Chinese general calls for military to prepare for ‘hybrid’ modern warfare
- Writing in official newspaper, General Wang Haijiang gives glimpse of how PLA’s top brass sees the war in Ukraine
- He says China faces suppression and containment from Western countries that may ‘escalate at any time’
Wang wrote that China needs to better integrate its strategic forces and fully prepare for “military struggle” as the country continues to face suppression and containment by Western nations that could “escalate at any time”.
The article, which was almost 4,000 words long, was published on the front page of Study Times – the official newspaper of the Communist Party’s Central Party School – on Monday and gives a glimpse into how the PLA’s top brass sees the war in Ukraine and how China’s military could prepare for future conflicts.
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“Since the Ukraine crisis broke out, a new form of ‘hybrid warfare’ has emerged. Military confrontations have become intertwined with battles in political, financial, technological, cyberspace and cognitive areas,” Wang wrote.
“Military conflicts extend from conventional to unconventional areas, and [modern warfare] has become an overall contest of the comprehensive national strength, ability to wage war and military strength of the countries involved,” he said.
The PLA general also warned about the military risks China faces as geopolitical tensions increase.
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“At present and in the future, local conflicts and turmoil have become frequent … the external suppression and containment the country is facing may escalate at any time,” Wang wrote.
He said China needed to better consolidate and improve its “integrated national strategic system and capabilities” – repeating a call made by President Xi Jinping during the party congress in October.
To resist external pressure, Wang said China must accelerate the integration of its strategic forces in the areas of military, economic, science and technology, and build its overall national strength.
In addition, Wang said the PLA needed to be vigilant about the rapidly changing security environment, especially when it came to China’s neighbours, and to improve its combat readiness.
He called for China’s military to “closely follow the development of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, information network and aerospace” and to make full use of advanced technologies to improve the PLA’s combat strength.
He suggested strengthening combat training for unmanned, cyber and aerospace forces and deepening the application of new technologies, equipment and tactics.
He said the PLA could flex its military muscle through the use of deterrence forces, by conducting military exercises and engaging in international peacekeeping operations – increasing China’s strength in dealing with security threats as well as its influence.
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China is not alone in warning about the changing nature of warfare. Nato also highlighted preparations for dealing with “hybrid threats” in an article published last month.
“Hybrid threats combine military and non-military as well as covert and overt means, including disinformation, cyberattacks, economic pressure, deployment of irregular armed groups and use of regular forces,” the article said.
“Hybrid methods are used to blur the lines between war and peace, and attempt to sow doubt in the minds of target populations. They aim to destabilise and undermine societies.”
