Is the PLA's main Ground Force modernisation phase complete?
- Thread starter SampanViking
- Start date
RedMercury
Junior Member
Well, too much short term economic bandaid and you build vested interests who will use their influence to continue the spending even when it is unwise, in a democratic government or otherwise.
Red___Sword
Junior Member
Found a news, which "calrifies" another news. It is circulated at Chinese forums, so I didn't quote it, anyone interesting enough, you should be able to search it in Chinese.
There were rumors saying for the sake of "modernisation", PLA is going to further deduct her man-strength a quantity of 800K (to dedcuct). A simple math would be: 2.3million - 800K, you got 1.5million man-strength of "very modernized" PLA.
Later, people in CMC comes out and clarify: There is NO SUCH THING! Rumor is just a rumor. The current PLA strength, is capable, enough, and "exactly needed", to defend China's national security and national interests.
What tricky is, the news for "clarification", never comes from "formal channels" (besides internet forum - exactly the same situation where the rumor for disarmament, comes from). So what's the real deal, is everyone's guess.
There were rumors saying for the sake of "modernisation", PLA is going to further deduct her man-strength a quantity of 800K (to dedcuct). A simple math would be: 2.3million - 800K, you got 1.5million man-strength of "very modernized" PLA.
Later, people in CMC comes out and clarify: There is NO SUCH THING! Rumor is just a rumor. The current PLA strength, is capable, enough, and "exactly needed", to defend China's national security and national interests.
What tricky is, the news for "clarification", never comes from "formal channels" (besides internet forum - exactly the same situation where the rumor for disarmament, comes from). So what's the real deal, is everyone's guess.
antiterror13
Brigadier
Red___Sword
Junior Member
Thanks for the resource.
Man check out the link, why russians till today, can still scare the sh*t out of his potential enemy - This monster got 20Million reserves. As a Chinese citizen I can say this: unlike what the so called "militarized training" college students recieved in China, which is a joke - Russia, they really mean business when it comes to training. and the "adult male" population poll, is truely their GLORIOUS RESERVES.
- Russia this monster got ONE MORE DIGIT of ZERO, of ready-to-fight reserves, than China, yet China bear the name of "largest army" all along...
Hell yeah China needs THAT MUCH of active troops just to keep the homeland safe!!!
Asymptote
Banned Idiot
I don't understand, if China really want, it could easily go for the conscription system like Russia or many other countries that practice it around the world. Its not like Chinese government will face backlash like American during Vietnam war era since what Chinese government says, what Chinese government get.
The volunteer system American and many western countries practice, is very costly, and conscription system is not exactly completely bad either - in fact conscription system can have as good result as the volunteer "professional" system - look at Israel for example.
Also, having mandatory military service will in fact instill sense of purpose, responsibility and allegiance to the current generation of youth, who most of the time just wasted it away.
As to the cost, many, many countries are able to afford it easily - South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Israel...etc, what I see is the deciding factor is really down to the training.
And if I am not wrong - the number of people eligible for mandatory military service in China is around 90-120 million (age 18-21 counting both male and female - its kinda hard to gauge because its changing rapidly every year), that can easily dwarf any country if China wants to enforce it. Ofcourse, there is not need for it at this stage. I do think China has one of the lowest number of Police force in the world (120 per 100,000 people - The United Nations recommends a minimum police strength of 222 per 100,000 people.), so it could have use these conscripts to bolster the police force (plus young people are more idealistic, less corruptible).
The volunteer system American and many western countries practice, is very costly, and conscription system is not exactly completely bad either - in fact conscription system can have as good result as the volunteer "professional" system - look at Israel for example.
Also, having mandatory military service will in fact instill sense of purpose, responsibility and allegiance to the current generation of youth, who most of the time just wasted it away.
As to the cost, many, many countries are able to afford it easily - South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Israel...etc, what I see is the deciding factor is really down to the training.
And if I am not wrong - the number of people eligible for mandatory military service in China is around 90-120 million (age 18-21 counting both male and female - its kinda hard to gauge because its changing rapidly every year), that can easily dwarf any country if China wants to enforce it. Ofcourse, there is not need for it at this stage. I do think China has one of the lowest number of Police force in the world (120 per 100,000 people - The United Nations recommends a minimum police strength of 222 per 100,000 people.), so it could have use these conscripts to bolster the police force (plus young people are more idealistic, less corruptible).
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The conscription system appeared in its modern form in Revolutionary France, just more than two centuries ago, and reached its apotheosis during the First World War. It demanded that the average young man was able to read and write. Training took several months. During WWII this system was considered sufficient for part of the armies, but there appeared ever more technical branches were a higher education was demanded even before a man was inducted into the armed forces and the military training also became more specialized and required more time.
Modern armed forces demand so much training for its personnel that conscription cannot provide for more than a small part. Thus the ever growing number of officers and NCO's and the decreasing part of ordinary soldiers. If only a very small part of young men eligible for conscription can be used it will be considered an unjust imposition on them beside the many who escape.
BTW it was the use of conscripted mass armies that let to the universal male franchise and, generally only a few years later, universal franchise as a replacement for systems were only men with "a stake in society", i.e. wealthy men, had the vote.
Modern armed forces demand so much training for its personnel that conscription cannot provide for more than a small part. Thus the ever growing number of officers and NCO's and the decreasing part of ordinary soldiers. If only a very small part of young men eligible for conscription can be used it will be considered an unjust imposition on them beside the many who escape.
BTW it was the use of conscripted mass armies that let to the universal male franchise and, generally only a few years later, universal franchise as a replacement for systems were only men with "a stake in society", i.e. wealthy men, had the vote.
I always have viewed Air and Naval modernization more important than ground. A lethal ground force is nothing without good naval/air support.. Think of how America tore up Iraq. PLA equipment looks fine to me, focusing on naval/air should be top priority.
antiterror13
Brigadier
Yes, a space based weapon will appear in 2020s, China could be the first to deploy