Over the past decade, the Chinese Navy has embarked on a modernization program with the goal of being the preeminent regional power in East Asia. By acquiring some of the world’s most impressive naval technologies from abroad while simultaneously building advanced indigenous submarines, combatants, and naval aircraft, China is positioning itself to play a growing role in regional and trans-regional affairs.

This enhanced naval power sought by Beijing is meant to answer global changes in the nature of warfare and domestic concerns about continued economic prosperity. Responding to global trends, this modernization program is meant to address what China terms “the generation gap in military technology” brought on by the revolution in military affairs (RMA) and the RMA’s associated application of information and technology to the means of warfare.

As such, this modernization effort is driven by China’s strategic requirement to maintain the effectiveness of its military against a backdrop of global changes in military weaponry and doctrine. Domestically, this modernization effort aims to ensure access to trade routes and economic resources throughout the region. This drive to build a military component to protect the means of economic development is one of the most prevalent historical reasons for building a blue water naval capability.

China’s Navy is in a state of transition as it strives to fill these new goals and objectives. Just as China’s sailors are learning to operate this new equipment, China’s leaders are learning the means of employing a navy with modern capabilities to support national objectives. During this period of learning, many opportunities will be presented to China as well other parties in the region.

The first five chapters provide detailed background into the history, doctrine, leadership, structure, and politics of the PLAN. The next five chapters provide information on the operating forces of the PLAN – submarines, surface ships, naval aviation, coastal defense forces, and marines. The following section deals with the people who make up the PLAN, with chapters on manpower, the officer corps, the enlisted force, training, and the quality of life of PLAN personnel. Finally, the last two chapters regarding the PLAN’s foreign relations and the development process for major weapon systems and equipment conclude the handbook. (Preface)

WILLIAM E. TARRY, Jr.  
Director, Naval Analysis Directorate
Office of Naval Intelligence

The PLA Navy is responsible for safeguarding China’s maritime security and maintaining the sovereignty of its territorial seas along with its maritime rights and interests. Preparation for the maritime battlefield has been intensified and improved while the integrated combat capabilities are being enhanced to conduct offshore campaigns. The capability of nuclear counter-attacks has also been enhanced. In accordance with the principle of smaller but more efficient troops, the PLA Navy has compressed the chain of command and reorganized the combat forces in a more scientific way while giving prominence to building maritime combat forces, especially amphibious combat forces.

The PLA Navy has also sped up the process of updating its weaponry and equipment with priority given to the development of new combat ships as well as various kinds of specialpurpose aircraft and relevant equipment. At the same time, the weaponry is increasingly informationalized and long-range precision strike capability raised.

China’s 2004 Defense White Paper

The Navy aims at gradual extension of the strategic depth for offshore defensive operations and enhancing its capabilities in integrated maritime operations and nuclear counterattacks. The Navy is working to build itself into a modern maritime force of operation consisting of combined arms with both nuclear and conventional means of operations. Taking informationization as the goal and strategic focus in its modernization drive, the Navy gives high priority to the development of maritime information systems, and new-generation weaponry and equipment. Efforts are being made to improve maritime battlefield capabilities, with emphasis on the construction of relevant facilities for new equipment and the development of combat support capabilities.

The Navy is endeavoring to build mobile maritime troops capable of conducting operations under conditions of informationization, and strengthen its overall capabilities of operations in coastal waters, joint operations and integrated maritime support. Efforts are being made to improve and reform training programs and methods to intensify training in joint integrated maritime operations.

China’s 2006 Defense White Paper

Download China's Naval 2007

PDF format, 2.4MB, 144Pages. Published by Official of Naval Intelligence.

CONTENTS:
Chapter 1 Organizational Structure...1
Chapter 2 Leadership...11
Chapter 3 Political System...17
Chapter 4 Doctrine...23
Chapter 5 Submarine Forces...31
Chapter 6 Surface Forces...39
Chapter 7 Naval Aviation...45
Chapter 8 Coastal Defense Forces...51
Chapter 9 Marine Corps...55
Chapter 10 Manpower...57
Chapter 11 Officer Corps...61
Chapter 12 Enlisted Force...73
Chapter 13 Unit Training...87
Chapter 14 Quality of Life...103
Chapter 15 Foreign Relations...111
Chapter 16 Weapon Systems and
Equipment...121
Appendix A Chinese Terms...123
Appendix B Suggested Reading List...129

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