A Contradiction in Will: Understanding China's Strategic Culture in a Civil-Military Context

Abstract

Given China’s civil-military relationship, how consistent is its military’s perspectives on the use of force with those of the party-state government? By adopting a cultural framework of analysis, this study utilizes a methodology rooted in social constructivism to examine the strategic policies of the party-state government, followed by an analysis of the government’s relationship with the military and its beliefs and values towards the use of force. Interactions between the ruling Chinese Communist Party and the People’s Liberation Army frame the discourse and narrative underscoring how military force is conceived, perceived and implemented within China. This study concludes that China’s use of force is impacted by the military’s willingness to use force on behalf of the party-state government. This impact is most evident in the internal use of force where trends suggest that the military’s interests conflict with those of the party-state government.