Chapter 6 in the book from the People's Liberation Army Conference, "The PLA in a Complex Security Environment: Preparing for High Winds and Choppy Waters"
Over the past decade, the PLA has significantly increased the capabilities of its services in all domains of war, providing China’s leaders with new military options to defend the country’s national interests. However, based on problems in its combined arms and joint warfighting capabilities, leadership, and political loyalty, senior PLA leaders foresee decades of work before the PLA considers itself a modern, world-class military confident in its ability to conduct advanced, system-of-systems warfare. Despite the numerous improvements in equipment and organization, the PLA perceives itself as trailing the world leaders in many aspects of military technology, racing against time while its opponents are not slowing down. Even though the PLA may be required to fight at any moment, its leaders would prefer to stick to their modernization schedule ending in 2049 and achieve the nation’s goals through efforts short of war.