From
CNN.com:
"It's a very large military. It's a very old military," says Tom McNaugher, a China analyst for the Rand Corp. "In fact, two scholars recently referred to it ... as the world's largest military museum."
To modernize, China is trimming its ground forces and using the savings to pick up high-tech bargains from the Russian arsenal.
It has already purchased a squadron of Su-27 fighter planes, with a second squadron on order. And it's taking delivery of two of four quiet and fast Russian Kilo class diesel submarines.
But progress has been slow.
"They aren't buying in a number that will lead to any kind of immediate increase in combat capability," Montaperto said.
"Reports are they are having trouble maintaining the submarines and the aircraft," McNaugher said. "The pilot training isn't all that effective. It's going to take a long time to absorb these weapons."
The assessment at the Pentagon is that China could not project a sustained military force any distance from its borders. American military officials also believe that China, for all its size, could not even successfully invade tiny Taiwan.
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