Is China's military unprepared for war?

Nations like India retain a more combat-driven military culture that contrasts with China's avoidance of direct warfare.

- KHEDROOB THONDUP

Military readiness is often judged by a nation's ability to engage in and emerge victorious from combat. For the United States, extensive battlefield experience from conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other engagements has shaped its military doctrine, reinforced its leadership structure, and honed its troops' ability to adapt in high-pressure situations.

In stark contrast, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has not fought a war since the Sino-Vietnamese conflict of 1979—a forty-year absence from direct warfare that raises critical questions about its battle preparedness.