The Office of Naval Intelligence report on the People’s Liberation Army Navy

The Office of Naval Intelligence report on the People’s Liberation Army Navy, dated two thousand seven, is notable for its comprehensive overview of China’s maritime forces at a time of rapid modernization. The document appears in the public archive hosted at archive.org, originally uploaded by The Black Vault. This record was released to the public through a digital upload on The Black Vault website. The upload includes a plain‑text transcription of the original report and a downloadable PDF. No specific Freedom of Information Act case number is cited; the declassification authority is the Office of Naval Intelligence, which made the material available for public consumption. The report begins with a description of the PLA Navy’s mission and recent developments. It states: “The PLA Navy is responsible for safeguarding China’s maritime security and maintaining the sovereignty of its territorial seas along with its maritime rights and interests. Preparation for the maritime battlefield has been intensified and improved while the integrated combat capabilities are being enhanced to conduct offshore campaigns. The capability of nuclear counter‑attacks has also been enhanced. In accordance with the principle of smaller but more efficient troops, the PLA Navy has compressed the chain of command and reorganized the combat forces in a more scientific way while giving prominence to building maritime combat forces, especially amphibious combat forces. The PLA Navy has also sped up the process of updating its weaponry and equipment with priority given to the development of new combat ships as well as various kinds of special‑purpose aircraft and relevant equipment. At the same time, the weaponry is increasingly informationalized and long‑range precision strike capability raised.” The report then references China’s two most recent defense white papers. From the 2004 white paper it notes: “The Navy aims at gradual extension of the strategic depth for offshore defensive operations and enhancing its capabilities in integrated maritime operations and nuclear counterattacks. The Navy is working to build itself into a modern maritime force of operation consisting of combined arms with both nuclear and conventional means of operations. Taking informationization as the goal and strategic focus in its modernization drive, the Navy gives high priority to the development of maritime information systems, and new‑generation weaponry and equipment.” It continues: “Efforts are being made to improve maritime battlefield capabilities, with emphasis on the construction of relevant facilities for new equipment and the development of combat support capabilities. The Navy is endeavoring to build mobile maritime troops capable of conducting operations under conditions of informationization, and strengthen its overall capabilities of operations in coastal waters, joint operations and integrated maritime support.” From the 2006 white paper the report adds: “China’s Navy 2007— Chapter 1 Organizational Structure… Chapter 2 Leadership… Chapter 3 Political System… Chapter 4 Doctrine… Chapter 5 Submarine Forces… Chapter 6 Surface Forces… Chapter 7 Naval Aviation… Chapter 8 Coastal Defense Forces… Chapter 9 Marine Corps… Chapter 10 Manpower… Chapter 11 Officer Corps… Chapter 12 Enlisted Force… Chapter 13 Unit Training… Chapter 14 Quality of Life… Chapter 15 Foreign Relations… Chapter 16 Weapon Systems and Equipment… Appendix A Chinese Terms… Appendix B Suggested Reading List.” The preface of the study explains its purpose: “Over the past decade, the Chinese Navy has embarked on a modernization program with the goal of being the preeminent regional power in East Asia. By acquiring some of the world’s most impressive naval technologies from abroad while simultaneously building advanced indigenous submarines, combatants, and naval aircraft, China is positioning itself to play a growing role in regional and trans‑regional affairs. This enhanced naval power sought by Beijing is meant to answer global changes in the nature of warfare and domestic concerns about continued economic prosperity. Responding to global trends, this modernization program is meant to address what China terms ‘the generation gap in military technology’ brought on by the revolution in military affairs and the associated application of information and technology to the means of warfare. As such, this modernization effort is driven by China’s strategic requirement to maintain the effectiveness of its military against a backdrop of global changes in military weaponry and doctrine. Domestically, this modernization effort aims to ensure access to trade routes and economic resources throughout the region. This drive to build a military component to protect the means of economic development is one of the most prevalent historical reasons for building a blue water naval capability.” The report concludes its introductory section with a statement from the director of the Naval Analysis Directorate: “In order to better understand the world’s fastest growing maritime power and its means of naval action and thereby foster a better understanding of China’s Navy, the Office of Naval Intelligence has