A retired senior colonel from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Zhou Bo, suggests China’s military modernization goal, set for 2027, is to reach parity with the United States military. Zhou Bo, currently a senior fellow at Tsinghua University, indicates this benchmark is a significant focus for Beijing. He authored the book *Should the World Fear China?* and offered his insights in an interview with SCMP Plus. The 2027 date marks the PLA’s centenary and represents a key milestone in its development. While the overall ambition is parity, the precise nature of that goal remains open to interpretation. This modernization effort is a central aspect of China's strategic planning and its approach to international security.