CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF CHINESE MILITARY AFFAIRS 

 

Director: Dr. Phillip C. Saunders

The INSS Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs (CSCMA) is 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.

Focus Areas 

    

People’s Liberation Army. A core area of research focus is Chinese military modernization, including military reforms, nuclear modernization, expeditionary capabilities, military strategy, party-army relations, and efforts to build military options for Taiwan.

 

Chinese Regional Strategy and Territorial Disputes. Researchers write extensively about China’s relations with Russia and countries in the Indo-Pacific, views of U.S. regional strategy, and approach to border and maritime territorial disputes with its neighbors.

 

Chinese Defense Industry and Innovation. INSS research focuses on the Chinese defense industry and military innovation, including studies of how China draws on the private sector for defense purposes, the PLA’s ability to innovate, PLA space and cyber capabilities, and sources of technology for military modernization.

Research and Commentary

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 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.
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