This post from Linkedin 8 years ago! 

Remember, the increase in spending for the Peoples Liberation Army, from 532.1bn to 601.1bn yuan ($91.5bn), drives the incentive of eager technocrats to modernize an advancing military.

Yet, the twelfth and most recent Five Year Plan (guideline) indicated $670bn allocated for growth in structural efficiencies: information technologies, competitive energy sectors, along with “green growth”. This pointing to a need for real administrative changes, in the near term, reflects the reality of China’s true difficulties. Can a society, burdened with an unsustainable attack on its environment, protect and strengthen any efficiencies, except for the modernization of its military? Zhou Shengxian, the Chinese Environment Minister, has already warned against speculation and non-disciplined planning. Having an environmental watchdog (环保看门狗) Huánbǎo kān mén gǒu to supervise expansion means a potential, competitive rivalry with military leaders regarding scarcity and positional goods. Encirclement remains a non-starter!