Faster pace of modernizing tanks

The PLA's large tank army from the sixties to the end of the Cold War was meant to fight the Soviet tank army. So its those T-59s, 69s and 80s against the likes of the T-62, T-64, T-72 and T-80. I think there was like 17 to 30 Soviet tank divisions that was ready to roll over from the border of Mongolia to Beijing. That's quite a fight the PLA was facing.

The T-80 was a particular concern. The developments that led to the Type 90, 96 and eventually to the 98 and 99 was inspired trying to beat this tank. And even after the Cold War ended, and relations thawed with what is now the Russian Republic, the PLA was eager to get some T-80s for examination under the guise of "purchase".

The need for a large tank army in China is not for Taiwan, but an insurance against future resurgent Russia that may turn enemy to China again, which is not that implausible, considering how threatened the Russians feel about the gravity of Chinese economic power and outnumbering them in the Far East. They would think that the Chinese is out to grab their Siberian resources.

Not necessary Russia... Even on mountains tanks can be used to provide covering fire against enemy outpost, same also with forest... I am not even considering offensive. Even for defensive, I think 2200 modern wasn't enough..

Look at USA who has land border with Canada and Mexico only, has around 8000 tanks too...

How about the borders with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan,Thailand, Laos, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Myanmar and Mongolia? These are also vast land borders needed to be protected. China with larger land border must ofcourse have a larger amount of armoured forces... At the same time modern and well trained.

sending tanks to Tibet? that will be nightmare from logistical point of view, as for forest area with thai, vietnam etc, the AAAV should be enough, the soft ground is not ideal place for 99/98. The releif for the earth quake already showed that PLA does not need to place its tank force along the border, rather by improving its strategitic lift ability, it can send the armoured division to any potential warzone. having those cold war mentality and array all the tanks along the border is just too costly, and for most of the chinese neibour upgraded 59/69 are enough

China certainly doesn't need type-99 to shoot up *******

But what if a conflict erupts like example going against US, and on of China's neighbor sided with US, since those were not thoroughly guarded, US can use those nations as a launching point for offensive by its tank division right?

Not necessary US, even other countries can do that right?

highly unlikely, it will be madness for US to have a land war with china, and using third country? that is simply impossible, as said before, apart from the north, it is impossible to field large amount of tanks in any border zone, and Russia allows US to attack China from its border?

How could we be certain? Who knows? Its better to be prepared..

Delbert said:

How could we be certain? Who knows? Its better to be prepared..

Click to expand...

there is always the cost with that, arming with large amount of tank along the border is way too costly, the best option is to maintain a high readness armour formation that can be transported to anywhere along the border

A land war between the US and China is not even remotely possible. The US could not begin to place enough forces in China to do the job, her land and population are too vast for any foreign army to conquer today.
If the US and China ever do tangle it will be in the air and at sea. The large US armored force is a legacy of the containment of the Soviet Union. Vast armored battles in Europe were assumed and even the quoted number of US tanks was vastly outnumbered ( but far from outgunned ) by the Red Army. Even today if more desert warfare is anticipated ( and I hope not ) a large armored force would be necessary.

The tank is DEAD. That is my personal opinion.

Ground Force-wised, China should be concentrating on improving and building it's IFVs instead. IFVs are more mobile and versatile than tanks, and I think that modern combat call for these traits. Just look at the gulf war, the majority of kills were attributed to the TOW-armed Bradleys, not the M1 tanks.