Kui tugev on Hiina armee?

Pentagoni äsja Kongressile esitatud aastaraport Hiina Rahvavabastusarmee seisundist ning tulevikust räägib sellest, et Washington näeb Pekingit lähemate kümnendite suurima strateegilise väljakutsena. Eriti häirib USAd Hiina arendustegevus tuuma-, kosmose- ja küberrelvastuses.

Hiina on nimetanud USA lähenemist selles raportis võrdväärsena Külma sõja aegse mõtlemisega. Isegi hoiatatakse, et selline mõtlemine võib ohustada kahepoolseid suhteid.

Enam kui 70leheküljelisest raportist leiab hulgaliselt huvitavat statistilist informatsiooni, mida teiste, sealhulgas ka ametlike allikatega võrrelda. Kokkuvõttest võiks minu arvates välja tuua kolm rõhuasetust, millele Pentagon osutab:

***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.

***In the near-term, China’s armed forces are rapidly developing coercive capabilities for the purpose of deterring Taiwan’s pursuit of de jure independence. These same capabilities could in the future be used to pressure Taiwan toward a settlement of the cross-Strait dispute on Beijing’s terms while simultaneously attempting to deter, delay, or deny any possible U.S. support for the island in case of conflict. This modernization and the threat to Taiwan continue despite significant reduction in cross-Strait tension over the last year since Taiwan elected a new president.

***Beijing publicly asserts that China’s military modernization is “purely defensive in nature,” and aimed solely at protecting China’s security and interests. Over the past several years, China has begun a new phase of military development by beginning to articulate roles and missions for the PLA that go beyond China’s immediate territorial interests, but has left unclear to the international community the purposes and objectives of the PLA’s evolving doctrine and capabilities.