John F Sullivan
@johnfsullivan.bsky.social
Former U.S. Army China Foreign Area Officer currently studying ancient Chinese military & strategic texts and arguing for the need to study and debate them more broadly within our own military PME and academic institutions.
establishing an advantage in material and spiritual forces through the development of comprehensive national power, influencing the adversary’s will and determination, and compelling the adversary to abandon intentions that harm one’s interests.”
— Deterrence Strategy (1989)
— Deterrence Strategy (1989)
November 1, 2025 at 9:24 PM
establishing an advantage in material and spiritual forces through the development of comprehensive national power, influencing the adversary’s will and determination, and compelling the adversary to abandon intentions that harm one’s interests.”
— Deterrence Strategy (1989)
— Deterrence Strategy (1989)
adversaries psychologically. The comprehensive national power competition strategy does not aim to physically destroy an adversary’s military, political, economic, or technological strength. Its fundamental focus remains on the adversary’s psychological factors,
November 1, 2025 at 9:23 PM
adversaries psychologically. The comprehensive national power competition strategy does not aim to physically destroy an adversary’s military, political, economic, or technological strength. Its fundamental focus remains on the adversary’s psychological factors,
while also requiring corresponding changes in the social superstructure.”
Xi Jinping believes this is an objective truth, as described earlier by his chief ideologue, Wang Huning. We now have a complete English translation of Wang's major work on this subject:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNMTFK4...
Xi Jinping believes this is an objective truth, as described earlier by his chief ideologue, Wang Huning. We now have a complete English translation of Wang's major work on this subject:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNMTFK4...
Political Logic: Principles of Marxist Politics
Political Logic: Principles of Marxist Politics [Wang, Huning] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Political Logic: Principles of Marxist Politics
www.amazon.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:22 AM
while also requiring corresponding changes in the social superstructure.”
Xi Jinping believes this is an objective truth, as described earlier by his chief ideologue, Wang Huning. We now have a complete English translation of Wang's major work on this subject:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNMTFK4...
Xi Jinping believes this is an objective truth, as described earlier by his chief ideologue, Wang Huning. We now have a complete English translation of Wang's major work on this subject:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNMTFK4...
production cannot accommodate the increasingly powerful social productive forces it has created. Ultimately, the development of social productive forces will inevitably break through the capitalist mode of production, transitioning to a newer mode of production,
September 9, 2025 at 8:22 AM
production cannot accommodate the increasingly powerful social productive forces it has created. Ultimately, the development of social productive forces will inevitably break through the capitalist mode of production, transitioning to a newer mode of production,
This inevitability stems from the internal contradictions of the capitalist mode of production, namely the contradiction between the private ownership of social means of production and socialized large-scale production. Capitalism has created powerful productive forces, but the capitalist mode of
September 9, 2025 at 8:22 AM
This inevitability stems from the internal contradictions of the capitalist mode of production, namely the contradiction between the private ownership of social means of production and socialized large-scale production. Capitalism has created powerful productive forces, but the capitalist mode of
"If a situation arises during combat where the military commander and the political commissar have differing opinions, the responsibility falls to the one whose role pertains to the issue [and] anyone at any time has the right to report the situation to a higher organization."
September 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
"If a situation arises during combat where the military commander and the political commissar have differing opinions, the responsibility falls to the one whose role pertains to the issue [and] anyone at any time has the right to report the situation to a higher organization."
"The division of responsibilities among commanders specifically means that, under the unified collective leadership of the Party committee, military administrative issues are handled by the mil. commander, while political work is organized and implemented by the pol. commissar."
September 3, 2025 at 4:33 PM
"The division of responsibilities among commanders specifically means that, under the unified collective leadership of the Party committee, military administrative issues are handled by the mil. commander, while political work is organized and implemented by the pol. commissar."
I’ve posted a draft translation of this book in the below link. The translation is decent, but not perfect. It includes the original Chinese text so you can check the accuracy if there are any passages you want to cite. www.academia.edu/143606004/De...
Deterrence Strategy 《威慑战略》1989 (DRAFT TRANSLATION)
Draft Translation of a 1989 book published by China's Academy of Military Science (AMS), authored by Chen Chongbei (陈崇北), Shou Xiaosong (寿晓松) and Liang Xiaoqiu (梁晓秋)
https://www.academia.edu/143606004/Deterrence_Strategy_威慑战略_1989_DRAFT_TRANSLATION_
August 26, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I’ve posted a draft translation of this book in the below link. The translation is decent, but not perfect. It includes the original Chinese text so you can check the accuracy if there are any passages you want to cite. www.academia.edu/143606004/De...
You then start seeing it seep into military doctrine. The first version of the Science of Military Strategy (1987), makes no reference to CNP, but the 1999 version starts including it, and every subsequent update to the text discusses CNP as the basis for strategic competition.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
You then start seeing it seep into military doctrine. The first version of the Science of Military Strategy (1987), makes no reference to CNP, but the 1999 version starts including it, and every subsequent update to the text discusses CNP as the basis for strategic competition.
Or Wu Chunqiu's book on how CNP can be applied at the highest strategic levels: "Building and employing CNP to achieve grand strategy objectives is the core content of grand strategy and one of its fundamental characteristics distinguishing it from other strategies."
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Or Wu Chunqiu's book on how CNP can be applied at the highest strategic levels: "Building and employing CNP to achieve grand strategy objectives is the core content of grand strategy and one of its fundamental characteristics distinguishing it from other strategies."
Following this text from these three members of the Academy of Military Science (AMS) you start seeing a lot more theoretical work coming out of AMS on this subject. For example, Huang Shuofeng's extensive study on both the components of CNP and the math necessary to calculate it
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Following this text from these three members of the Academy of Military Science (AMS) you start seeing a lot more theoretical work coming out of AMS on this subject. For example, Huang Shuofeng's extensive study on both the components of CNP and the math necessary to calculate it
Confrontation in the CNP era, the authors argued, would primarily takes the form of competition. This includes intense military, economic, and technological wars globally, with a focus on qualitative superiority and high-tech development, not just military quantity.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Confrontation in the CNP era, the authors argued, would primarily takes the form of competition. This includes intense military, economic, and technological wars globally, with a focus on qualitative superiority and high-tech development, not just military quantity.
CNP strategy places greater emphasis on the combined use of both "material weapons" (economy, technology, military) and "spiritual weapons" (politics, ideology, national spirit and will, information) to achieve deterrence goals.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
CNP strategy places greater emphasis on the combined use of both "material weapons" (economy, technology, military) and "spiritual weapons" (politics, ideology, national spirit and will, information) to achieve deterrence goals.
A key function they take from Sun Tzu is "first make oneself invincible" (先为不可胜). This means adopting a long-term perspective, building comprehensive national power (including military), and emphasizing a "deterrence image" rather than just temporary military advantages.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
A key function they take from Sun Tzu is "first make oneself invincible" (先为不可胜). This means adopting a long-term perspective, building comprehensive national power (including military), and emphasizing a "deterrence image" rather than just temporary military advantages.
The fundamental goals of CNP competition are "security and development." This strategy seeks security through national development, fostering a virtuous cycle: Development → deterrence → peace → new development → new deterrence → new peace.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
The fundamental goals of CNP competition are "security and development." This strategy seeks security through national development, fostering a virtuous cycle: Development → deterrence → peace → new development → new deterrence → new peace.
The Comprehensive National Power (CNP) competition strategy, therefore, should be a new national strategy for China during peacetime. It advocated using political, economic, military, technological, and diplomatic forces together, rather than relying solely on military means.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
The Comprehensive National Power (CNP) competition strategy, therefore, should be a new national strategy for China during peacetime. It advocated using political, economic, military, technological, and diplomatic forces together, rather than relying solely on military means.
Modern threats are comprehensive, extending beyond military to include environment, population, hunger, and economic/technological challenges. Military deterrence alone is often powerless against non-military threats like trade deficits or tech blockades.
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Modern threats are comprehensive, extending beyond military to include environment, population, hunger, and economic/technological challenges. Military deterrence alone is often powerless against non-military threats like trade deficits or tech blockades.
Historically, the authors argue, strategic thought progressed from focusing on parts (like sea or air power) to embracing comprehensive approaches, leading to "total war" and "grand strategy" theories. But since the 1980s, the value of pure military deterrence has been challenged
August 26, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Historically, the authors argue, strategic thought progressed from focusing on parts (like sea or air power) to embracing comprehensive approaches, leading to "total war" and "grand strategy" theories. But since the 1980s, the value of pure military deterrence has been challenged
I’m prone to giving Bud Fox a pass on this one. He gives a reasonable summary of Sun Tzu’s force ratio passage from Chap. 3. I’ve seen tenured war college professors mess it up worse. Also, don’t forget the dinner table Clausewitz debate from “Crimson Tide”
August 17, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I’m prone to giving Bud Fox a pass on this one. He gives a reasonable summary of Sun Tzu’s force ratio passage from Chap. 3. I’ve seen tenured war college professors mess it up worse. Also, don’t forget the dinner table Clausewitz debate from “Crimson Tide”
There are also collective military writings from other prominent PLA figures not named Mao that should be translated and further studied. These figures and their writings still influence contemporary PLA thinking, but rarely get discussed in the West because we have limited ability to access them.
August 17, 2025 at 9:09 PM
There are also collective military writings from other prominent PLA figures not named Mao that should be translated and further studied. These figures and their writings still influence contemporary PLA thinking, but rarely get discussed in the West because we have limited ability to access them.