Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a report on behalf of the 19th CCP Central Committee at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CCP) on October 16, 2022. An important point in the report was regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), The Singapore Post reported.
The PLA is aiming to leverage advanced technology for its use of unmanned weapons and artificial intelligence, as per the news report. China aims to achieve military modernisation of the PLA to a stage where it is fully automated and computerised by 2027.
According to Xi Jinping, expeditiously upgrading the PLA to a “world-class” force is the need of the hour, as per the news report. He spoke about his resolve to speed up the integrated development of the PLA using “mechanization, informatization, and the application of smart technologies.”
China will focus on C4ISR for PLA i.e. command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, according to The Singapore Post. The aim of China’s PLA is to be prepared for symmetric, asymmetric and cyberspace warfare.
China has put a large number of robotic and unmanned systems, and advanced missiles with precision guidance in all services of the PLA. People’s Liberation Army is working on unmanned vehicles for logistical purposes while PLA Navy is focusing on unmanned surface vessels and submarines. Furthermore, PLA Airforce is working on unmanned systems, the report said.
The PLA Rocket Force wants to create full-pledged remote sensing, target identification, and decision support, according to The Singapore Post. PLA Strategic Force is working on enhancing the AI capabilities for its electronic, cyber, space and psychological warfare.
China’s strategic considerations towards the advancement of technology include the reunification of Taiwan as it has been quite persuasive with this goal under Xi. Civil-military fusion of technology is another reason for China’s technological pursuit, as per the news report.
China is aware that fusion between the private and public sectors is going to be influential with regard to technological leadership in the world, as per The Singapore Post report. China has been encouraging private-sector companies in the development of artificial intelligence and other critical technologies. The Chinese government is also offering subsidies to the companies.
China also faces limitations to its approach as it is believed that Beijing is overlooking the various vulnerabilities that come with artificial intelligence, as per the news report. A very small segment of the PLA has modern and advanced equipment while most of the Chinese troops still have outdated equipment. The news report said that there are possibilities that “this rhetoric is politically motivated and overestimated.”