China Takes Bold Steps Toward Military Reform

At the very end of 2015, Beijing introduced the ambitious first wave of Chinese President Xi Jinping's comprehensive plan for military reform. The changes -- which include a more powerful strategic weaponry command, a new ground force headquarters, and an organization called the Strategic Support Force -- are the culmination of a decadelong effort to improve the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The focus is on military capability and overcoming a deep-rooted political intransigence that has stymied the development of China's armed forces....