[Strategerist]

The Chinese are simultaneously INCREASING their military spending and REDUCING the total manpower of their military -is that hard to fathom or something?

They've recognized that cannon fodder is irrelevant. Rather than having a vast poorly trained and poorly equipped military they're going for a smaller military that's better trained and better equipped, largely in emulation of the United States.

My basic point is the idea that the one-child policy was part of some grand evil long-term plot to create hordes of family-less men for gigantic invasion forces is idiotic.

As it is, the rather large body of newly unemployed former military men in China because of their strength reductions is a serious problem.

[khnyny]

No, it's not hard to fathom, as usual, the Chinese are copying the US. LOL.

[Zhang Fei]

The Chinese are simultaneously INCREASING their military spending and REDUCING the total manpower of their military -is that hard to fathom or something? They've recognized that cannon fodder is irrelevant. Rather than having a vast poorly trained and poorly equipped military they're going for a smaller military that's better trained and better equipped, largely in emulation of the United States. My basic point is the idea that the one-child policy was part of some grand evil long-term plot to create hordes of family-less men for gigantic invasion forces is idiotic.I'll have to agree. They have started to recognize that technological developments have rendered large militaries obsolete, except for occupation duty. But the Chinese way of war is not have large garrisons around to keep the local population down after an invasion has defeated the enemy's main forces. It is to cull the local population until it submits.