Briefings – Page 774

Xinhua: What Are the U.S. Military Hackers Doing?

Xinhua military commentator Zheng Wenhao published an article in response to the cyber attack issue raised in the United States. Zheng observed that recent U.S. media reports declared that Chinese hackers, who were associated with China’s military, had made a large number of vicious attacks against U.S. companies and government entities. He countered that it is the U.S. military that has the world’s most vicious and powerful hacker organization.

The article asked, “Does the U.S. Army have hackers? The answer is clearly yes. At a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee in April 2005, even before the establishment of the U.S. Cyber Warfare Command in 2010, the U.S. Strategic Command’s senior generals acknowledged the existence of a hacker organization, the so-called ‘Joint Command of cyber warfare functional unit (JFCCNW).’ This organization may be the world’s most frightening and powerful hacker organization."

“In public, JFCCNW is responsible for guarding the network security of the Defense Department. At the same time, it also carries out highly classified computer network attack missions.”

“JFCCNW almost never talks about its actions and results. There is no doubt, however, that a lot of ‘black projects’ that involve U.S. military ‘cyber attacks’ are ongoing.”

“Backed by the country’s near monopoly status on Internet technology, the U.S. military undoubtedly has the world’s most powerful capabilities to launch cyber-attacks. Moreover, the numerous U.S. hacker organizations, such as ‘LulzSec’ and ‘Anonymous,’ provide a steady stream of ‘hacker’ reserves for the U.S. military.”

“In a year in which the world is increasingly influenced by the Internet, it is just a matter of time before the U.S. armed forces and hackers team up. [Therefore], in the field of Internet security, how we can keep our ‘virtual space defense capabilities’ without being affected by the American media and public opinion is a long-standing struggle.”

Source: Xinhua, February 20, 2012

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2013-02/20/c_124369076.htm

Briefings | | February 22, 2013 | US-China Relations

Chinese Military Cyber Attack Unit Recruits Computer Science Students

The Chinese military unit 61398 that, according to the 60 page report by Mandiant, is the source of cyber attacks against the United States, recruits graduates who have a major in computer science. An example of such an effort can be found at the website of the College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou City.

A recruitment notice dated May 13, 2004, was titled “Announcement of People’s Liberation Army Unit 61398 to Recruit Directed Graduates.” The notice stated the following: “According to the Graduate School, the People’s Liberation Army Unit 61398 (located in Pudong, Shanghai) will recruit master’s degree candidates from the 2003 class, who have a major in computer science, to be directed graduates. Those students who sign the agreement will be provided with a defense scholarship of 5,000 yuan per year. Upon graduation, the students will be directed and assigned to work in the People’s Liberation Army. Interested students from the 2003 master’s degree class in our college may contact Teacher Peng from the Graduate Office of the college by May 20. …”

Source: iFeng.com, February 20, 2013
http://news.ifeng.com/mainland/detail_2013_02/20/22299410_0.shtml

Briefings | | February 22, 2013 | Defense/Military

Exponential Growth of Privately Owned Cars: Good or Bad?

According to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the number of privately owned cars will exceed the 100 million mark during the first quarter of 2013. State media Guangming Daily expressed concern about road congestion, air pollution, a shortage of energy, and a scarcity of land. In 2000, China entered into a 10 year boom in the automobile market. In 2010, China became the largest automobile market in the world, 5 years ahead of the original projection of 2015. Guangming further stated that there are over 5.6 million automobiles in Beijing where the roads are designed to carry only 4 million. Traffic congestion is intensifying and pollution is rapidly getting worse. In addition, in 2012 China imported 59% of the crude oil it consumed.

Source: Guangming reprinted by Xinhua, February 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-02/20/c_114730723.htm

Briefings | | February 22, 2013 | Economy/Resources

U.S. and Japan shocked: North Korean Nuclear Explosion Brought China Three Major Benefits

People’s Daily held a Powerful Nation Forum discussing North Korea’s recent nuclear test. One post discussed how China is actually a beneficiary of North Korea’s nuclear test. The test helped China in the following three ways:

1) It reduced the pressure from Japan in the Southwest. Japan is prepared to fight to the end with China in a military arms race on the Diaoyu Islands issue. In this critical situation, China has been pushed into a corner and has no room to maneuver. North Korea’s (nuclear test) provided China such some space to maneuver! However, if Japan continues its willful course, there will still be no solution to the Diaoyu Islands issue for China!

2) It shifted some of the U.S.’s attention away (from China). Up to today, China has always been in a defensive counterattack position (against the U.S.). In a sense, North Korea’s nuclear explosion has attracted some attention from the U.S. When the United States feels the threat (from North Korea), its first thought is to ask China to counterbalance North Korea. This way, it may give China a little bit of time and space to breath!

3) The only one in the neighborhood of North Korea without a voice is Russia! Is Russia trying to serve as a balance or is it weighing the pros and cons so as to achieve some sort of strategic purpose? Using the North Korean nuclear issue may also give Russia and China a rare opportunity to jointly deal with their relationship with the United States and its allies! In summary, China is not afraid of war! That North Korea has nuclear weapons may not be a disaster for China! China can fully leverage its power to play a political Taiji and let the United States know what it feels like to have pain!

Source: Powerful Nation Forum of People’s Daily, February 19, 2013 http://bbs1.people.com.cn/post/2/1/2/127016759.html

Briefings | | February 21, 2013 | US-China Relations

China Denies Cyber Attack Allegations

Geng Yansheng, spokesman for China’s Ministry of Defense, held a press briefing on February 20, 2013. At the briefing, he dismissed Mandiant’s report about cyber attacks emanating from China as groundless. He stated, “Chinese law prohibits any activities that undermine cyber security, including hacker attacks. The Chinese government always and resolutely cracks down on related criminal activities. The Chinese armed forces have never supported any hacking activities.”

Geng said that Mandiant’s report was groundless for several reasons. First its conclusion that the source of cyber attacks came from China was based solely on its discovery that the attacks were linked to IP addresses based in China. It is common that hacking attacks are carried out by using other people’s IP addresses. Second, the world has not developed any clear and consistent definition of cyber attacks and thus the report is without legal basis. Third, cyber attacks are transnational, anonymous, and deceptive; their sources are rather difficult to identify. Releasing irresponsible information will not help solve problems.

Geng further said that China actually is a major victim of cyber attacks. By tracing the IP addresses (of attacks in China), it was found that many of the attacks came from the United States.

Source: Xinhua, February 20, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-02/20/c_114738517.htm

Briefings | | February 21, 2013 | Government/Politics

China Acknowledged Severe Pollution and “Cancer Villages”

China’s Ministry of Environmental Protection recently issued the 12th Five-Year Environment Plan for Risk Prevention and Control of Chemical Products. The Plan acknowledged that a variety of chemical substances have been detected in some Chinese rivers, lakes and coastal waters, wildlife, and human beings. Toxic and hazardous chemicals have resulted in multiple incidents of acute water and air environmental emergencies and in drinking water crises in many regions. "Cancer villages" have developed in some regions.

Earlier, some Chinese media reported on a widely circulated Google map, which displays more than 100 "cancer villages" in the country. Most of these "cancers villages" are reportedly located in the affluent eastern coastal regions, which were the first to bring in the introduced pollution-prone industries from overseas. However, with the readjustment of the industrial structure and environmental regulations, there are signs that contaminated areas and cancer villages are developing inland as well.

The report also pointed to the frequent occurrences of industrial accidents in the production of dangerous chemicals, transportation accidents, and environmental emergencies caused by illegal sewage. On January 31, 39 tons of aniline leaked from a chemical plant in Changzhi City, Hebei Province, with 8.7 tons flowing into a local river, causing a water outage in a large area in nearby Handan City.

Source: BBC Chinese, February 21, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/02/130221_china_pollution_cancer.shtml

Briefings | | February 21, 2013 | Economy/Resources

South Korean Media: Signs of New North Korea Nuclear Test in Planning Stage

Xinhua recently reported that, based on information provided by South Korean media, South Korean authorities obtained intelligence indicating that North Korea is preparing for another nuclear test. Transportation activities at the same nuclear test site have been discovered and they match the pattern of the preparation work done before previous tests. Sources from the South Korean military suggested that they believe a new nuclear test is ready, pending only a political decision. The Xinhua report also mentioned an Agence France-Presse news piece suggesting that, according to a U.S. think tank, North Korea is preparing a long-range missile launch.

Source: Xinhua, February 17, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2013-02/17/c_124351493.htm

Briefings | | February 19, 2013 | Geo-Strategic Trend

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