The Defense Intelligence Agency’s (DIA) annual threat assessment on China finds that the country is strengthening its ability to conduct military operations along its periphery on its own terms.

According to the report, which was published in March, 2009, but was just declassified in Jan. 2010:

“(China) is building and fielding sophisticated weapon systems and testing new doctrines that it believes will allow it to prevail in regional conflicts and also counter traditional U.S. military advantages. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is increasingly building its own sophisticated aircraft, surface combatants, submarines and weapon systems while still purchasing select systems from overseas. As an example, to improve its air defenses China is producing the 4th Generation F-10 fighter aircraft along with the PL-12 air-to-air missile, yet has continued to import SA-20 Surface to Air Missiles (SAM) from Russia. China has developed and begun to deploy indigenous SAM systems which, together with SAMs imported from Russia, provide a modern, layered, ground-based air defense capability to defend important assets. China bought a total of sixteen SA-20 air defense battalions, eight of which have an increased engagement range from 150 to 200 km. China is developing a layered maritime capability with medium-range anti-ship ballistic missiles, submarines, maritime strike aircraft and surface combatants armed with increasingly sophisticated anti-ship cruise missiles.”

See the DIA’s full report here.