The Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2025

I'm pleased to introduce The Chinese People's Liberation Army of 2025 which is the 2014 edition of an ongoing series on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) co-published by the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI), the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), and the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM). This volume builds on previous volumes and identifies potentialtrajectories for PLA force modernization andmission focus, and how these potential changes could impact external actors.This volume is of special relevance today in lightof the profound changes occurring within the PLA. I have spent a considerable amount of my professional career in the Western Pacific and, during that time, I've seen first-hand the rapid expansion of the size and capability of the PLA as it pursues a long-term, comprehensive military modernization program in support of China's more assertive regional strategy. China's desire to develop a military commensurate with its diverse interests and economic power is both legitimate and understandable. However, China's coercive approach to security is problematic and ofincreasing concern to the region. The challenge for USPACOM, and the reason why this volume is timely and important, is to understand how China will employ this growing military capability in support of its interests.The scholarship presented in this edition addressesthe uncertainty surrounding the potential directionof the PLA by examining three distinct focus areas: Domestic, External, and Technological Drivers of PLA Modernization; Alternative Futures for the PLA; and Implications for the Region, World, and U.S.-China Relations. The analysis provides an insightful perspective into the factors shaping and propelling the PLA's modernization, its potential future orientation ranging from internally-focused to globally-focused, and how the PLA's choices may impact China's relations with its neighbors and the world.NBR and SSI have, once again, provided an outstanding contribution to the growing body of research and analysis on the PLA. The Chinese People's Liberation Army of 2025 is a timely and important volume that will increase our understanding of the PLA at a time in history that requires a well-informed approach to the expanding role of China.HARRY B. HARRIS, JR.Admiral, USNCommander, U.S. Pacific Comman