In the recent years China has risen to become one of the largest growing world powers of the developing world. Their massive economy helped them achieve colossal strides in developing and maintaining their intense industrialization of their country. However, in recent events China has shifted some focus away from their economy to their military forces. Building up and modernizing its military might with intent on securing their interests abroad and domestically. In this paper I plan to discuss the modernization of the People’s Liberation Army and how its current military buildup influences South East Asia. The People’s Liberation Army of China was founded on August 1st, 1927 by Mao Zedong of the communist party. The army since its establishment
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According to senior American diplomats, America “…has neglected the most economically dynamic region of the world. In particular, it has responded inadequately to China’s growing military power and political assertiveness” (The dragon’s new teeth). They continue to state that China has, “… engaged in a determined effort to lock America out of a region that has been declared a vital security interest by every administration since Teddy Roosevelt’s; it is pulling countries in South-East Asia into it orbit of influence “by default”” (The dragon’s new teeth). These quotes help to illustrate that America has a keen interest in South East Asia and has become weary of China’s military buildup. However, China simply responds to the remarks of concern by saying how their actions are a “peaceful rise” (“The dragon’s new teeth”). This rather contradictory as it continues to push to secure a number of islands in the East and South China Sea. China uses “…surveillance, enforcement, and fishing vessels…” (Austin 2) in order to stake and reinforce their claim on a number of islands. However they don’t actually use the PLA to reinforce their claims they instead use the China Marine Surveillance. The CMS basically are a “…paramilitary maritime law enforcement agency authorized to take offensive action when necessary” (Austin 2). This allows them to step around the issue of using their navy to secure claims as it’s “technically” not their military navy. China constantly breaches “…the 12-mile territorial limit of Japan’s Senkaku islands, which China claims and calls the Diaoyu islands” (“Small reefs, big problems”). In order to remind the Japanese that China still has a claim on the Senkaku islands. The islands themselves are little more than rocky outcroppings but, the real value lies in the Exclusive Economic Zone (“Islands apart”) produced by these islands that allow ones
According to senior American diplomats, America “…has neglected the most economically dynamic region of the world. In particular, it has responded inadequately to China’s growing military power and political assertiveness” (The dragon’s new teeth). They continue to state that China has, “… engaged in a determined effort to lock America out of a region that has been declared a vital security interest by every administration since Teddy Roosevelt’s; it is pulling countries in South-East Asia into it orbit of influence “by default”” (The dragon’s new teeth). These quotes help to illustrate that America has a keen interest in South East Asia and has become weary of China’s military buildup. However, China simply responds to the remarks of concern by saying how their actions are a “peaceful rise” (“The dragon’s new teeth”). This rather contradictory as it continues to push to secure a number of islands in the East and South China Sea. China uses “…surveillance, enforcement, and fishing vessels…” (Austin 2) in order to stake and reinforce their claim on a number of islands. However they don’t actually use the PLA to reinforce their claims they instead use the China Marine Surveillance. The CMS basically are a “…paramilitary maritime law enforcement agency authorized to take offensive action when necessary” (Austin 2). This allows them to step around the issue of using their navy to secure claims as it’s “technically” not their military navy. China constantly breaches “…the 12-mile territorial limit of Japan’s Senkaku islands, which China claims and calls the Diaoyu islands” (“Small reefs, big problems”). In order to remind the Japanese that China still has a claim on the Senkaku islands. The islands themselves are little more than rocky outcroppings but, the real value lies in the Exclusive Economic Zone (“Islands apart”) produced by these islands that allow ones