Defense/Military - 62. page

The International Herald Leader, a newspaper under the Xinhua News Agency, published an article that suggests setting up three lines of navy supply bases in the Northern Indian Ocean, the Western Indian Ocean, and the Southern Indian Ocean. Currently, China is considering the Seychelles Foreign Minister’s invitation to the Chinese military forces. According to the article, China needs to establish overseas strategic support stations for adding ship fuel, re-supply of necessities, staff break time, repairs of equipment, and weapons.

The article suggested that Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar can be the core support bases in the North Indian Ocean supply line; Djibouti, Yemen, Oman, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique can be the core support bases in the West Indian Ocean supply line; and Seychelles and Madagascar can be the core support bases in the South Indian Ocean supply line.

Source: International Herald Leader, December 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-12/23/c_131321310.htm

According to China News Service, on December 27, China’s second generation of the Beidou satellite navigation system became operational with coverage of China and its neighboring regions. The Beidou system, currently operating as a free trial, offers positioning accuracy to within 25 m (82 ft). Plans include improving accuracy to within 10 m (33ft) next year, at which time six more satellites will be put into orbit and the system will offer services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The global system should be finished by 2020 and consist of 35 satellites.

The report said the Beidou system has a very significant military value. With its completion, the PLA will rid itself of its reliance on the U.S. GPS (Global Positioning System). China’s military strength will be greatly enhanced. The report claims that Beidou even outperforms the GPS in certain military functions. For example, Beidou’s short message capability allows the “group call” function that enables accurate commands and coordination. The military commanders can use the Beidou system to control the position of troops at any time and pass relevant orders.

Jin Yinan, a director at China’s National Defense University, said that letting the Beidou system be put into use as early as possible will play a huge role in enhancing national security. It is more significant than manned space flight and the Chang’e lunar exploration program.

Source: China News Service, December 28, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/hb/2011/12-28/3564478.shtml

Legal Evening News reported that, within a period of one month, the People’s Liberation Army established four new departments. According to the military experts that Legal Evening News interviewed, the move is indicative of further military reform and transformation. On November 22, the PLA established the Strategic Planning Department; on December 12, it established the Research Center for Non-war Military Operations under the Academy of Military Sciences; on December 20, the Research Center for National Policy under the Academy of Military Sciences; and on December 21, the Military Training Department under the PLA’s General Staff Department.

With respect to the two above-mentioned research centers that are under the Academy of Military Sciences, the one on Non-war Military Operations will provide decision-making advisories to the Party’s military leaders, engage in fundamental research on non-war military operations, and establish the related theoretical system. The one for National Policy will participate in the draft of national white papers and prepare annual strategic assessments of the national security environment.

In July 2011, the largest military academy reform in recent years took place when 27 military institutes were consolidated into 14.

Source: Legal Evening News reprinted by Xinhua, December 23, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-12/23/c_122471008.htm

Global Times recently published a summary of a speech delivered by General Peng Guangqian, the Deputy Secretary of the National Security Policies Committee. In his speech, Peng identified three key global strategic events that have had a major impact on the international political landscape: (1) the global financial crisis; (2) the historic Middle East political “earthquake”; and (3) the U.S. moving its global strategic focal point to East Asia. According to Peng, the new U.S. strategy includes six elements: (1) China as the primary war target; (2) Japan and Australia as the key strategic allies; (3) Western Pacific based military bases; (4) the Western value system; (5) the U.S. dominated economic containment system; and (6) foreign policies aimed at separating China from its neighboring countries. In his speech, Peng expressed the worry that traitors in China might work with the U.S. to overturn the government.

Source: Global Times, December 16, 2011
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2011-12/2289744.html

Xinhua reported that the Chinese Navy is speeding up its transformation in preparation for a future war. On December 6, 2011, Chinese President Hu Jintao met the delegate attending the 11th Naval CCP Congress and stressed speeding up the transformation of the Navy, expanding the Navy’s preparation for military actions, and promoting the modernization of the Chinese Navy. The article pointed out that “for a big country like China, it’s very unlikely to have a war in the air or on the land in its own territory. If China will ever encounter an exterior military conflict, the mostly likely place for it to happen will be on the sea surrounding China, in the Asian-Pacific region.”

The article further emphasized that [China] is confident it will win a regional war on the sea. Over the last decade, the Chinese Navy has been improving its comprehensive power in various ways. Each step of its development has been aimed at a very clear target, that is, to win a future regional war on the sea.

Source: Xinhua, December 19, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-12/19/c_131308460.htm

Xinhua republished a People’s Daily report that discussed how the U.S. media accuse China’s hackers of attacking the websites of the U.S. government and U.S. companies and stealing confidential information. The U.S. regards this as an “Internet cold war.”

According to Xinhua a Chinese scholar, Meng Wei, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, “The U.S. understands the importance of the Internet to national security very well; it regards the Internet as a new strategic space. Out of consideration for its national interests, the U.S. hopes to control others via its first mover advantage on the Internet. At the same time, the U.S. has also increased its defensive mentality and even takes other countries as hypothetical enemies in order to control its administrative power over the Internet. The U.S. is highly dependent on the Internet, but the government pays little attention to prevention or to the administration of Intent security. Accusing other countries of posing Internet threats can also shift the public’s attention and transfer the responsibility to others.”

Source: Xinhua, December 16, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-12/16/c_111248112.htm

On December 12, 2011, PLA’s Academy of Military Sciences (AMS) launched a Non-war Military Operations Research Center. The State, the Central Military Commission (CMC), the PLA general headquarters and PLA departments, and the AMS will assign the research that the center will conduct; the center will also be available for consultations. The research center will keep abreast of the latest research achievements and cutting-edge developments at home and abroad so as to increase China’s quick-reaction capability on theoretical research in non-war military operations such as counter-terrorism, stability maintenance, disaster relief, protection of interests and security, international peacekeeping, international relief, joint military exercises, and other theoretical research.

Source: China News Service, December 12, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2011/12-12/3526428.shtml

Major General Luo Yuan, deputy secretary of the Chinese Society of Military Science, responded to the question, "Facing the recent conflicts with neighboring countries, what attitude should China have?" Luo said the answer was discussed at the Chinese Navy Communist Party Congress held on December 6, 2011. According to Luo, “‘China does not want to go to war,’ but that is only half right. The other half is that ‘China Does Not Lack the Will to Fight for its Fundamental Interests either.’” “At present, most of the neighboring countries are not capable of forcing China to enter into a war. However, (China) must be prepared because these countries may incite conflicts and get the United States involved. … Only by being prepared for a medium sized war, can we stop a small war. Only by being prepared for a big war, can we stop a medium sized war. Only by being prepared for involvement with a strong enemy can we stop a small enemy from being too arrogant and aggressive.”

Source: Xinhua, December 9, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-12/09/c_122398937.htm