Experts Say Chinese Military To Match U.S. By 2030

Written by John Smith For USMilitary.com
The 20th century witnessed profound and radical changes in geo-politics. The appearances and disappearance of economic and us military hegemony were astounding. In the new world designed for the 21st century, there no longer exists a bipolarity capitalism-communism that marked the international stage that was seen during the Cold War. Russia, the USSR ersatz, is still a nuclear power capable of inflicting fear in Washington, but the biggest concerns turn to the emergence of Chinese Military and opponents positioned in the Arab world.

Is it too late for the U.S.?
Recent studies predict that if the U.S. does not act quickly, the Chinese military will soon achieve the same level of firepower that the United States has, in 15 to 20 years. The prediction was made in the 2011 edition of The Military Balance, published annually by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS, its acronym in English), one of the most renowned centers of analysis on security issues, which is based in London.

“The United States has always said they would never let another nation match them in the military, so during the next few years they will have to make important decisions to ensure it stays that way,” John Chipman said in a statement earlier last month. Chipman, the Director-General of the IISS, who holds a PhD in International Relations, said that the U.S. and other powers are losing Western monopoly in key areas of defense technology.

In the document that was released, the institute in London highlighted the contrast between the cuts in the defense budgets of Western countries and the growth of military spending and arms purchases in Asia and the Middle East. “There is clear evidence that a global redistribution of military power is under way,” said Chipman.

In absolute terms, recalls Admiral Mario Cesar Flores in his book Strategic Reflections: rethinking the defense, the U.S. is still the country that spends more on defense (4.7% versus 2.2% in China, data from 2009). As noted, “America is the only power capable of acting decisively and ensuring intercontinental safety and seriously compromising peace and stability globally.”

The world is even more emphatic: United States, the European Union, Russia, China and Japan form an axis of power which disputes spaces and resources worldwide. And, in fact, still lead the destinies of the world. Their designs are political, economical and their military areas are of geostrategic importance. They seek to limit the projection of rivals in these areas and therefore need to keep that status by acting globally, and then end up limiting the sovereignty of other nations.