A few highlights from the day's testimony:
1) Roger Cliff of RAND discussed how the People's Liberation Army (PLA) describes its "active defense" doctrine, noting that the PLA never uses such U.S. terms as "area denial" or "anti-access." Cliff notes that since its founding in 1927, the PLA has long become used to the idea of engaging in combat against better-equipped adversaries. According to Cliff, the PLA's current doctrine emphasizes seven principles: avoiding direct confrontation; seizing the initiative early; surprise; preemption; "key point strikes" against critical nodes; "concentrated attack;" and information superiority. Applying this doctrine to a hypothetical China-U.S. matchup in East Asia, Cliff would expect the PLA to bypass frontline U.S. forces and instead focus its attacks on U.S. bases, the U.S. supply and maintenance system, and the U.S. command and control system.
2) Martin Libicki of RAND discussed two scenarios involving China's use of offensive cyber operations, the first for strategic coercion and the second in operational support of a conventional military campaign. Libicki asserted that the U.S. government has yet to assess its risk exposure to cyber attack, let alone calculate its ability to fight through such an attack.
3) Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (ret), catalogued the PLA's current and near-term capabilities in integrated air defense; conventional missile forces; integrated joint operations; and space and counter-space operations. For non-conventional operations, Deptula discussed the Chinese concept of the "Three Warfares": psychological operations, influence operations, and "legal warfare."
4) Finally, Jim Thomas of CSBA discussed his recommendations for a U.S. regional response. Thomas recommended that the U.S. should encourage its allies and partners in Southeast Asia to develop their own "mini anti-access/area denial" defense postures. Second, the U.S. should promote regional defense planning, coordination, and transparency. Third, the U.S. should promote regional ISR data sharing. Fourth, the U.S. should expand its own military engagement activities with its allies and partners in the region. Finally, the U.S. should continue to develop and refine its emerging AirSea Battle concept.
There are additional witness statements and documents not covered in this summary. Click here to see all of the witnesses and their statements.
Nothing follows.