Chapter 8 Strategic Deterrence
Section 1 Basic Concepts of Strategic Deterrence
Section 2 China’s Strategic Deterrence Thought
Section 3 Methods of Strategic Deterrence
Section 4 Guidance of Strategic Deterrence

Strategic deterrence is an important content of military strategic planning and guidance, and an effective
means to maintain national security and development. With the extensive use of high-tech in the military
field and the development and change of the international strategic situation, the role of strategic deterrence
has become increasingly prominent. Under the conditions of the new era, it is necessary to use the flexible
use of strategic deterrence methods to create a favorable strategic situation to contain armed conflicts and
wars, delay the outbreak of wars, stop the escalation and expansion of wars, avoid, or reduce war damage,
and maintain the ever-expanding national security and development interests.

With the development and change of the international strategic situation and the security environment of our
country, the factors of insecurity, instability and uncertainty facing our country have increased significantly.
Crisis has gradually become the normal state of national security, and military crises have also shown an
increasing trend. Military crises are the crossroads of war and peace. If they cannot be effectively prevented
and dealt with, they may get out of control and escalate into war, which will have a major impact and
interference on the peaceful development of our country, and even destroy the hard-won achievements of
reform and opening up. Therefore, we should thoroughly study and explore the characteristics and laws of
military crises, actively prevent crises, strive to manage crises, properly handle crises, control the impact
and impact of military crises within a certain range, and create a peaceful and stable strategic environment
for national development.

Section One: The Connotation and Characteristics of Military crisis
After the end of the Cold War, international military crises frequently occurred, and the incentives were
complex and diverse. The prominent manifestations were the intensified competition for geopolitical and
economic interests, the intensification of ethnic and religious contradictions, and the endless emergence of
national unity and territorial disputes. Study the connotation of contemporary military crises, explore the
characteristics and laws of the occurrence, development, and transformation of military crises, summarize
the experience of crisis prevention and handling, and improve our country's ability to prevent and handle
military crises, which has important practical significance for stopping wars, defending national interests, and
maintaining regional stability and world peace .

Strategic decisions are decisions made on major issues regarding the use and construction of military forces
from an overall perspective, and are the highest-level decisions in the military domain. Its main task is to
stipulate the strategic objectives, tasks, and policies of military conflict and army building, and determine the
method of military force utilization and construction methods in accordance with the characteristics of the
strategic environment, national interest requirements and military strategic thinking. Strategic decision-
making is the basic basis for strategic planning and implementation of strategic actions. It is directly related
to the success or failure of military conflicts, and even affects the future and destiny of the country.

Section One: The Main Characteristics of Strategic Decision-Making
Strategic decision-making has a macro-oriented and leading role. Compared with decision-making in other
fields, strategic decision-making has outstanding antagonism, risk, creativity, timeliness, and foresight.

1. Stark confrontation
Strategic decision-making is the decision made by the strategic instructor on the countermeasures we
should take in response to the other's attempts, possible actions, and security threats to us. It is obviously
antagonistic. It is not only a competition of the will and strength of the two parties, but also a game of
strategy and art between the two parties. It requires that the strategic director must give full play to his
subjective initiative on the basis of objective material.
Strategic decision-making is also manifested in the process of intelligent confrontation between the opposing
parties relying on and using military strength. It is a competition between the strategic directors of the two
sides to compete for superiority and active subjective guidance.