ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book is testimony to the improving knowledge base, as it provides cutting-edge analyses by some of the leading specialists on Chinese military affairs. Some argue that China and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will become America's primary adversary in the next century. As Michael Pillsbury's path-breaking chapter illustrates, there is little doubt that the PLA is assiduously studying the doctrines, technologies, and weapons systems associated with the "Revolution in Military Affairs" (RMA). Bates Gill, Tai Ming Cheung, and Wendy Frieman also deal with these complex subjects, by examining the "support base" finances, logistics, and science and technology for China's military modernization program. At the heart of debates about the future of the Chinese military lie questions concerning the PLA's preparations for high-technology warfare in the twenty-first century.
