New Department of Defense Report Highlights China’s Growing Military Power

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) 2024 Chinese Military Power Report (CMPR), released on December 18, emphasizes China’s expanded efforts to gain military superiority over the United States.

The report documents Beijing’s increased investment in the country’s armed forces, particularly its nuclear arsenal, naval capabilities, technological progress, and personnel management. Taken together, the report highlights China’s determined efforts to both expand the range of capabilities available to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and improve the quality of its armed forces.

China’s Capacity to Project Power Continues to Grow

The report highlights China’s intention to gain the capacity to rapidly project military power along its periphery and across the globe. Analyzing China’s nuclear arsenal, DoD estimates that Beijing likely possesses over 600 operational warheads, having increased its stockpile by 100 over the past year, and has invested in nuclear-capable submarines, bombers, and missile silo fields. The report also notes that China has sought to diversify its arsenal, giving Beijing more options in the event of a crisis, ranging from low-yield ‘precision’ weapons to intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of reaching military and civilian targets within the continental United States.

While previous reports have noted that China’s navy is numerically superior to the U.S. Navy, the 2024 CMPR highlighted the transformation of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) into a maturing multi-carrier force. In addition to launching the Fujian aircraft carrier class in 2022, the PLAN has also heavily invested in a new class of amphibious assault ships, nuclear-powered attack submarines, and advanced auxiliary vessels. Combined, these capabilities are likely aimed at enabling the PLAN to eventually operate as a global expeditionary service.

PLA Strives to Improve Quality of Its Armed Forces

Along with expanding its military assets, the report also illustrates China’s efforts to improve the quality of its forces, which have not engaged in major military action abroad since their intervention in Vietnam in 1979. With Beijing having invested billions into artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotechnology, the report highlights the PLA’s efforts to capitalize on cutting-edge civilian technology, particularly advances in genetic research and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

These advances are increasingly being wielded by a more professionalized force. Having altered its training and personnel management systems over the past several years, the PLA has increasingly emphasized its combat readiness. However, despite these investments, the report also highlights that corruption among senior military leadership and deficiencies in the quality of the PLA’s officer corps continue to undermine its readiness and combat capability.

U.S. Military Must Be Prepared to Confront China’s Growing Strength

While the report states that China is likely not prepared to engage in a sustained military operation over Taiwan, the PLA is rapidly becoming more capable of both projecting and wielding force abroad.

In response, Washington should significantly increase defense spending, bolster its defense industrial base, and increase munitions stockpiles. The United States should also expand military training and exercises with regional partners and focus on the fielding and deployment of asymmetrical capabilities designed to defeat aggression against Taiwan. Those steps and more are necessary to blunt the growth of the Chinese military, increase deterrence, and prepare for a high-intensity, prolonged war against a near-peer adversary.

Moreover, as the quantity and diversity of China’s missile forces continue to expand, the incoming administration should prioritize missile defense and flexible expeditionary operations, such as the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE), to increase the survivability and capability of the U.S. forward force posture in the region.  

Jack Burnham is a research analyst in the China Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Cameron McMillan is a research analyst at the Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP) at FDD. For more analysis from Jack, Cameron, and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow Jack on X @JackBurnham802. Follow FDD on X @FDD. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.