The China and the People's Liberation Army

This work defines "great powers" and "developing states", and suggests that the purposes of their militaries are fundamentally different. It aims to debunk frequently unquestioned myths about China's status as a great power. The author employs extensive research of Chinese and foreign sources, secret and public, to show shortcomings in the strategic, military, and industrial overhaul of China's military industrial complex. His thematic framework and case-study analysis have important implications for the study of developing world militaries and East Asian security.