Few surprises about China's electronic or cyber military capabilities are contained in a just-released annual Defense Department report on the Chinese military.

The report, posted online August 16, acknowledges that during 2009, cyber attacks around the world appear to have originated from China.

But, "it remains unclear if these intrusions were conducted by, or with the endorsement of, the [People's Liberation Army] or other elements of the [People's Republic of China] government," the report states.

Chinese military doctrine has long looked to establish "electromagnetic dominance" early during conflicts. PLA theorists use the term "integrated network electronic warfare" to describe joint operations conducted with "electronic warfare, computer network operations, and kinetic strikes to disrupt battlefield information systems that support an adversary's warfighting and power projection capabilities," the report states.

In seeking to deny access to contested ground, China would likely employ military and non-military instruments across the battlespace, including in cyberspace, the report states.   

There exist Chinese military units dedicated to developing and unleashing viruses while protecting domestic networks, according to the report. Some of those units are housed within the Chinese paramilitary militia, and that creates a link between civilian information technology professionals and the military network operators, the report states.

China also wants to develop or expand indigenous capabilities in IT areas such as core electronic components; high-end universal chips and operating system software; very large-scale integrated circuit manufacturing; and next-generation broadband wireless mobile communications, the report says.

The Chinese and U.S. militaries differ significantly in their approaches to the same operational requirements, including the Chinese approach to computer network exploitation that harvests huge volumes of data and an emphasis on offensive and defensive electronic warfare in recent years, the report states.

For China's space and counter-space capabilities, "China is developing the ability to attack an adversary's space assets, accelerating the militarization of space," the report states.

"PLA writings emphasize the necessity of 'destroying, damaging and interfering with the enemy's reconnaissance...and communications satellites,' suggesting that such systems, as well as navigation and early warning satellites, could be among initial targets of attack to 'blind and deafen the enemy,'" the report adds.

Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency, released an August 17 article disputing the report, stating that the report is an attempt by the Pentagon to "blacken China's image." 

For more:
- download the 2010 Annual Report to Congress on Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China (.pdf)
- read a statement by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) on the report
- read an Armed Forces Press Services take on the report ("We welcome a strong, prosperous and successful China...")
- read a Xinhua take on the report ("Chinese experts on Tuesday refuted claims by the Pentagon released in a report that China is developing cyberwarfare capabilities...")
- go to a roundup of online reaction to the report

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