China Preparing For Armed Conflict 'In Every Direction' -- The Telegraph
China is preparing for conflict 'in every direction', the defence minister said on Wednesday in remarks that threaten to overshadow a visit to Beijing by his US counterpart next month.
"In the coming five years, our military will push forward preparations for military conflict in every strategic direction," said Liang Guanglie in an interview published by several state-backed newspapers in China. "We may be living in peaceful times, but we can never forget war, never send the horses south or put the bayonets and guns away," Mr Liang added.
China repeatedly says it is planning a "peaceful rise" but the recent pace and scale of its military modernisation has alarmed many of its neighbours in the Asia-Pacific, including Japan which described China's military build-up as a "global concern" this month.
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My Comment: The Chinese still have a long way to go before they have the military capability to fight wars on multiple fronts and on multiple levels. But their intent is there, and what is more of a concern is that they are committing the necessary resources and personnel to make that possible.
Update: Some good analysis on China's military from the Small Wars Journal.