In a recent interview with the BBC, Senior Colonel Zhou Bo (ret.), Fellow at the Center for International Security and Strategy of Tsinghua University and China Forum Expert, shared his views on China’s military power.

According to the BBC, China’s advances in missile technology, nuclear weapons and AI have triggered serious concern among Western observers, who believe a profound shift in the global balance of military power is under way. It is widely believed that China currently spends more on its armed forces than any country except the US.

China is still a long way short of the US warhead stockpile, but its nuclear build-up is being seen as one of the biggest threats to Western military supremacy, the BBC said. According to Dr. Zeno Leoni, of King’s College London, China is developing hypersonic missiles to leap-frog other powers. In addition, the US Department of Defense believes that China is fully committed to developing “intelligentized” warfare. Furthermore, China has overtaken the US to become the largest navy in the world, although the latter maintains a strong lead in many naval capabilities.

Senior Colonel Zhou said that it is “critically important” for China to strengthen its navy to counter the sea-based threats which it faces. In particular, he said: “The most outstanding problem we face is what we perceive to be American provocation in China’s waters.”

In response to the concern that China could be moving away from non-confrontation towards a more threatening stance, Senior Colonel Zhou insisted that Western fears are unfounded. “China has no intention of policing the world, unlike the United States,” he said. “Even if China becomes much stronger one day, it will maintain its basic policies.”

Read the original article here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-59600475