China as a nuclear power: its military policy and its role in world politics

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6662910

Liu, B

With their current conventional weapons, it is impossible for the Chinese to check a Soviet invasion. And, given China's defense technology and the priority of economic development, the prospect of a rapid defense modernization is also not too good. More importantly, since China has changed from a revolutionary power into a status quo power, it can no longer lure the enemy deep and use the strategy of people's war to sink the enemy. Under these circumstances, China has no choice but to use nuclear weapons for national defense. Resting national security on nuclear weapons is a matter of necessity rather than of choice to China. But his strategy unavoidably conflicts with another of China's needs: the need to polish its peace-loving image. To extricate itself from the dilemma, China has chosen to actively participate in the game of arms control - a tactic that can make China appear peace-loving and, if it really leads the superpowers to cut their nuclear arsenals, can also bolster China's national security. In fact, even if Chinese participation in arms control does not force the superpowers to cut their nuclear weapons, it has already encouraged the mounting global anti-nuclear movement, and increased the pressure on the superpowers.

• Research Organization: Virginia Univ., Charlottesville (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6662910
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
ARMS CONTROL
ASIA
CHINA
GLOBAL ASPECTS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
WEAPONS