Hotspots Along China's Maritime Periphery

The Chinese Communist Party believes there are several threats that exist along China's maritime periphery. These threat perceptions have a defined geographic focus and are informed by fears about Taiwan independence, challenges to China's claims in the South China Sea, and Japan's administrative control of the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. They result in a set of potential "regional hotspots" for which the People's Liberation Army is actively preparing for contingency operations. These operations, if executed, could lead to armed conflicts between China and U.S. allies, friends and partners in the Asia Pacific and could trigger a U.S. military response. Authoritative documents such as China's 2015 defense white paper identify several missions tasked to the PLA that directly apply to hotspot contingencies, such as safeguarding security and sovereignty along China's land and maritime borders, which would include claims to features in the East and South China Seas and "unification of the motherland," code for preventing Taiwan's independence. To prepare for a potential crisis along China's maritime periphery, senior Chinese leaders have directed the PLA to develop contingency plans and expand its military capabilities. However, one of the most pressing concerns faced by PLA planners is the consideration that the U.S. will intervene in a conflict. This consideration has led the PLA to pursue a robust military modernization program that includes developing long-range strike capabilities to engage an adversary farther from China's coast, improving training to conduct joint warfighting operations and preparing to fight in new security domains such as space and cyberspace.