Co-hosted by NBR and the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) of the U.S. Army War College, the 21st annual PLA Conference "Other People’s Wars: PLA Lessons from Foreign Conflicts” gathered leading experts at Carlisle Barracks, PA, on October 22-24, 2010. Learn more about the conference and read the colloquium brief summarizing insights from the conference.

NBR, the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College, and the George H.W. Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M; University convened the 20th annual People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Conference in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on September 25–27, 2009. The 2009 PLA Conference focused on the theme "The PLA at Home and Abroad: Assessing the Operational Capabilities of China’s Military." Learn more about the conference and read the full conference volume The PLA at Home and Abroad, released June 2010.

Held from September 28-30, 2008, the 2008 PLA Conference focused on the theme "PLA Missions Beyond Taiwan." The primary objectives were to examine the interplay between China's armed forces and its foreign policy and international security environment in order to understand the requirements of emerging PLA missions, and to consider how these interactions affect policy toward the wider Asia-Pacific region. The conference volume, Beyond the Strait: PLA Missions Other Than Taiwan, was released on April 30, 2009, at an event at the Brookings Institution.

Held on September 28-30, 2007, the 2007 PLA Conference focused on the theme "The 'People' in the PLA: Recruitment, Training, and Education in China's 80-Year-Old Military." Conference participants examined the trends and developments associated with the human capital of the Chinese military, including recruitment, training, and management of PLA soldiers and officers, as well as historical trends and changes in PLA education and training. The conference volume, The "People” in The PLA: Recruitment, Training and Education in China’s Military, was released on September 17, 2008, at an event at the Brookings Institution.

Held on October 6-8, 2006, the 2006 PLA Conference focused on the theme "Exploring the 'Right Size' for China's Military: PLA Missions, Functions, and Organization." Conference participants explored continuities and discontinuities in the forces driving PLA force modernization, assessed how modernization efforts are linked to national requirements, and examined what such development reveals about China’s national defense strategies. The conference volume, Right-Sizing the People’s Liberation Army: Exploring the Contours of China’s Military, was released on September 24, 2007, at an event at the Brookings Institution.