RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY

Through its publications, INSS provides rigorous, forward‑looking research and analysis on critical national security issues that support the joint warfighter and inform Department of War decision‑makers.

 

Research and Commentary

Results:
Tag: People’s Liberation Army

Cover of China Maritime Report No. 56, “The Silent Service: Assessing PLAN Influence in the Central Military Commission,” by Natalie Shen and Joel Wuthnow, dated July 2026. The design features the Shanghai skyline above stylized blue water, with silhouettes of a submarine, surface ships, and a large gray Chinese warship marked 055

July 16, 2026

The Silent Service: Assessing PLAN Influence in the Central Military Commission

Despite its impressive expansion, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is more of a "decision-taker" than a "decision-maker," with its growth driven by top-down political directives from leaders like Xi Jinping rather than by its own institutional influence.

Cover of China Military Studies Review, volume 2 (2026). The top half features the word “CHINA” in large white letters over a red silhouette map of China on a black background, with small yellow stars near the letter A. Below, a dramatic military scene shows soldiers moving through a golden field toward thick smoke and explosions, with fighter jets overhead and a missile launcher in the background.

July 16, 2026

From Pandemic to Purges: China's Military Diplomacy from 2018 to 2025

The China Military Studies Review has published “From Pandemic to Purges: China's Military Diplomacy from 2018 to 2025” by INSS China Center Director Dr. Phillip Saunders and research intern Samuel King.

Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) soldiers stand in formation attending the 100-day countdown launch event for the Group of 20 (G20) 2016 summit in Hangzhou city, east China's Zhejiang province.

July 5, 2025

China’s Military Diplomacy in the New Era

Military diplomacy — including senior-level visits, port calls, and joint exercises — has become a vital tool of Chinese statecraft.

CSCL Arctic Ocean from afar

March 25, 2025

China’s exploitation of overseas ports and bases

This paper examines the potential for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to exploit its growing network of overseas ports and bases to challenge control of the seas in a conventional war with the United States.