Defense/Military - 22. page

China announced that it will hold a military exercise in the South China Sea from June 29th to July 3rd, and identified the 22,000 square kilometers (8,494 square meters) in the South China Sea region as a “no-fly zone.” The Central News Agency pointed out that, in the past, China had also designated a temporary “no-fly zone” in the South China Sea on the grounds of military training, but almost all of such designations were in the coastal areas of Guangdong or Hainan Island. This time, the scope will be delineated far from the land. As for what kind of military training the Chinese military will hold in this vast sea area, it is still unknown. According to past practices, if there is military training, the Chinese official media will report it in a few days after the event is concluded.

Source: Radio France Internationale, June 30, 2019
http://cn.rfi.fr/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD/20190630-%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E5%9C%A8%E5%8D%97%E6%B2%99%E5%86%9B%E6%BC%94-%E5%B0%86%E5%85%AC%E6%B5%B722%E4%B8%87%E5%B9%B3%E6%96%B9%E5%85%AC%E9%87%8C%E5%88%92%E4%B8%BA%E7%A6%81%E8%88%AA%E5%8C%BA

Mingpao, one of the primary Hong Kong newspapers, recently reported that, according to satellite pictures, China is currently constructing a third aircraft carrier in Shanghai. China may equip this carrier with an ejection system. The Chinese official news media mentioned the possibility of constructing a third aircraft carrier last year. However, no further details were released after that. The latest satellite pictures now show that a large ship is being built at the Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard, where multiple new workshops have also recently been constructed. Massive lifters were identified, as well as a large number of prebuilt components. Based on the sizes of the shown components, the new ship will be larger than the second aircraft carrier that is currently in sea trials. It’s unclear if the new ship has nuclear power. Anonymous sources suggested that the new carrier will not be nuclear-powered, but it will deploy electromagnetic ejection technology. The Chinese Ministry of Defense refused to comment.

Source: Mingpao, May 8, 2019
https://bit.ly/2E1I42K

The Chinese PLA’s warplanes flew over the “Taiwan Strait Line” recently, which has increased the tension across the strait. China’s state media Global Times published a commentary threatening that the mainland will not exclude the possibility of wiping out the targeted Taiwan military base.

The article said, “First of all, the ‘Strait Line’ is an imaginary psychological line that the mainland has never accepted.”

“The U.S.-Taiwan collusion is intensifying and the U.S. warships have crossed the Taiwan Strait three times this year. This is excessive. Many people tend to think that the military forcefully crossing the center line is the mainland’s response to the recent provocations of the U.S. and Taiwan. If the U.S. and Taiwan were to maintain restraint from now on, it would be a trivial matter for the PLA fighters to pass over the ‘Strait Line.’ However, if the U.S. and Taiwan . . .  further show strength, then the tensions in the Taiwan Strait will inevitably escalate and lead to serious uncertainty.”

“As military tension in the Taiwan Strait intensifies, the possibility of sporadic military friction or limited military conflict will increase. For example, if the two sides exchanged fire and a plane were to be shot down, then, in the future, the possibility of  the targeted removal of a certain military base that threatened the mainland could not be completely ruled out.

“Once the Taiwan Strait crisis is out of control, the mainland has enough will and capital to fight to the end and both the United States and Taiwan have their own scruples. The DPP is afraid that the regime will not survive. Washington is afraid that it will be involved in a major war and that Taiwan’s public opinion will be tired of turmoil and will no longer accept U.S. support.”

“The last thing we want to say is that the U.S. and Taiwan must be restrained because the Taiwan Strait crisis is already a gamble they can’t afford.”

Source: Global Times, April 2, 2019
http://mil.huanqiu.com/world/2019-04/14650724.html?agt=15422

The TASS Russian News Agency recently published long commentaries, claiming that China is actively expanding in the submarine market and that Russian submarines are facing competitors. A March 29th article gave an example that Russia’s Project 636 diesel-electric submarine, which was originally planned to be exported to Thailand, met with a fiasco because it faced competition from China’s S26T submarine and lost huge orders. This is just the latest example of China squeezing the Russian traditional arms market.

The Russian media commented that Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Russia were previously considered to be world leaders in the field of submarine shipbuilding, with the Asia-Pacific always regarded as a market for the Russians. Now, in the field of diesel-electric submarines, a new player – China – is emerging.

The article  said that, as early as May 2017, China’s Shipbuilding Industry Corporation’s (CSIC) S26T diesel-electric submarine already defeated Russia’s Kilo-class 636 conventionally-powered submarine, and the Royal Thai Navy awarded it with a contract valued at US$ 360 million, for one S26T diesel-electric submarine scheduled to be delivered in 2023. After that, the Chinese S26T submarine once again defeated Russia’s improved version of the Kilo-class submarine. It received orders from the Thai military for the purchase of two other submarines to be delivered in 2026. The total contract value of the three submarines is up to a billion dollars.

Earlier, China built eight S20 diesel-electric submarines through close cooperation for Pakistan, and leveled the playing field with Russia whose 877EKM submarine were exported to India.

Russian experts commented that China had previously purchased four 877EKM and eight 636 submarines from Russia. In fact, the break-through of China’s diesel-electric submarine technology took place after importing the Kilo-class submarines from Russia.

TASS observed that CSIC recently stated that at least eight countries in the world – Algeria, Bangladesh, Cuba, Egypt, Libya, Myanmar, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela – are interested in Chinese submarines. This news is not likely to make the Russians happy because these countries have long been Russian partners in the export of weapons and equipment.

Source: Radio Free Asia, April 4, 2019
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/junshiwaijiao/lxy-04042019094154.html

China announced that, from 2018 to 2019, its military spending will grow 7.6 percent to 1.19 trillion yuan (US$177 billion). The “Qiang Guo Internet Forum,” under People’s Daily invited Luo Yuan, a retired PLA admiral to comment on the increase in military spending. Luo said that China’s “limited defense spending” is to safeguard its national sovereignty. Some countries, who adopt a double standard, should not judge it as a “China threat.” The increase was rather because “China feels threatened.”

According to the Central News Agency, Luo said that whenever it is the time for the Lianghui (China’s “Two Sessions”), some western media stir up the “China Threat theory.” The military spending increase is solely for the purpose of safeguarding the country’s sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity and for implementing the settlement of retired military personnel and veterans; it will not pose a threat to other countries. Luo commented that the environment around China is not secure. U.S. military ships frequently enter and exit the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, which poses a provocation to China’s sustainable development interests. Luo said, “When some countries show off their military power at the doorstep of our family … Taiwan independence and other separatist forces are eager to move forward.  … If, once the country needs it, we don’t make a few moves to win the battle, the PLA won’t live up to the ‘glorious title it has been given.” China’s military goal is to build the army into a “world-class army” but there are still gaps and pressures in these areas. China needs to have a sense of urgency and anxiety.

Source: Central News Agency, March 5, 2019
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201903050035.aspx

On February 26, 2018, Nanjing Military District Commander Li Bin visited Unicom (Jiangsu) to learn about the application results of Unicom (Jiangsu) in new technologies and new fields such as big data, cloud computing and the Internet of Things. Li Bin had exchanges on how to promote the application of 5G technology in military-civilian integration.

Commander Li Bin said that 5G will not only change society but will also shape future wars. The widespread application of new combat warfare such as unmanned reconnaissance, unmanned vehicles, and autonomous combat will rely on the 5G ultra-high-speed information transmission. Both the military and local civilians should implement the concept of the integration of military and civilian development; they should strengthen cooperation in the areas of mobilization, construction of new quality militia, dynamic management of the militia, and mobilization of auxiliary decision-making zones; and they should actively explore the in-depth use of information technology in the field of national defense mobilization.

Source: jstv.com, February 27, 2019
http://news.jstv.com/a/20190227/1551254341392.shtml

According to the China Satellite Navigation Office, in 2019, China plans to launch 8 to 10 Beidou navigation satellites as part of its high intensity global networking. It will finish launching all medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites and improve system wide service functions and user experiences.

The official media reported that, since the completion of the basic system and the launching of global services of the Beidou No. 3 project at the end of 2018, the Beidou system has operated steadily. Its positioning accuracy is within 10 meters around the globe, and within 5 meters in the Asia-Pacific region.

At present, the Beidou system is being used in land confirmation in Indonesia and electric power inspections in Russia.

Source: People’s Daily, March 5, 2019
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2019-03/05/nw.D110000renmrb_20190305_5-04.htm