Liang Fang, Professor of military strategy at the National Defense University of the PLA in China, published an article in Huanqiu (Global Times) urging China to implement a grand strategy to become a powerful maritime nation as soon as possible. He reasoned that “China’s maritime security faces unprecedented grim threats and challenges. The United States has carried out a full range of strategic encirclement and containment tactics in the Pacific by implementing its ‘Asia-Pacific re-balancing strategy.’ In the East and South China Sea, disputes with the neighboring countries over their maritime interests are becoming increasingly fierce. … The potential threat of conflict is increasing. At the same time, as the second largest economy in the world, economic globalization has transformed China into an export-oriented economy dependent on strategic maritime channels. Facing such a complex maritime security situation, China needs to develop and introduce a maritime strategy as soon as possible and speed up its development as a powerful maritime nation.” 

The General Staff Department (GSD) of the People’s Liberation Army has issued the 2013 military training instruction manual for the entire military. It stresses “getting ready for war” and “training to meet the needs of a war.”  People’s Daily reported the issuance using the title: Military Training Guide Issued; War-Fighting Has Become the Key Word.” According to the People’s Daily, the instructions “ask that all of the military forces and armed police strengthen their mental preparation for war; increase the sense of urgency, a sense of crisis, and a sense of mission; get ready for war, conduct difficult and strict training of troops based on the actual needs of war; improve the capability to fight war, …. adhere to the standards for war, and measure training effectiveness in accordance with the demands of an actual war.”

Source: People’s Daily, January 14, 2013
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0115/c1011-20198682.html