Inside the rise of China's military
Dive into the strengths and weaknesses of China's military and its remarkable transformation over the last few decades from obsolete to world-class in a three-part podcast series with Battle Lines host Venetia Rainey.
As the US pivots to the Indo-Pacific and the threat of a truly global war looms, understanding the evolving role of China's military on the world stage has never been more important.
Episode 1 - From obsolete to world-class
Once little more than some rusting planes and ships, episode one looks at how the People's Liberation Army built itself up.
Today, its strengths include a vastly modernised Navy, now the largest globally, and an Air Force equipped with stealth fighters and advanced drones.
Plus, there is growing focus on China's potent non-conventional forces, such as its highly sophisticated cyber warfare units, its independent aerospace and counter-space capabilities, and the secretive Rocket Force, responsible for a fast-expanding nuclear arsenal.
Episode 2 - The three major flaws
For all its strengths, China's military is not a real army - it's the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party. Ideology is paramount and corruption is endemic.
Plus, the People's Liberation Army hasn't fought a war since 1979. Xi Jinping calls it 'the peace disease'.
Episode two looks at the PLA's weaknesses and how the Chinese president is trying to fix them, from endless purges of top generals to a specially built training centre in Mongolia and live-fire drills around Taiwan.
Episode 3 - Taiwan
Will China invade Taiwan? If so, when and what signs should we look for that will show it is imminent? How exactly could Beijing seize the island? And what would the US do in response?
These questions have been at the core of Indo-Pacific security concerns for decades, but in recent years, the threat has become more tangible - and the questions more urgent.
Episode three considers different views on whether Beijing is getting ready to invade the self-ruled island it claims as its own. What are the different scenarios that could unfold and crucially, what that would mean for a conflict with the US?
Listen to Battle Lines using the audio players in this article or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your favourite podcast app.
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