Title : The PLA and Regional Security under the New Leadership
Speaker: You ji, (由冀) professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, The University of New South Wales
Chairperson: Yasuhiro Matsuda, professor, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo
Discussant: Akio Takahara, professor, Graduate School for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo
Time : Thursday, 17 January 2013, 19:00-20:30
Venue: Main Conference Room , 3rd Floor, Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, The University of Tokyo
Language : English
Contact Person: Kyoko IKEDA (k-ikeda[at]ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
Organizer: Akihiko TANAKA
Abstract:
The PLA exercises a directional leadership over China's security-related foreign affairs, although this leadership is conducted behind the scenes. The CCP's 18th National Party Congress confirmed a new supreme command under Xi Jinping. Today Xi's priority agenda is to consolidate power at an earlier stage so that he could introduce major policy initiatives at a time of drastic social change in China. Xi therefore needs to solicit military support for this endeavor. This give-nd-take interaction will be a key element of his political leadership over state and foreign affairs, as compared with his predecessor whose leadership style was technocratic and passive in responding to international events. Xi has actually been assertive in projecting Chinese power amidst power shifting world-wide and instrumental in formulating China's tough stance to the territorial disputes with its Asian neighbors. It can be expected that while Xi dose not seek to escalate tension in Asia but his basic policy line would be more strongly pursued in terms of retaliation. US Pivot to Asia has pivoted PLA war preparation toward possible armed confrontation in the region. It will demand more financial inputs and Xi is willing to oblige. The mutual support between the PLA and his commander-in-chief will set the course of Chinese foreign policy in the years ahead, especially in the areas of national security and defense. This will exert heavy impact on the strategic realignment in Asia.