China has demobilized approximately 200,000 members of its military over the past three years, according to the People’s Liberation Army daily newspaper. The report also states that China has cut its personnel from 4.24 million to 3.24 million in 1987, and in 1997 downsized the military to 2.5 million to cut costs and focus on hardware improvements and high technologies. The country remains the world’s largest military, with 2.3 million members of the army, navy, and air force, according to Agence France Presse.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
