It seems Chinese armed forces got everything execept..

Real-battle experience.

I have browsed most of posts on this site. I can understand how much people want China to be powerful as US.

But some of posts sound too much self-indulging, a little far from reality.

In the end, whatever you have or however you claimed, you must get into real battle to get recognized. So far, Americans just could not see a powerful China. Economically developed China, yes. Millitary power, hardly.

In American strategic thinking, no country would like to see its neighbor country go nuclear. The fact that N. Korea ignored China and went nuclear anyway shows to Americans that it is not just that China do not have control over N. Korea. They also saw Chinese powerless reaction to N. Korea going nuclear as sign of weakness. In their strategic thinking, China is the only nuclear club member that is surrounded by other nuclear powers so she would be the least likely the member to see another nuclear neighbor. Now we have all seen that there is nothing China can do about it. This is definitely not the way a powerful country behaves

One more thing, if PLA is matured and valid force for national defence, they should have proved it in a international conflict. Taiwan conflict is not international conflict unless US gets involved ( which is unlikely)

It struck many people that PLA always show forces in domestic conflict, civil war and crackdown. China-Vietnam war in 1970s does not count as it was too conventional

There is PLA commanding issue. Or who should command PLA? CCP or President? Some said that both are the same person or Hu. Believe or not, it is not the same. By the odds of 5 out of 10, party interest and national interest would not be consistent. In the case of interest conflict between the party and nation, you will see who PLA would serve the first.

I always believe that PLA is not national force. They are just CCP party guards.