http://www.nbr.org - NBR - The National Bureau of Asian Research

People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Conference: Assessing China’s Military

In collaboration with the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of the U.S. Army War College and U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), NBR convenes an invitation-only conference assembling the world’s leading specialists from academe, government, the military, and policy think tanks to examine critical trends in the study of China’s military.

Held annually in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the conference indentifies a unique topic that changes every year through which to explore the key developments in PLA studies. The findings of each conference result in an edited volume published by SSI. Since its inception in 1990, the conference has remained an invaluable source of analysis and research on the PLA.

The National Bureau of Asian Research, in partnership with the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of the U.S. Army War College, and U.S. Pacific Command held the 23rd Annual People's Liberation Army Conference on October 19-21, 2012, in Carlisle, PA.

This year's conference examined the key developments in the PLA during the Hu Jintao leadership period. Specifically, the conference assessed what advances the PLA has made in the past decade in order to improve understanding of the future direction of continued military development in China.

This year’s conference also saw the inaugural Ellis Joffe Prize for PLA Studies awarded to Andrew S. Erickson (U.S. Naval War College) for his outstanding contributions to the understanding of China’s military.

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Roy Kamphausen
Senior Associate for Political and Security Affairs (PSA)
psa@nbr.org

Travis Tanner
Senior Project Director psa@nbr.org

2011-12 PLA Workshop and Volume

Leading experts on the Chinese military gathered at the Marine Corps University in Quantico, Virginia, on February 18, 2012, for a workshop titled “Learning By Doing: The PLA Trains at Home and Abroad.” The 2011-12 PLA Workshop was convened by NBR, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of the U.S. Army War College (USAWC), the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM), and the Marine Corps University (MCU). Learn more and read the full conference volume, released November 2012.

2010 PLA Conference and Volume

Co-hosted by NBR and the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of the U.S. Army War College, the 21st annual PLA Conference "Other People’s Wars: PLA Lessons from Foreign Conflicts” gathered leading experts at Carlisle Barracks, PA, on October 22-24, 2010. Learn more about the conference and read the full conference volume, released November 2011.

2009 PLA Conference and Volume

NBR, the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College, and the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University convened the 20th annual People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Conference in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on September 25–27, 2009. The 2009 PLA Conference focused on the theme "The PLA at Home and Abroad: Assessing the Operational Capabilities of China’s Military." Learn more about the conference and read the full conference volume The PLA at Home and Abroad, released June 2010.

2008 PLA Conference and Volume

Held from September 28-30, 2008, the 2008 PLA Conference focused on the theme "PLA Missions Beyond Taiwan." The primary objectives were to examine the interplay between China's armed forces and its foreign policy and international security environment in order to understand the requirements of emerging PLA missions, and to consider how these interactions affect policy toward the wider Asia-Pacific region. The conference volume, Beyond the Strait: PLA Missions Other Than Taiwan, was released on April 30, 2009, at an event at the Brookings Institution.

2007 PLA Conference and Volume

Held on September 28-30, 2007, the 2007 PLA Conference focused on the theme "The 'People' in the PLA: Recruitment, Training, and Education in China's 80-Year-Old Military." Conference participants examined the trends and developments associated with the human capital of the Chinese military, including recruitment, training, and management of PLA soldiers and officers, as well as historical trends and changes in PLA education and training. The conference volume, The "People” in The PLA: Recruitment, Training and Education in China’s Military, was released on September 17, 2008, at an event at the Brookings Institution.

2006 PLA Conference and Volume

Held on October 6-8, 2006, the 2006 PLA Conference focused on the theme "Exploring the 'Right Size' for China's Military: PLA Missions, Functions, and Organization." Conference participants explored continuities and discontinuities in the forces driving PLA force modernization, assessed how modernization efforts are linked to national requirements, and examined what such development reveals about China’s national defense strategies. The conference volume, Right-Sizing the People’s Liberation Army: Exploring the Contours of China’s Military, was released on September 24, 2007, at an event at the Brookings Institution.