Chinese military Modernization not a threat to any country

Published: October 09,2024

By Gerald Mbanda

In a recent article published by Seth G. Jones in the foreign affairs.com, a United Stated news website owned by the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR), with the title, “China Is Ready for War,” seems to be intended to sound war drums, where there is no war

The author argues that the increased production of weapons systems, some of which have out competed the US, is meant to deter the United States and to win the war in case of a military confrontation between the two richest countries in the world. Jones asserts that, “China is rapidly developing and producing weapons systems designed to deter the United States and, if deterrence fails, to emerge victorious in a great-power war. China has already caught up to the United States in its ability to produce weapons at mass and scale. In some areas, China now leads: it has become the world’s largest shipbuilder by far, with a capacity roughly 230 times as large as that of the United States.”

First of all, to measure China’s military power as directed towards the United States is wrong. China is building its defense capabilities against any possible aggression not particularly directed at the United States. Probably, Jones is making one crucial revelation that instead, it is the United States that has intentions of starting a war against China aimed at containing the rise of China.

Military modernization of China goes hand in hand with President Xi Jinping’s thought on China modernization in all aspects, and the commitment to people-centred development.  In the words of President Xi, developing a world-class military is central to his aim of pursuing the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts.” For any country pursuing development, it is important to protect what has been achieved.

Jones also writes that, “between 2021 and early 2024, China’s defense industrial base produced more than 400 modern fighter aircraft and 20 large warships, doubled the country’s nuclear warhead inventory and more than doubled its inventory of ballistic and cruise missiles, and developed a new stealth bomber. Over the same period, China increased its number of satellite launches by 50 percent. China now acquires weapons systems at a pace five to six times as fast as the United States. Admiral John Aquilino, the former commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, has described this military expansion as “the most extensive and rapid buildup since World War II.”

In its defence strategy, China does not acquire weapons systems to outnumber the United States, but the threat assessment determines the required defence strength to safeguard global peace, as well as China’s territorial integrity and the security of the Chinese people.

The claim that China is struggling with economic problems, increased government debt and an aging society which will force the country to cut on defence spending is nothing more than exaggeration and  wishful thinking to ‘pull down China.’ Although most economies globally after COVID-19 pandemic are facing challenges, China is not exceptional. In a recent press conference in Beijing, the minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, Zheng Shanjie, said that, “Two words summarize the status quo of the Chinese economy ‘steady’ and ‘progress.’

China’s GDP in the first half of 2024 reached RMB 61.68 trillion (US$8.49 trillion) representing  an increase of 5 percent year-on-year, and this growth  aligned with the economic target set at the beginning of the year. Secondly, the aging population does not have any significant effect on the country’s work force to the extent of causing an economic crisis. In 2023, the workforce in China was estimated at around 740.4 million people. This marked an annual increase of 7 million. Comparing the figures to the United States work force of 168.76 million, will obviously explain that there is no crisis of labout force.

China is competing with no country but by herself on her journey towards national rejuvenation. China is a strong believer and defender of the five principles of peaceful co-existance,   mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit. China has never been at war with any country in the past, and therefore, will never use her modernization of military capabilities to cause war or bully other countries. China’s military modernization is aimed at serving   the interests of global peace and national security purposes. However, China remains ready not to make war but to defend herself in case of the foreign aggression.

Gerald Mbanda is a researcher and publisher on China-Africa Development and Cooperation.