Huanqiu (Global Times) published a report from a Russian media Military Messenger’s publication about China’s military power and development. It said, “Over the past decade, the Chinese army has gone through a complete makeover and confidently advanced to be in the top three of the world’s most powerful armies. It may even be too conservative to say that the Chinese army ranks third.”
Defense/Military - 51. page
For the First Time, Chinese Maritime Police Expel Japanese Ships from the Diaoyu Islands
On August 7, Chinese Maritime Police Surveillance Ships 2350, 1126, 2102, and 2166 expelled Japanese patrol ships from the waters of the Diaoyu Islands. This is the first time that Chinese maritime police have expelled the Japanese patrol ships since the conflict started. [1]
[1] CRI online, August 7, 2013
Kyodo News: China Developing Missile Early-warning Satellite
China News Service carried an article that Japanese Kyodo News had originally published. The article reported that the PLA seems to have speeded up development of the missile early-warning satellite, which is capable of detecting missiles that the enemy has launched. The article stated that, if the project is successful, China will be the third country, following the U.S. and Russia, to own this type of satellite. The development of the satellite has become the most urgent task in PLA missile defense work. Since 2009, China has launched a number of testing satellites. The article reported that, according to a Japanese research scientist, China may be able to launch a missile early-warning satellite in less than five years. China has not issued any official statement regarding the news.
Source: China News Service, July 26, 2013
http://www.chinanews.com/mil/2013/07-26/5087621.shtml
Qiushi: Former Soviet Union Stopped Controlling the Armed Forces
Qiushi published a commentary on how the former Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) abandoned its role of leadership of its armed forces and the Soviet Union ended up disintegrating.
“At that time, the Soviet Communist Party discontinued its leadership of the armed forces. At the critical juncture, the armed forces simply stood by without taking any action. At the last moment, the Soviet Union collapsed instantly and the CPSU fell apart. What a profound lesson!”
According to the commentary, first, the former CPSU discarded Lenin’s principles and abolished the CPSU leadership of the military so that, in the end, the military did not follow the Party. Second, Gorbachev’s “reform and the new thinking” collapsed the ideological foundation of the CPSU’s leadership of the military. Consequently, the military did not have a unified resolve or will at the most critical moment. Lastly, the CPSU’s unrealistic military reform undermined military discipline and order and led to chaos among the military.
Source: Qiushi, July 10, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/hqwg/2013/201313/201307/t20130710_247739.htm
People’s Daily: U.S. Missile Intercept Test Failed Again
Senior PLA Official: Promoting Military Reform with Chinese Characteristics
Liu Yazhou, the political commissar of the National Defense University of the People’s Liberation Army, published an article in the recent issue of Qiushi about promoting and deepening military reform with Chinese characteristics.
Liu wrote that the PLA faces two “incompatibles.” First, the existing level of modernization is incompatible with the requirement to win local informationization wars. Second, military capabilities are incompatible with fulfilling our historic mission in the new century. “The only way to solve these two "incompatibles" is through a vigorous and deep reform. Otherwise, we will once again be eliminated by the tide of military development.”
Such military reform must be included in the framework of national reform so that “the military reform will synchronize with political and economic reforms and reforms in other fields and will be in harmony with social reforms. On the other hand, it is essential for the military reform and for overall national development that, during the historic stage of overall changes in society, military reform does not exceed what social reform can tolerate.”
Source: Qiushi reprinted at sina.com, July 1, 2013
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/2013-07-01/155827545695.shtml
Military Expert: China Has No Reason to Fear Any War
The 12th Asian Security Conference, also called the Shangri-La Dialogue, was held in Singapore, concluding on June 2, 2013. The representatives of the participating countries and regions focused their attention on Asia-Pacific regional security cooperation.