Beijing’s military ‘lags behind’ other countries, but ‘still good enough to defeat separatists’
- People’s Liberation Army faces major challenges in Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang, and needs more money to achieve its modernisation goals, white paper says
- PLA must do more to match the technological advancements achieved by other countries, document says
The People’s Liberation Army lags far behind the world’s leading militaries but Beijing says it is still up to the task of defending the nation against those seeking independence for Taiwan.
In a 52-page white paper titled “China’s National Defense in the New Era” released by the State Council on Wednesday, Beijing said the PLA still had work to do to achieve its modernisation goals, and appealed for more reforms and greater investment.
The document highlighted the challenges faced by the military, including the threat from pro-independence forces in Taiwan, and separatists in Tibet and Xinjiang – two of China’s most restive regions – but said it would always defeat those fighting for Taiwanese independence.
“The Taiwanese authorities, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, stubbornly stick to ‘Taiwan independence’,” it said. “They have gone further down the path of separatism by stepping up efforts to sever the connection with the mainland in favour of gradual independence, pushing for de jure independence, intensifying hostility and confrontation, and borrowing the strength of foreign influence.”
It said also that while Beijing had not renounced the use of force against Taiwan, it was “by no means targeted at our compatriots in Taiwan, but at the interference of external forces and the very small number of ‘Taiwan independence’ separatists and their activities”.