CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF CHINESE MILITARY AFFAIRS

 

Director: Dr. Phillip C. Saunders

The congressionally mandated mission of the INSS Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs (CSCMA) is to serve as a national focal point and resource center for multidisciplinary research and analytic exchanges on the national goals and strategic posture of the People’s Republic of China and the ability of that nation to develop, field, and deploy an effective military instrument in support of its national strategic objectives.

Areas of Focus 

People’s Liberation Army

Chinese Industry and Innovation

Chinese Territorial Disputes

 

China's Military Diplomacy is the most recent book by Dr. Joel Wuthnow and Dr. Phillip Saunders. This book explores China’s military ambitions, constraints, and what it would take for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to emerge as a dominant global force.

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Recent Publications

Cover of DTRA Study: Implications of a PRC Shift to a Launch-on-Warning Nuclear Posture
Implications of a PRC Shift to a Launch-on-Warning Nuclear Posture
By Dr. David C. Logan and Dr. Phillip C. Saunders | Nov. 21, 2025
This Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) study assesses the prospects and implications of China’s adoption of a launch-on-warning (LOW) posture for U.S. national security objectives. It evaluates China’s ability to adopt a LOW posture, identifies the key design decisions, examines what a Chinese LOW posture might look like, and assesses the implications and identifies potential mitigation measures.
Cover of China Strategic Perspectives 20
Taming the Hegemon: Chinese Thinking on Countering U.S. Military Intervention in Asia
By Joel Wuthnow | Sept. 15, 2025
This report assesses recent Chinese thinking on countering U.S. intervention in Asia, specifically in a Taiwan contingency.
Soldiers loading sea mines during a military exercise in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, July 2025
The Greatest Danger in the Taiwan Strait
By Dr. Joel Wuthnow | Sept. 15, 2025
Dr. Joel Wuthnow writes a piece for Foreign Affairs on how a war between China and Taiwan could result from an accident or miscalculation that spirals out of control.
Two figures. Figure 1 (left): All Military Leader Engagements with Africa. Figure 2 (right): CMC Vice Chair travel to Africa.
China’s Military Diplomacy in Africa
By Matt Kuhlman, Raina Nelson, and Phillip C. Saunders | Aug. 20, 2025
This article shows another application for regional researchers, analysts, and policymakers. Specifically, it uses the database to explore some specific aspects of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) evolving engagement in Africa.
Cover art of School of War
INSS China Center Researchers join School of War Podcast
By Aaron MacLean | Aug. 13, 2025
INSS China Center Director Dr. Phillip Saunders and Senior Research Fellow Dr. Joel Wuthnow are interviewed discussing their new book China’s Quest for Military Supremacy on the latest School of War podcast.
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Meet the Experts

Elliot Ji poses for his headshot, wearing glasses, a suit, and tie.
Elliot Ji Research Fellow, CSCMA
Distinguished Research Fellow, CSR / Director, CSCMA
Phillip C. Saunders Director, CSCMA
N/A
Andrew Taffer Research Fellow, CSCMA
Joel Wuthnow Headshot
Joel Wuthnow Senior Research Fellow, CSCMA