AS CHINESE PRESIDENT HU JINTAO sits down with President Bush at the White House this week, much of the discussion will focus on economic developments, international relations, human rights, and the global war on terrorism. But as China’s economy continues its booming growth and modernization, a similar Chinese effort is underway to catch up with the United States in military might. It’s a drive conducted largely in the shadows–with the flow of information from the People’s Liberation Army muzzled by its secretive leaders.

A recently completed study by the Rand Corporation (Chinese Responses to U.S. Military Transformation and Implications for the Department of Defense) shows that China is watching the United States closely and is devoting significant resources toward the development of highly technical, novel approaches to both defense and the projection of power. The potential for a conflict with the United States over the status of Taiwan is the driving force for Chinese military planning, the study says.