Tra innovazione e continuità. La dottrina militare cinese dalla tarda età maoista a oggi

Prevailing narratives tend to emphasize discontinuity between China's present and past. In the military realm, reliance on advanced technology in the present is often contrasted with the Maoist principles of the past. This article tries to overturn this perspective, by underlining continuity in China's military doctrine from the late Maoist era to today. Three major factors of continuity are identified: the concepts of relative advantage, people's war, and active defence. The conclusion is that advanced technology has not jeopardized China's doctrinal tradition, which has in fact proved crucial in shaping the PLA's path to technological innovation.