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| popsci.com |
In a single generation, China has transformed itself from a largely
agrarian country into a global manufacturing and trading powerhouse.
China’s economy is 20 times bigger than it was two decades ago and is on
track to surpass the United States’ as the world’s largest. But perhaps
most startling has been the growth of China’s ambitious and
increasingly powerful military.
Just 10 years ago, the budget for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
was roughly $20 billion. Today, that number is more like $100 billion.
(Some analysts think it’s closer to $160 billion.) The PLA’s budget is
only a sixth of what the U.S. devotes to defense annually, but defense
dollars go much further in China, and in the years ahead, Chinese
military spending will grow at the same rate as its economy. Meanwhile,
Chinese president Hu Jintao has called for the PLA to carry out “new
historic missions” in the 21st century—to move beyond the traditional
goal of defending the nation’s sovereignty and develop the global
military reach of a true world superpower. In some cases, China’s
increasing international presence could lead to greater cooperation with
the U.S., as it did in 2008 when China joined antipiracy patrols off
Somalia. But if American and Chinese forces end up in the same place
with different goals, the result could be a standoff between two of the
best-equipped militaries in the world.
Photo: Shenlong Space Plane
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