《2008年中国军力报告》美国防部(doc　121).rar Executive　Summary China＇s　rapid　rise　over　recent　years　as　a　regional　political　and　economic　power　with　growing　global　 influence　is　an　important　element　in　today＇s　strategic　landscape,　one　that　has　significant　implications　 for　the　region　and　the　world.　The　United　States　welcomes　the　rise　of　a　stable,　peaceful,　and　prosperous　 China.　No　country　has　done　more　to　assist,　facilitate,　and　encourage　China＇s　national　development　 and　its　integration　in　the　international　system.　The　United　States　continues　to　encourage　China　to　 participate　as　a　responsible　international　stakeholder　by　taking　on　a　greater　share　of　responsibility　 for　the　stability,　resilience　and　growth　of　the　global　system.　However,　much　uncertainty　surrounds　 China＇s　future　course,　in　particular　in　the　area　of　its　expanding　military　power　and　how　that　power　 might　be　used.　 The　People＇s　Liberation　Army　(PLA)　is　pursuing　comprehensive　transformation　from　a　mass　army　 designed　for　protracted　wars　of　attrition　on　its　territory　to　one　capable　of　fighting　and　winning　short- duration,　high　intensity　conflicts　along　its　periphery　against　high-tech　adversaries　–　an　approach　that　 China　refers　to　as　preparing　for　＂local　wars　under　conditions　of　informatization.＂　China＇s　ability　to　 sustain　military　power　at　a　distance　remains　limited　but,　as　noted　in　the　2006　Quadrennial　Defense　 Review　Report,　it　＂has　the　greatest　potential　to　compete　militarily　with　the　United　States　and　field　 disruptive　military　technologies　that　could　over　time　offset　traditional　U.S.　military　advantages.＂　 China＇s　near-term　focus　on　preparing　for　contingencies　in　the　Taiwan　Strait,　including　the　possibility　 of　U.S.　intervention,　is　an　important　driver　of　its　modernization.　However,　analysis　of　China＇s　military　 acquisitions　and　strategic　thinking　suggests　Beijing　is　also　developing　capabilities　for　use　in　other　 contingencies,　such　as　conflict　over　resources　or　disputed　territories.　 The　pace　and　scope　of　China＇s　military　transformation　have　increased　in　recent　years,　fueled　by　 acquisition　of　advanced　foreign　weapons,　continued　high　rates　of　investment　in　its　domestic　defense　 and　science　and　technology　industries,　and　far　reaching　organizational　and　doctrinal　reforms　of　the　 armed　forces.　China＇s　expanding　and　improving　military　capabilities　are　changing　East　Asian　military　 balances；　improvements　in　China＇s　strategic　capabilities　have　implications　beyond　the　Asia-Pacific　 region.　 China＇s　nuclear　force　modernization,　as　evidence　by　the　fielding　of　the　new　DF-31　and　DF-31A　 intercontinental-range　missiles,　is　enhancing　China＇s　strategic　strike　capabilities.　China＇s　emergent　 anti-access/area　denial　capabilities　–　as　exemplified　by　its　continued　development　of　advanced　cruise　 missiles,　medium-range　ballistic　missiles,　anti-ship　ballistic　missiles　designed　to　strike　ships　at　sea,　 including　aircraft　carriers,　and　the　January　2007　successful　test　of　a　direct-ascent,　anti-satellite　weapon　 –　are　expanding　from　the　land,　air,　and　sea　dimensions　of　the　traditional　battlefield　into　the　space　and　 cyber-space　domains.　 The　international　community　has　limited　knowledge　of　the　motivations,　decision-making,　and　key　 capabilities　supporting　China＇s　military　modernization.　China＇s　leaders　have　yet　to　explain　in　detail　the