China crisis: Is Xi Jinping’s mega-army useless?

The Bunker

Podmasters

News, Politics, Society & Culture, Government

4.6 • 984 Ratings

🗓️ 20 September 2023

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

With two million active soldiers, China has the largest military in the world. But does it know what it’s doing? Even with some of the most advanced military tech in the world their ability to use it is unclear. Laura Makin-Isherwood speaks to Timothy Heath, senior international defence researcher at the RAND Corporation, to find out if Xi’s army is something we should be worried about – or if they have all the gear and no idea. "Xi’s army has no experience operating large combat forces on another continent." “As the Chinese developed their economic ties, they are also sharing their preferred political values.” “The Chinese military conscripts a quarter of their force because they cannot attract enough volunteers.” www.patreon.com/bunkercast Written and presented by Laura Makin-Isherwood. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production. Instagram | Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	My name is Stan. I'm at. Nice to meet you. So you took up photography where? I've always loved
0:05.5	photography but I turn it into earning a living at 60. I enrolled on a day course.
0:11.8	Well college. I loved going to college. It's good you can retry. I'm enrolled on the day course. But college?
0:13.0	I loved going to college.
0:14.0	It's good you can retrain and do something.
0:16.0	Yeah, yeah.
0:17.0	Let's talk about working, learning, saving and making the most of living longer.
0:22.0	Phoenix Group is the UK's largest long-term savings and retirement business.
0:28.0	Search Phoenix Group living longer.
0:30.0	Pets brings so much joy.
0:32.0	From those happy greetings at the door to the warm cuddles on the sofa
0:36.7	so give a little love back with dental life from Purina a range of delicious chues made for dogs and tasty snacks for cats that help clean and support your pets, teeth and gums, essential for their overall well-being and a happy, healthy life. They give you plenty of smiles so
0:55.3	look after theirs with dental life. Pick're need to know on news and politics. I'm Laura Macon Isherwood. Now we hear a lot about
1:16.0	China in the bunker, the nation's economic might, its ambitious president and how the
1:20.5	country may be looking to upset the current global balance.
1:24.4	But what about its military?
1:26.1	China is reported to have the largest army in the world with around 2 million people
1:30.4	signed up to serve.
1:32.0	It's a force far greater in terms of numbers than the
1:34.5	United States, South Korea or Russia, but why does the nation need a force so large
1:40.0	and do boots in the mess translate to real fighting power.
1:44.0	Here to discuss all that and more is Tim Heath,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Podmasters, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Podmasters and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.