During the height of the CCCP/FSU, the ruskies had something in the order of 50,000 MBT and if they wanted to wage war against any small opponents, it would be a roll over(not a walk over). To feed such a war machine, the FSU had a huge steel and machine building industry. They produced something like 150 million ton of steel and 2.2 million automobiles. Big deal, last year china produced something like 700 million ton of steel and 18 millions auto and a grade A hi way system to support it. But yet the PLA doesn't seems to be that interested in heavy armour. Most of the armour news seems to be on upgrading and infantry combat vehicles to up the mobility.

Future chinese tank might be a 30-40 ton vehicle with a 2 men crew, probably armed with

an EM gun and GPS quided weapons

It means:

**We are quite confident with the quality of the type99 tanks and variants(in small number only)

**We wouldn't bother with the russians in the north(tank country)

**Mobility/element of surprise is the key.

**Casualties must be minimised with the generation of only child soldiers

However a quick across the land border strike on a certain pho-fed monkey cluster can't be ruled out and I just wonder how it will play out. Any opinion?