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China to Showcase its Domestically Made Rainbow Unmanned Aircraft at the Aviation & Aerospace Exhibit

According to an article that Duowei News published, the 11th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibit will be held in Zhu Hai City from November 1 through 6. The domestically made “Rainbow Series” unmanned aircraft will be on exhibit. It will include the Rainbow 3, Rainbow 4, and Rainbow 5, which are unmanned solar powered aircraft and have a ground effect in aircraft, as well as the Rainbow 805 high speed invisible drone aircraft. The article reported that the Rainbow 5 has a technical capability that is superior to the Predator B unmanned aircraft of the United States. The article also stated that the future development of the domestically made unmanned aircraft is to have the capability of being carrier based.

Source: Duowei News, October 27, 2016
http://military.dwnews.com/news/2016-10-27/59778145.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

BBC Chinese: Former General Proposed Reunification of Taiwan by Force

BBC Chinese recently reported that Wang Hongguang, former Deputy Commander of the Nanjing Military Region, wrote a strategy paper proposing that the Mainland military initiate preparations for an armed invasion for the reunification of Taiwan. Wang stated that, after she took office, newly elected Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen refused to mention the “One China Principle.” Instead, she repeatedly said things like, “Taiwan will not yield to China’s pressure.” According to China’s Anti-Secession Law, one of the conditions for an armed invasion is “the disappearance of the possibility of a peaceful reunification.” Wang declared that the Mainland will never “swallow the bitter fruit” of an independent Taiwan. However, analysts in Taiwan expressed their belief that it’s very unlikely the Mainland will conduct any meaningful military attacks any time soon, since China just started its military reforms at the beginning of the year, changing seven “military regions” to five “military theaters.” Major changes like this will require significant readjustments in organization, tactical strategy, and equipment. Given the size of the Mainland military, the adjustments will not be completed and the military will not be ready for war until after 2020.

Source: BBC Chinese, October 21, 2016
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2016/10/161021_taiwan_china_military

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

People’s Daily: China’s and Russia’s Militaries Join Forces to Oppose U.S. Deployment of “THAAD” in South Korea

At an October 11 China and Russia joint briefing on the anti-missile issue, the military representatives of both countries agreed that the United States unilaterally developing a multi-level missile defense plan would undermine the global strategic balance and regional security and stability. Both countries agreed to deepen anti-missile cooperation.

Military expert Meng Xiangqing pointed out that China and Russia have repeatedly issued joint statements on the issue of the United States’ deployment of anti-missile systems. However, this is the first time that both countries held a joint briefing to show their stance. Meng Xiangqing believes that this briefing releases three signals: First, it shows that China and Russia’s position in opposing the U.S. deployment of the “THAAD” anti-missile system in South Korea is consistent. Second, it is an opportunity to urge the United States and South Korea, in a strong statement, to change their decision. At the same time it is to warn the international community and urge the international community to pay more attention to the damage and instability that “THAAD” has brought to the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia. Third, both countries issued contents about further cooperation in opposing the “THAAD” anti-missile system, including that the two armed forces will conduct a second anti-missile exercise in 2017.

Source: People’s Daily, October 14, 2016
http://military.people.com.cn/n1/2016/1014/c1011-28777828.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

China has Four Counter Measures for the Joint Japan-U.S. South China Sea Patrol

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently published an in-depth analysis on the strategy against the newly announced Japanese plan to join the U.S. South China Sea naval patrol. The Chinese central command had long expressed the position that China wouldn’t just not take any action on the U.S led “joint patrol.” The article suggested four immediate actions that China can take. First, China can quickly militarize the islands in the region. Second, if the “joint patrol” becomes intensified, China can announce the establishment of the South China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone. The third approach is to focus on Japanese vessels by flying aircraft over them at low altitude. The last mechanism is to mount higher pressure on Japan by increasing the frequency of law enforcement patrols near the Diaoyu Islands. The article called the strategy the new “protracted war,” which was the strategy China applied to win against Japan in the Second World War.

Source: Sina, September 19, 2016
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/jssd/2016-09-19/doc-ifxvyqwa3452496.shtml

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military Geo-Strategic Trend

PLA Major General: The More We Prepare for a War, the Farther Away the War Will Be from Us

One September 19, 2016, Huanqiu (the Chinese version of Global Times), Communist China’s official mouthpiece, published an article on the intention and motivation of the United States regarding the South China Sea dispute and the THAAD system in South Korea. The author of the article is Qiao Liang, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Major General who is also a professor at the PLA National Defense University in China.

Viewing the United States as a major enemy of the People’s Republic of China, Qiao Liang criticized the U.S. for continually making trouble using geopolitical means. The United States will build the THAAD system in South Korea in order to damage the China and South Korea free trade agreement. To drive capital out of China and get it to the US, the United States navy sent two aircraft carriers into the South China Sea. However, if China and the United States really get into a war, capital will leave both China and the USA, which is not consistent with the Americans’ interests and aspirations. Therefore, Americans will not fight a battle with China. China does not have to worry about a war. For the United States, the purpose of a war is to strive to maximize its national interests rather than occupy a territory.

If China wants to be a superpower, China should learn from the United States. We will take the Diaoyu or Huangyan Island back tomorrow if not today. But the historical opportunity for China to become the world’s largest economy and ultimately revive the Chinese nation could be gone any time. China cannot act “tough” as Putin does, because China relies on both imports and exports. However, we can also make trouble for the United States, Japan, and the Philippines, aiming at the soft underbelly of our opponents. China’s large foreign exchange reserves are a powerful geopolitical weapon. “As long as we think carefully, we should know how to manipulate it.”

Now China and Russia need to rely on each other to resist the United States. They will use a united front as that has helped the Chinese Communist Party grow from a small and weak to a big and strong Party.

The article concluded that, though China’s neighborhood situation is grim, there will be no war. However, Chinese military troops must be ready for a war at any time. The more we prepare for a war, the farther away the war will be from us.

Source: Huanqiu, September 19, 2016
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2016-09/9455764.html

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Ministry of Defense: China is Deploying Anti-Missile System

China.com recently reported that Yang Yujun, the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defense, spoke at a press conference in response to questions about the Korean-US deployment of the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) System. Yang said China remains strongly opposed to the THAAD system since it can cover the vast majority of Chinese territory. However, China has determined to take proper actions to maintain the regional strategic balance. Yang acknowledged that China is “appropriately” deploying a land-based mid-range anti-missile defense system. He then explained that China’s deployment plan is to defend national security and it’s not directed against any country or targets. China’s move does not impact global strategic stability and China has every right to improve its own military capabilities for self-defense. China also held The Fourth Northeast Asia Security Forum with Russia on July 28. The Forum focused on tighter cooperation between China and Russia to deal with the THAAD deployment. 

Source: China.com, July 29, 2016 
http://news.china.com.cn/2016-07/29/content_38980427.htm
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Xinhua: China and Russia Planning Joint Military Exercise in South China Sea

Xinhua recently reported that Yang Yujun, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Defense, announced in a press conference that the Chinese Navy and the Russian Navy will have a joint military exercise in the South China Sea region in September. Yang emphasized that this is just a “routine exercise” agreed to previously and is to reinforce the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. He also emphasized that this exercise is not directed against any third party. However, observers suggested that, given the results of the recent South China Sea Arbitration case decided on July 12, this plan further strengthens the cooperation between China and Russia against the allied front that the United States is leading. The China-Russia joint naval exercises started in 2012. Last year there were two sessions – one in the Japanese Sea and the other in the Mediterranean Sea.
Source: Xinhua, July 29, 2016
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2016-07/29/c_129188720.htm
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

China Youth Online: Military Staff Cut Has Started

China Youth reported that, as part of the military staff cut that Xi Jinping announced last year, China has started the first round of the retirement of officers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

"The 21st Army of the Western Combat Theater, an air-defense unit of the Central Combat Theater, and an armored brigade of the Eastern Combat Theater all have recently held retirement ceremonies for the officers who are leaving the military."

One goal of Xi Jinping’s military reform was to shrink the PLA command structure. "Among the 300,000 military staff cut, half of them are officers."

Source: China Youth Daily, June 13, 2016
http://zqb.cyol.com/html/2016-06/13/nw.D110000zgqnb_20160613_2-12.htm

Briefings | | |   Defense/Military