Chinese Military Modernization, The Economy, and Security in East Asia

This paper attempts to analyze the roots of current Chinese military modernization in the context of China's transformation to a market economy. The specific focus of the analysis is the relationship between the economy, the military and security in East Asia, specifically, how far can the economy drive modernization?, how will China's modern forces be employed?, and what are the security implications for U.S. interests in the Pacific. To answer these questions, the paper looks at the Chinese leaderships developing grand strategy, changing military doctrine, and planned force structure modernization. The paper focuses on several factors which will limit continuous expansion of the Chinese economy, which in turn will constrain military spending and ambitions. Specific aspects of security in the South China Sea region are addressed.