Alexis Dale-Huang

As part of a series of reports, the authors consider the potential thresholds and drivers of Chinese nuclear first use in a conflict scenario in the context of China's evolving nuclear force posture.

This report surveys open-source literature across the Chinese defense enterprise to present a composite image of People's Liberation Army (PLA) perspectives and key factors for U. S.-China crisis stability in space. It draws on authoritative materials, including leader speeches reported in official media, defense white papers, and professional military education, which collectively reflect political leader guidance and PLA strategy and doctrine.

Rivalries, especially with China, promise to define U. S. foreign policy and national security challenges for decades. The authors identify historical modes of strategic success and failure in great power rivalries that offer lessons for the United States. They define categories of success and failure and present case studies on specific historical examples that are associated with success and failure.

The People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) growing ability to project and sustain power will rely on its logistics capabilities, systems, and processes. Understanding the PLA's approach to maintenance management is essential for assessing the PLA's ability to sustain a modernized force. The authors provide an overview of the PLA's approach to maintenance to inform a broader understanding about how the PLA plans to operate and sustain its forces.

Since about 2000, the world has been in a period that mixes some aspects of modern life and a much more substantial attenuation of others and features weakening states, fragmenting societies, imbalanced economies, pervasive threats, and the informalization of warfare. This report examines how the U. S.-China rivalry might unfold in this neomedieval era. Many theories about why and how great powers compete will need to be reconsidered.