Office of the Secretary of Defense
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2005)
Reporting Period: 2005
Environmental Metrics
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Domestic protests, mainly directed at local policies and officials, have grown violent over the past year, posing increasing challenges to China’s internal security forces.
- China faces a strategic crossroads. Questions remain about the basic choices China’s leaders will make as China’s power and influence grow, particularly its military power.
- Secrecy envelops most aspects of Chinese security affairs. The outside world has little knowledge of Chinese motivations and decision-making and of key capabilities supporting PLA modernization.
Mitigation Strategies
- The PLA’s routine publication of a biannual Defense White Paper demonstrates some improvement in transparency.
- China continued its strategic focus on building “comprehensive national power,” with an emphasis on economic development.