Playing To Win: Chinese Army Building in the Era of Jiang Zemin

This article analyzes China’s defense establishment under the leadership of Jiang Zemin and assesses the political and economic determinants of Beijing’s effort to modernize its armed forces. Four possible army-building strategies are outlined: “play the superpower game,” “play to its strengths,” “change the rules of the game,” or “don’t play the game.” The factors that will determine the selection of a strategy are examined and the most likely army-building strategy is identified.