The emergence of rare video footage showing a skirmish along the Chinese-Indian border between troops of both nations has led to questions about the overall competency of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army — particularly in light of a new report detailing problems with recruitment and the procurement of adequate manpower to match China’s rapid shift to high-tech weapons.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine showed what can happen when an aggressive power fields an army with inadequate training, leadership, and morale. Plans that look good on paper fall apart in the face of reality.