The evolution of China’s active defence doctrine
Por Chow Chung-yan — South China Morning Post – News feed
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Opinion Chow Chung-yan The evolution of China’s active defence doctrine
As the PLA approaches its centenary, it must execute a modern Long March to ensure the doctrine remains decisive in this hi-tech era
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Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan began his journalistic career at the South China Morning Post and rose to become editor-in-chief in 2025. Published: 9:00am, 20 Oct 2026
The British Army’s miraculous escape from Nazi Germany’s encirclement at Dunkirk is considered by some to be the greatest military retreat in modern history and a prime example of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Yet years before Dunkirk, the military retreat by the Chinese Red Army, known as the Long March , was more impressive and consequential. While the Dunkirk evacuation remains in Hollywood fare and a staple of World War II folklore, the Long March is taught at military academies worldwide as a foundational case study in asymmetrical warfare, insurgency and strategic political-military integration. It was a baptism of fire that did more than resurrect Mao Zedong’s political career and mark his ascent to primacy. It also firmly established “ active defence ” as the Chinese Communist military’s core doctrine, which continues to guide the nation’s strategic planning to this day. Select Voice Select Speed 0.8x 0.9x 1.0x 1.1x 1.2x 1.5x 1.75x 00:00 00:00 1x AI-generated voice
