Abstract
This article analyses the evolution of the People’s Republic of China’s military capabilities as a central instrument for sustaining its rise as a great power within the international system. Starting from the structural determinants—economic, demographic and geostrategic—that shape the priorities of the Chinese Communist Party, the study examines the organisational, doctrinal and material transformation of the People’s Liberation Army from the late twentieth century to the present. Particular attention is paid to the reconfiguration of the ground forces, the rapid modernisation of the navy and air force, and the growing prominence of the Rocket Force, the space and cyber domains, and joint logistics. The article concludes that China has built a military instrument consistent with its political and strategic objectives, focused on deterrence, anti-access/area denial and the protection of vital interests, while not yet seeking open global confrontation.
