PUBLICATIONS

Through its publications, INSS aims to provide expert insights, cutting-edge research, and innovative solutions that contribute to shaping the national security discourse and preparing the next generation of leaders in the field.

 

Publications

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Category: Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs

In this handout photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, Chief of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Col. Gen. Vladimir Zarudnitsky, left, escorts China's Defense Minister Gen. Li Shangfu during a visit to Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Moscow, Russia, Monday, April 17, 2023.

March 2, 2026

Why Is Xi Still Purging His Generals?

The removal of PLA senior generals Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli in January 2026 represented the peak, if not the end, of a massive purge of the military leadership that began in mid-2023.

President Xi Jinping, wearing a dark green Mao-style suit, walks past rows of uniformed soldiers standing at attention during a formal indoor military inspection. The troops, dressed in camouflage uniforms and helmets, hold rifles across their chests in tight formation. Flags line the background of the large ceremonial hall.

Feb. 25, 2026

Assessing Xi’s Unprecedented Purges of China’s Military: Key Developments and Potential Implications

On January 24, 2026, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that the military’s top general, Zhang Youxia, and the chief of the Joint Staff Department, Liu Zhenli, had been placed under investigation for serious disciplinary and legal violations.

President of the United States Donald Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping at the Gimhae International Airport terminal, Thursday, October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

Feb. 25, 2026

The Danger in the Middle: Will Xi’s Purges Increase the Risk of War?

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has purged dozens of senior People’s Liberation Army officers since mid-2023, including two in January, but will this increase the risk of war?

Zhang Youxia (front) in 2023 swearing an oath as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing

Feb. 5, 2026

Xi’s military purges will make him wary of invading Taiwan

On 25 January, China’s People’s Liberation Army announced that Central Military Commission Vice-Chair Zhang Youxia and Chief of the Joint Staff Department General Liu Zhenli were under investigation for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law.”

Cover of The 2024 Carlisle Conference of the PLA

Jan. 20, 2026

INSS Contributes Chapter on "PLA High Command in a Protracted War" in Army War College Book

INSS China Center Senior Research Fellow Dr. Joel Wuthnow published a chapter on “PLA High Command in a Protracted War: Four Scenarios” in a new Army War College book edited by Joshua Arostegui, The 2024 Carlisle Conference on the PLA: Protracted War Against the PRC.

image of the Earth with text super imposed on it, Implications of a PRC Shift to a Launch-on-Warning Nuclear Posture

Nov. 21, 2025

Implications of a PRC Shift to a Launch-on-Warning Nuclear Posture

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

Sept. 15, 2025

Taming the Hegemon: Chinese Thinking on Countering U.S. Military Intervention in Asia

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

Sept. 15, 2025

The Greatest Danger in the Taiwan Strait

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.

Left map: Titled "All Senior Military Leader Engagements with Africa". Countries are shaded in green by number of senior leader visits (1–27). South Africa and Sudan have the highest with 27 visits each, followed by Zambia (16), Angola (15), and Tanzania (15). Other countries show smaller numbers, ranging from 1 to 13. Right map: Titled "CMC Vice Chair Travel to Africa". Countries are shaded in light to dark green by number of visits (1–2). Tanzania has the most with 2 visits, while Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique each have 1. Most other countries are gray (no visits).

Aug. 20, 2025

China’s Military Diplomacy in Africa

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 for the podcast 'School of War with Aaron MacLean,' featuring two soldiers in combat. One soldier is standing and pressing a rifle down on a soldier lying on the ground, both wearing military helmets and uniforms. The background is a solid blue, with the title in large white letters at the top.

Aug. 13, 2025

INSS China Center Researchers join School of War Podcast

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.