Erickson, Conor M. Kennedy, and Ryan D. Martinson, “Introduction: Taking Taiwan by Force? Chinese Amphibious Warfare in the New Era,” 1–12.
Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel […]

05 November 2024

CMSI Translation #9: “Mine Countermeasure Operations in a Cross-Strait Island Landing Campaign”

Tian Ying, “Mine Countermeasure Operations in a Cross-Strait Island Landing Campaign,” CMSI Translation 9 (Newport, RI: Naval War College China Maritime Studies Institute, 5 November 2024).

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A CACHED COPY.
From CMSI Director CAPT Christopher H. Sharman, USN (Ret.):
What do PRC authors think about Taiwan’s Mine Warfare capabilities? What can the PLAN do to address […]

04 November 2024

Harvard Asia Center Seminar Tomorrow: “China-North Korea Dynamics: Is Their Bond Eroding as North Korea Draws Closer to Russia?”

China-North Korea Dynamics: Is Their Bond Eroding as North Korea Draws Closer to Russia?
November 5, 2024 | 12:15 pm – 1:15 pm
Location: S050, Thomas Chan-Soo Kang Room, CGIS South, 1730 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA
Please click here to register for the event.
Sponsors:

Harvard University Asia Center
Korea Institute, Harvard University
Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Harvard University

Speaker: Seong-Hyon Lee, Associate, […]

04 November 2024

The Voyage of the Meishan & Xiushan: China’s Template for a Blue-Water Coast Guard

Cutting-edge cutters! Revealing commentary on the PRC’s fast-growing “Second Navy” by Professor Martinson. Bonus: Scroll down for a curated “Bookshelf” compilation of his world-class work! I guarantee you’ll find something you *didn’t yet know* you needed to know…
Ryan Martinson, “The Voyage of the Meishan and Xiushan: China’s Template for a Blue-Water Coast Guard,” War on […]