Xi Jinping’s Theorem of “Fight and Win”

Unlike the era of Mao Zedong, where People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aimed at ‘Protracted War’ fought on Chinese soil, with a heavy reliance on guerrilla warfare, China in 21st century perceives war differently. Taking a departure from Mao, in Beijing’s current perspective, future wars entail: to be shorter, perhaps lasting only one campaign; will almost certainly not entail the occupation of China, although Chinese political, economic, and military centers are likely to be attacked; and will involve joint military operations across land, sea, air, cyberspace and outer space, and the application of advanced technology, especially information technology.[i]This calculus is driven by China’s changing perception of its security environment and its understanding of the evolution of modern warfare. What lies at the core is the element of ‘information’ that has become the cardinal element in fighting modern warfare.