Part of the report is classified, but some points are still in the public domain.
Compared to last year, China has increased its budget for the Defense of 5,7%. The report states that China has the fiscal strength and the political will to support the growth of defense spending.
Some points are noted in the dossier.
1) The People's Liberation Army is investing heavily in its land force and aims to strengthen the ability to quickly project troops over long distances. Copious investments also to equip special departments with increasingly advanced technology.
2) The Chinese Air Force is carrying out an unprecedented large-scale fleet modernization and is rapidly bridging the gap with Western air forces. The first fifth generation Chinese fighter, the J-20 multi-role, could enter service already in the 2018.
3) The Chinese Navy has given itself fifteen years as the time limit to build the first aircraft carrier. The first Chinese carrier will be operational within the next decade.
4) Chinese hackers continue to target US computer systems with targeted intrusions to acquire information.
5) The American bases of Okinawa and Guam are now within the reach of Chinese ballistic missiles, which have become much more precise and capable of affecting all types of structures and targets.
In the final part of the report, however, it is stated that China, in a hypothetical short-term conflict against the United States, should face a series of shortcomings ranging from missile targeting capacity, to difficulties in fighting US submarines and fighters Westerners.
Franco Iacch
