"In A History of the Modern Chinese Army, Xiaobing Li, a former member of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), provides a comprehensive examination of the PLA from the Cold War to the beginning of the twenty-first century that highlights the military's central function in modern Chinese society. A History of the Modern Chinese Army links China's military modernization to the country's growing international and economic power and provides a unique perspective on China's establishment and maintenance of one of the world's most advanced military forces."--BOOK JACKET.