When the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, we were faced with a huge predicament, and it is no exaggeration to say that we were poor and white in all aspects. In addition, it will suffer from the technological blockade of the United States and the West. Subsequently, the so-called big brother stabbed in the back, not only withdrawing all the experts and equipment, but also supporting Vietnam in attacking the Chinese border. Under such a predicament, the Chinese, relying on their own efforts, not only developed rapidly and became the second largest in the world, but also made outstanding military achievements, ranking among the top three in the world.
According to the "China Military Power Report" released by the United States in 2023, China currently has about 2,200 warplanes in the air, about 459 warships on the sea, and about 5,000 missiles on land, which makes China a leader in the Asian region and poses a significant "security challenge" to the United States. Is that really the case? Where does the U.S. data come from, and is it an exaggeration?
Indeed, in recent years, the Chinese Air Force has grown to a certain extent in the number of fighters. This is mainly due to the continued production and service of fighters such as the J-20, J-16 and J-10. Especially the first 2 models, which are currently an important pillar of the Chinese Air Force. They are only in service for less than 10 years and are at the beginning of their life cycle, and their production is expected to continue to increase in the future.
But at present, our Air Force urgently needs not these two, but the J-10C is equipped in large quantities. In addition, the addition of Chinese special operations aircraft such as the Y-20 and Z-20 has further enhanced the combat capability of the Air Force.
In terms of the navy, the Chinese navy is in a critical period of replacing the old with the new. In the past, our strength was limited, and the tonnage of warships equipped with them was small, so we could only rely on more production and more equipment to compete with the United States in terms of quantity, so as to protect the security of our oceans. However, with the commissioning of new large warships such as the 052D and 055 large drives, the Chinese Navy is gradually approaching and even surpassing some traditional naval powers in terms of tonnage and combat capability.
At this time, it is not the quantity that depends on the quantity, but on the quality. In addition, the inclusion of our three aircraft carriers in the ranks has also made the United States feel the pressure, especially affecting the so-called "freedom of navigation" of the United States.
In terms of missiles, the number has not been disclosed. We have announced about 300 nuclear bombs, while the United States says we have 5,000 missiles. It should cover a wide range of types, including land-based, sea-based and air-based missiles, which have long-range strike and precision guidance capabilities.
The existence of these missiles is also a guarantee for China's security. Moreover, China has a professional rocket force missile force, and its missile technology and range are in the leading position in the world, especially the existence of the DF-41, DF-26D, and DF-21, so that the United States does not dare to shout.
The comparison of military strength between China and the United States has always been a hot topic of global concern. At present, the Chinese Navy still has certain shortcomings in its ocean-going naval warfare capabilities, such as the lack of overseas military bases and auxiliary warships, the number of aircraft carriers compared with the United States, the gap is also large, and the total tonnage of warships is also lagging behind the United States, but our rapid development has made the US Navy feel the pressure.
In terms of the Air Force, although the mainland has fifth-generation aircraft such as the J-20, it is still inferior to the United States in numbers. Therefore, the comparison of the military strength of the two countries is no longer a simple quantitative comparison, but a contest of comprehensive strength.
With regard to the "Report on China's Military Strength" released by the United States, we should maintain an objective and rational attitude. Although this report reflects some of China's military strength to a certain extent, it also has a certain degree of political overtones and subjective bias. Therefore, we cannot rely solely on this report to assess. The purpose of this US report is to exaggerate China's military strength in order to achieve the goal of increasing military spending.