STRATEGIC REPORT EXTREMA RATIO: The Xi Doctrine and the New Era of Military Theory

Foreword: The Architecture of Power and the PLA's Metamorphosis

The coordinated publication of new doctrinal regulations and the signing of President Xi Jinping's decree mark the definitive end of the Chinese defense's quantitative accumulation phase. Beijing has understood that technological superiority (the hardware) is inert without a command doctrine and a thought structure (the software) capable of orchestrating the complexity of modern domains. This foreword does not merely describe a change in norms, but the start of an ontological metamorphosis: China is transforming its military apparatus into an "intelligent organism," where theory is no longer a commentary on reality but the predictive engine that shapes it.

By integrating Distributed Warfare, Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI), and the algorithmic coordination of the Cloud Brain, the PLA aims to achieve "Decisional Superiority." The decree of January 2026, taking effect on March 1, 2026, codifies this quantum leap, mandating the centralization of research and the total fusion between civilian academia and military command. It is Beijing's answer to the "fog of war": eliminating uncertainty through the systematic rationalization of every aspect of conflict, from distributed logistics to the application of hypersonic weaponry.

Analysis: The Software of Force – The PLA’s Theoretical Modernization

While the world watches China's kinetic and naval expansion with apprehension, Beijing has officially codified the "brain" that will govern these weapons. The "Regulations on Military Theory Work" is a legislative act consisting of 7 chapters and 52 articles that standardizes the management, research, and application of warfare theory within a centralized and computerized system.

Pillars of the Regulation: Beyond Propaganda

The document aims to solve what Beijing identifies as its primary Achilles' heel: the fragmentation of theoretical research.

• Strategic Centralization: A shift from "spontaneous and decentralized" research to a "systematic and guided" approach by the Party. Every theoretical innovation must now follow a precise chain: research, experimentation, evaluation, and application.

• Integration of Mechanization, Informatization, and Intelligentization: The regulation mandates integrated development. Theory must define the new "mechanisms of victory" in intelligentized and informatized warfare.

• Mass Participation: The text speaks of a "great chorus" involving front-line officers and soldiers, elevating practical experience into doctrine to prevent theory from becoming an abstract exercise of Beijing’s institutes.

DEEP DIVE: The Structure of the 52 Articles

The 7-chapter architecture represents the "backbone" of modernization:

• General Provisions: Absolute primacy of Xi Jinping Thought and the Central Military Commission (CMC).

• Management and Organization: Standardization of theoretical command from the CMC down to project units.

• Planning and Programming: Alignment with the 2027 Centennial Goals.

• Research and Paradigmatic Innovation: Introduction of digital simulations, AI, and field testing.

• Evaluation and Registration: A central database for horizontal sharing across services.

• Application and Transformation: A mandate to test theory in real-world training and policy.

• Support and Guarantees: Discipline for talent, funding, and military secrecy.

The 52 articles establish political accountability for those who validate theories that fail in practical exercises.

Focus: Civilian Recruitment and the "Theoretical Cloud"

Beijing recognizes that modernization requires the excellence of the civilian tech sector through a "Talent + Project" model.

Analysis of the "Military-Civil Fusion" (MCF) Article

The specific article on Military-Civil Fusion turns collaboration from optional to mandatory. It requires every functional department to map civilian resources (algorithms, materials, talents) within their domain. Top-tier universities become satellite laboratories where military theory is stress-tested via civilian supercomputing.

Report: Civilian Universities and the 2026 Curriculum

For the 2026 academic year, several elite universities have already integrated "Military Theory Research" programs:

• Beihang University (BUAA): Launched advanced modules on "Space Information Engineering" and "Operations Research for Complex Systems," aligned with new PLA simulation standards.

• Tsinghua University: Through its global research program, it has activated "AI for Science" labs that directly feed the Cloud Brain models.

• Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT): A member of the "Seven Sons of National Defense," it has introduced courses on "Theory and Tactics of Military Strategy" with a focus on robotics and AI for combat.

Focus: "Deception Theory" Exercises in the East China Sea

The practical implementation of the new regulation reached its peak in recent East China Sea exercises (2025-2026), where the PLA tested the doctrine of "Victory through Stratagem."

• Amphibious Deception Warfare: Simulations based on "artificial fog" and the use of robotic decoys to confuse satellite surveillance. The goal is to achieve the tactical shock necessary for rapid landings.

• Coast Guard Militarization: Under the Eastern Theater Command, Coast Guard vessels now act as a "second navy," using grey-zone tactics to hide troop movements under the guise of maritime law enforcement.

• Intelligent Decoys and Swarms: Deployment of amphibious drones and containerized missiles to saturate enemy radars and mask the actual line of attack, turning Western "patrol boxes" into potential "kill boxes."

2030 Projection: Hypersonic Weapons and Theoretical Superiority

The regulation will drive hypersonic development toward 2030 through:

1. Algorithmic Iteration: Flight models optimized by civilian fluid dynamics experts, drastically reducing the R&D cycle for Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGVs).

2. Hypersonic Deception Theory: Development of coordinated strike tactics designed to blind adversary satellite defenses through real-time data analysis provided by the Cloud Brain.

Perspectives and Implications: The Race to 2027

• Military Legalism: Blind-siding Xi’s reforms against internal resistance and corruption.

• Vulnerability: The rigid "top-down" system may stifle tactical initiative in favor of ideological conformity, struggling to adapt to the fluidity of high-intensity modern conflict.

Extrema Ratio is your window into the power dynamics of the Sinocentric system. Read more at: www.extremarationews.com