> Another part of the problem is structure. In his Jan. 27 paper, “The Chinese Military’s Doubtful Combat Readiness,” senior defense researcher Timothy R. Heath

> Another part of the problem is structure. In his Jan. 27 paper, “The Chinese Military’s Doubtful Combat Readiness,” senior defense researcher Timothy R. Heath argued that the PLA’s primary purpose is not to fight a war, but instead to keep the Chinese Communist Party in power, resulting in a military that prioritizes loyalty over merit. Exactly the argument Soviet Russia historians make about the Soviet military. The ruler chooses incompetent people to make sure they are not clever enough to organize a coup. Having said that, China is well ahead in manufacturing for everything including cars, drones, solar panels, and batteries.