Military Approaches Beyond Armed Conflict: China's Strategy of "Non-War Military Operations"

In the realm of military strategy, Non-War Military Activities (NWMA) have emerged as a significant concept, earning a dedicated chapter in the authoritative text, "The Science of Military Strategy." Despite its somewhat clumsy descriptor, this concept stands out as a key strategic focus for the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

In 2021, researchers revealed the existence of hundreds of new missile silos in the deserts of western China, hinting at the PLA's growing emphasis on NWMA. This strategy is not synonymous with "irregular warfare" as defined by US policy and doctrine, but understanding how the PLA envisions "non-war" uses of the military is valuable for US and allied planners.

The "Science of Military Strategy" (2013) dedicates an entire chapter to strategic guidance for peacetime operations across all domains, aimed at fulfilling the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) political objectives. This text, translated in full by the China Aerospace Studies Institute and Project Everest, provides Western audiences with a deeper understanding of the PLA's strategic thinking.

NWMA serves as a strategic means for the PLA to support China's national interest, safeguard its development, expand its global interests, and gain valuable operational experience. By engaging in competitive campaigns without an unambiguous, head-on challenge, the PLA can change the status quo in a more covert manner.

The PLA's NWMA are a menu of options to pursue CCP political objectives in the gray zone. These activities are central for the PLA's military competition to assert "effective control" well before conflict, by applying the concept in peacetime.

The United States military considers China to be its "pacing challenge." To counter this threat effectively, a full understanding of how the PLA organizes itself and acts in support of the CCP's political strategy is crucial. NWMA has been relevant in virtually every PLA-related engagement over the past decade and its potential role in future events cannot be understated.

The goal of the Non-War Military Activities of the People's Liberation Army in China's strategy is to support national interests through activities like disaster relief, international peacekeeping, and ideological influence, without engaging in direct combat. These activities are strongly supported and guided by the CCP to enhance its political objectives and maintain regime stability.

Moreover, the inclusion of "blockades" as an NWMA law enforcement activity may serve a greater CCP political end, particularly in relation to Taiwan. NWMA also complements CCP influence efforts and illustrates the PLA's supporting role for meeting larger CCP political and economic objectives by shaping facts on the ground and seas.

Kevin Bilms, a career Department of Defense civilian serving in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a nonresident fellow of the Irregular Warfare Initiative, stresses the importance of understanding NWMA in the context of the broader PLA-CCP relationship. As the world continues to watch China's military developments, the significance of NWMA in shaping China's strategic landscape cannot be overlooked.

In 2021, the PLA tested a new hypersonic glide missile, further demonstrating its commitment to using NWMA as a price lesser than war and a mode more flexible than war to obtain greater strategic benefit. As the United States and its allies navigate this complex geopolitical landscape, understanding the PLA's NWMA will be crucial in developing effective strategies and investments to counter the United States' pacing threat.

Military Approaches Beyond Armed Conflict: China's Strategy of "Non-War Military Operations"