Even if there was another protest as large as Tiananmen Square, it is almost impossible that protesters would be able to overcome this large force of Type 59s with simple anti-tank arms such as Molotov cocktails. There are talks of equipping the Type 59’s with autonomous equipment, allowing remote control. Keeping these Type 59’s stationed near Beijing is a wise move by the CCP and is something that will maintain harmony for years to come. With no anti-tank capabilities, the civilians quickly dispersed. The Type 59s accomplished the mission at Tiananmen Square. What are Xi’s threats? First and foremost, internal. However, tank-to-tank combat with a near-peer adversary may be an unlikely scenario for the PLA so strenuous preparation for this event may be misguided. Matched up with a leading model like an American M1A2 Abrams or a Russian T-90M, the Chinese Type 99 would face an uphill battle. “Modern” means being able to compete in direct combat with another third-generation MBTs. Only around 60% of the tanks are considered modern. 600 of these tanks have significant upgrades with reactive armor and stabilized sights but the 1950’s design would be ineffective against a near peer adversary. The bulk of the force are copies of the ancient T-54, the Type 59s. An upgrade of a tank design from the 1980’s “active defense” era, these tanks would conduct a majority of the fighting. The Type 96 is the cornerstone of the PLAGF.

Tank commanders have historically used this conservative strategy. The 850 Type 99s are China’s prized armored vehicle and can compete with the American and Russian tanks however, in a conflict, it is more than likely that these tanks would be held tightly in the reserves. It is the second-largest tank force in the world, with around 6,700 tanks. The People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) has an impressive collection of tanks.

Is this an urgent issue? By looking at the threat environment, I conclude that the PLA does not need to modernize their tanks anytime soon.

Plans to “modernize” the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by 2035 would include upgraded tanks.

Chinese army main battle tank