China�s Leader, Seeking to Build Its Muscle, Pushes Overhaul of the Military

It seems like the Chinese are trying to do the exact same thing the Japanese did in the 1930s-40s.

Ahh. They are trying to establish a "co-prosperity sphere".

Old news - the Chinese government has been overhauling the PLA, PLAN and PLAAF since the end ofthe FIRST Gulf war. That war clearly demonstrated that massive numbers of obsolete equipment were a liability on the modern battelfield, not an asset.

20+ years later, they are still the weak sister in East Asia. South Korea, Taiwan and Japan all still have better equipped and trained air forces and the PLA Navy is still less capable than the JMDF. Even Taiwan's relatively small navy is powerful enough to fulfill its primary mission - prevent a seaborne invasion from the mainland.

It will take them at least another 20 years to surpass Japan and develop a truly dominant navy and air force in the region - and that is assuming they can prioritize those two services, which as the article notes, are subservient to the Army. Let's not also forget how expensive ships and planes are, it will take a massive investment on their part to get ahead of western nations/allies in the region.

Yes on their terms.