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The Diplomat
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Diplomat
China's Progress Toward Military Supremacy
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Dr. Joel Wuthnow ̶ senior research fellow in the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs within the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University (NDU) and co-author with Philip C. Saunders of 'China's Quest for Military Supremacy' (Polity 2025) – is the 471st in 'The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.' This interview represents only Wuthnow's views and not those of NDU or the Department of Defense. Explain this statement in your book: China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) 'has become a global actor, but it is not yet a global power.' The PLA has become more actively involved beyond China's immediate periphery, but usually in very modest ways. Examples include counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, participation in U.N. peacekeeping missions in Africa and the Middle East, and a single overseas base in Djibouti. These are all non-combat-focused missions that involve no more than a few thousand troops. There are also strong constraints on the PLA's ability to deploy larger contingents abroad, including the lack of a global command structure and limited global logistics infrastructure. This means that while the PLA can project influence and shape the security environment, it cannot conduct the same range of combat missions that the U.S. military can based on our forward presence of hundreds of thousands of troops in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. China has avoided a larger commitment because it has opted to focus on priorities closer to home, and because it tries not to get too enmeshed in foreign conflicts. Examine the PLA's concept of 'strategic discipline.' China has a military strategy that requires the PLA to be most ready for domestic emergencies and conflicts with neighbors, with a focus on Taiwan. Starting from a low level of modernization decades ago, they have pragmatically followed this strategy over successive administrations – favoring long-term acquisition and piece-by-piece military reforms over global deployments that would have overstretched their capabilities, and near-term escalations that would have complicated their force buildup. Even in Asia, they have kept conflicts at a low level, usually favoring 'gray zone' tactics over outright use of force. Exercising strategic patience has resulted in a military that is far more advanced than it would have been had they been distracted. But it also came at the price of real-world experience since they have avoided becoming involved in full-blown armed conflicts since the 1980s. To bridge this gap, they have accelerated their training but top Chinese leaders including Xi Jinping still critique PLA personnel as being unready for combat. Analyze how the PLA's expansion of overseas basing could bolster its ability to deny access for U.S. forces. The PLA has a single traditional overseas base in Djibouti and is in negotiations with several other countries, concentrated around Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, for new bases or operating locations. The PLA could conceivably use a presence in these locations to create problems for nearby U.S. forces, especially if the PLA ever deploys combat capabilities such as missiles or special forces. The larger challenge, however, is not overseas PLA bases but Chinese economic and political influence with countries across the Global South that host U.S. bases or that could provide other kinds of support. Beijing might seek to use that influence to restrict the U.S. military's ability to deploy and sustain forces in a future conflict and reduce our ability to pull together a coalition. How might the PLA exercise military supremacy in a plausible Taiwan Strait conflict? China has regarded a cross-strait conflict as its main planning scenario since the early 1990s. The immediate goal is leveraging military power to deter Taiwan independence, but the PLA also needs to be able to use force to compel reunification. Xi has given them a deadline of 2027 to be ready. They have several options on the table, including different kinds of blockades, operations against Taiwan's offshore islands, and even a full-scale invasion. They are actively training for and rehearsing these kinds of operations. They are also thinking through the complications of those operations and trying to find solutions to them. Logistics is one example where they have been deploying new capabilities to move troops and equipment. However, a large campaign against Taiwan would involve heavy risks for the PLA. Taiwan has been learning lessons from Ukraine in how to counter an opposing force and the United States may intervene. There would also be significant economic risks for China as countries line up to impose sanctions. These factors give Xi and his political allies pause in dramatically escalating tensions with Taiwan. Assess the impact of intensifying China-U.S. strategic competition on China's quest for military supremacy. An intensification of U.S.-China rivalry has created some complications for the PLA's modernization. They now need to compete more than ever for influence and access in distant theaters where the United States has long enjoyed strategic advantages. They are also increasingly worried about Washington strengthening its allies, which Beijing fears is encouraging states such as Japan and the Philippines to press more firmly in their territorial disputes with China. In addition, U.S. export control restrictions under the last couple administrations are making it harder for China to acquire technology necessary for its military modernization, such as advanced semiconductors. Operationally, there are growing risks of collisions at sea and in the air, and growing concerns about escalation in the space and cyber realms, and about dangers in the nuclear domain as China rapidly expands its nuclear arsenal. Leaders on both sides are considering what they need to do to prevent crises and effectively manage them if they occur.
Express Tribune
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
COAS warns of crippling response to aggression
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Monday issued a stern warning, stating that any misadventure or violation of Pakistan's territorial integrity by an aggressor would be met with a "deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response" – delivered without constraints or hesitation. Addressing the graduating officers at the National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, the army chief said that India's allegations of external support to Pakistan during the Operation Bunyanum Marsoos reflected Delhi's chronic reluctance to acknowledge Pakistan's indigenous capability. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, Field Marshal Asim Munir visited the NDU, where he addressed the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course, comprising participants from all services. In his address, the army chief highlighted the evolving character of warfare and underscored the centrality of mental preparedness, operational clarity, and institutional professionalism in navigating complex strategic issues. He reiterated Pakistan's principled stance that any misadventure or attempts to undermine Pakistan's sovereignty or violation of territorial integrity would "continue to be reflexively met with a swift, and resolute" response without any constraints or inhibitions. "Any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a 'deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response'. The onus of escalation will squarely lie on the strategically blind arrogant aggressor, who fails to see the grave repercussions of such provocative actions against a sovereign nuclear state," he declared. Field Marshal Asim noted that India's inability to achieve its stated military objectives during its Operation Sindoor and the subsequent attempt to rationalise its shortfall through convoluted logic spoke volumes about its lack of operational readiness and strategic foresight. "Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence," he said. Operation Bunyanum Marsoos refers to Pakistan's thunderous military response on May 10 to India's Operation Sindoor that began with missile strikes in Pakistan on May 7, killing dozens of civilians, including women and children. Operation Bunyanum Marsoos hit India's 26 military targets. Last week, the deputy chief of the Indian army alleged that China gave Pakistan "live inputs" on key Indian positions during the four-day conflict. Lt-General Rahul Singh, however, did not elaborate how he received that information. Field Marshal Asim said that naming other states as participants in the "purely bilateral military conflagration was also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics" and desperately trying that India remained the beneficiary of larger geopolitical contestation as the so-called net security provider in a region getting increasingly weary of its hegemonic and extremist Hindutva ideology. "In contrast to India's strategic behaviour resting on parochial self-alignment, Pakistan has forged lasting partnerships based on principled diplomacy, anchored in mutual respect and peace, establishing itself to be a stabiliser in the region," he added, according to the ISPR. "Wars are not won through media rhetoric, imported fancy hardware, or political sloganeering, but through faith, professional competence, operational clarity, institutional strength and national resolve," the army chief remarked. In the address, the army chief lauded the role of the premier institutions such as the NDU in enhancing civil-military synergy and nurturing future leadership capable of mitigating hybrid, conventional, and sub-conventional threats with poise and resolve. He concluded by expressing full confidence in the professionalism, morale, and readiness of the battle-hardened Armed Forces of Pakistan and urged the graduating officers to remain steadfast in the values of integrity, selfless service, and unwavering commitment to the nation.
Business Recorder
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
COAS Munir says India's claim of China's involvement in military conflict ‘poor tactic of camp politics'
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Monday visited the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, where he delivered a keynote address to the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course. According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the course was attended by officers from all three services of Pakistan's armed forces. The COAS was warmly received by the President of NDU upon arrival. In his address, Field Marshal Munir stressed the critical importance of mental resilience, strategic clarity, and institutional professionalism amid the fast-changing character of modern warfare. He hailed NDU's role in cultivating civil-military synergy and grooming officers capable of confronting conventional, hybrid, and emerging threats. Turning to regional developments, the COAS spoke bluntly about India's recently failed military initiative 'Operation Sindoor.' He noted that the Indian military's inability to achieve its declared objectives, coupled with post-facto rationalizations, revealed a severe lack of operational depth and strategic foresight in New Delhi. In sharp contrast, he cited Pakistan's successful 'Operation Bunyan Marsoos' as a demonstration of superior planning, coordination, and execution. Field Marshal Munir categorically rejected Indian allegations of foreign assistance in that operation, branding them 'baseless, irresponsible, and symptomatic of strategic denial.' 'These claims are not only unfounded but reflect India's persistent reluctance to accept Pakistan's indigenous capability and its long-standing tradition of institutional preparedness,' he said. He criticised Indian efforts to internationalize internal security failures and use external scapegoats to cover operational lapses. 'This tactic of projecting third-party involvement in bilateral engagements is nothing but camp politics,' he stated. 'It neither alters the facts nor changes the regional reality.' The COAS further warned against India's self-projected role as a regional security guarantor, stating, 'The region is acutely aware of New Delhi's Hindutva-fueled extremism and hegemonic ambitions.' Drawing a contrast between the strategic approaches of both nations, Field Marshal Munir said Pakistan remains committed to a policy of peace, mutual respect, and responsible diplomacy. This principled stance, he added, has strengthened Pakistan's partnerships and elevated its profile as a force of regional stability. While reiterating Pakistan's defensive doctrine, he made it clear that any attack on Pakistan's sovereignty or vital infrastructure would be met with a swift, overwhelming response. 'Any misadventure targeting our urban centres, military assets, or economic lifelines will be met with retaliation far more intense and decisive than the provocation,' he warned. He added that any escalation would be solely attributable to the aggressor that chooses to disregard the consequences of antagonizing a nuclear-armed state. 'Wars are not won with imported weapons, chest-thumping slogans, or media spin,' the COAS emphasized. 'They are won through faith, professionalism, and institutional strength.' Concluding his remarks, Field Marshal Munir expressed full confidence in the morale, readiness, and capabilities of Pakistan's armed forces. He called on the graduating officers to uphold integrity, serve with selfless dedication, and stand as guardians of national honour and sovereignty.
Business Recorder
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Field Marshal Munir says India's claim of China's involvement in military conflict ‘poor tactic of camp politics'
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Monday visited the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, where he delivered a keynote address to the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course. According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Tlhe course was attended by officers from all three services of Pakistan's armed forces. The COAS was warmly received by the President of NDU upon arrival. In his address, Field Marshal Munir stressed the critical importance of mental resilience, strategic clarity, and institutional professionalism amid the fast-changing character of modern warfare. He hailed NDU's role in cultivating civil-military synergy and grooming officers capable of confronting conventional, hybrid, and emerging threats. Turning to regional developments, the COAS spoke bluntly about India's recently failed military initiative 'Operation Sindoor.' He noted that the Indian military's inability to achieve its declared objectives, coupled with post-facto rationalizations, revealed a severe lack of operational depth and strategic foresight in New Delhi. In sharp contrast, he cited Pakistan's successful 'Operation Bunyan Marsoos' as a demonstration of superior planning, coordination, and execution. Field Marshal Munir categorically rejected Indian allegations of foreign assistance in that operation, branding them 'baseless, irresponsible, and symptomatic of strategic denial.' 'These claims are not only unfounded but reflect India's persistent reluctance to accept Pakistan's indigenous capability and its long-standing tradition of institutional preparedness,' he said. He criticised Indian efforts to internationalize internal security failures and use external scapegoats to cover operational lapses. 'This tactic of projecting third-party involvement in bilateral engagements is nothing but camp politics,' he stated. 'It neither alters the facts nor changes the regional reality.' The COAS further warned against India's self-projected role as a regional security guarantor, stating, 'The region is acutely aware of New Delhi's Hindutva-fueled extremism and hegemonic ambitions.' Drawing a contrast between the strategic approaches of both nations, Field Marshal Munir said Pakistan remains committed to a policy of peace, mutual respect, and responsible diplomacy. This principled stance, he added, has strengthened Pakistan's partnerships and elevated its profile as a force of regional stability. While reiterating Pakistan's defensive doctrine, he made it clear that any attack on Pakistan's sovereignty or vital infrastructure would be met with a swift, overwhelming response. 'Any misadventure targeting our urban centres, military assets, or economic lifelines will be met with retaliation far more intense and decisive than the provocation,' he warned. He added that any escalation would be solely attributable to the aggressor that chooses to disregard the consequences of antagonizing a nuclear-armed state. 'Wars are not won with imported weapons, chest-thumping slogans, or media spin,' the COAS emphasized. 'They are won through faith, professionalism, and institutional strength.' Concluding his remarks, Field Marshal Munir expressed full confidence in the morale, readiness, and capabilities of Pakistan's armed forces. He called on the graduating officers to uphold integrity, serve with selfless dedication, and stand as guardians of national honour and sovereignty.
L'Orient-Le Jour
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Lebanese sets a Guinness World Record in tricep dips
Marc Nassif, a third-year student of physical education and sports at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU), set a Guinness world record for the heaviest triceps dips. The principle of dips involves lifting oneself on parallel bars using only arm strength and bending the elbows. It is an exercise mainly targeting the triceps muscle of the arm, while also involving the pectorals and the shoulders. At just 20 years old, the young man from Achrafieh already made a name for himself with his exploits: in spring 2023, he won the first national street lifting competition. And he repeated it in June 2024. He also holds an unofficial world record in pull-ups in the 106 kg category and an unofficial world record in muscle-ups in the 40.5 kg category. Having fallen in love with calisthenics, an ancient training method that was brought back to the forefront in recent years, blending gymnastics and bodyweight training, he decided to devote himself entirely to his new passion. Gradually, he sensed the possibility of setting a record by representing Lebanon internationally. To achieve this, he adopted an inflexible lifestyle: he adheres to a rigorous discipline and trains tirelessly, five days a week, three to four hours a day, for several months, constantly pushing his limits. Devoted, he also follows a strict diet and a rigorous, even unconventional, lifestyle, often giving up late-night outings with friends to stay in top shape. He manages everything with precision: food, sleep, leisure. 'It's a very demanding sport that requires significant physical preparation. I devote all my time to it,' he said, adding, 'My daily schedule starts at 8 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. It is divided between my studies, my training, and my work as a personal trainer. Eat. Sleep. Train. Repeat. That's how my day goes.' This success, made popular through social media — particularly his Instagram account, which has turned him into an influencer followed by some 37,000 people for his impressive physique — relies on 'behind-the-scenes work' full of constraints and sacrifices that many ignore. To sculpt his body, Nassif, originally very thin, tried everything in the fitness world before turning to calisthenics. At first, he trained alone for a year, searching for his path, but, in recent years, several people have helped him, like trainers Gabriel Harika and Paul al-Karaani. The transition from self-taught practice to structured training allowed him not only to progress but also to overcome obstacles and occasional failures to achieve his goals. As a result, sacrifices, consistency, tenacity, self-transcendence, and hard work have paid off. His unwavering commitment over the past five years has materialized in the best way possible. Furthermore, his success has fueled his ambition to set new records in the future. His next goal? To break the Guinness World Record in the pull-up or traction category while pursuing his projects, namely working as a personal trainer and model, before launching his own fitness company. To inspire others, the young athlete emphasizes two key principles: perseverance and sacrifice. 'I worked hard and made significant sacrifices to get here, but it's worth it because I'm doing what I love,' he stated.
