U.S. defense policymakers identify the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the most formidable military competitor to the United States today. This paper compiles open-source data on the evolution of PRC and U.S. military capabilities from 2017 to 2024. It is intended as a reference work for U.S. policymakers and members of the public who are interested in the U.S.-China military competition.
This publication is part of the RAND expert insights series. The expert insights series presents perspectives on timely policy issues.
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