China’s military has not caught up with U.S., but that’s the goal – expert

Vita Holod, chair of the Ukrainian Association of Sinologists, shared her opinions on Espreso TV.

"There is currently a trend of rising nationalism in China. First, 92% of the Chinese population is Han Chinese, and 8% are ethnic minorities, who also make up a small percentage of the People's Liberation Army. Chinese nationalism, like any other, is dictated by external threats. The militant image of the U.S. is being actively promoted within China, meaning there is a spirit of anti-Americanism present both in propaganda and social media," Holod said.

She added that the Chinese population wants a strong country that commands respect, a sentiment actively reinforced by propaganda. "It is Han-centric nationalism that is quite successful in China," she said.

"The Chinese army is large, with over 2 million soldiers. China always emphasizes its defensive strategy. Since 1979, the Chinese army has not participated in any armed conflicts, meaning it has no combat experience. We do not know how the population will react if ordered to replenish the People's Liberation Army. We can only observe how China's military power is growing, and this looks threatening to many in the Western camp. But the Chinese army has not yet reached the level of the American army, although this is China's goal, possibly by 2035. The Chinese army is not yet ready for an active, hot phase, for example, with the United States," Vita Holod concluded.

• Earlier reports say China is developing and using generative AI models in military intelligence to process large amounts of data and improve analysis and predictions of enemy actions.