Defense/Military - 66. page

Xu Caihou, a Politburo member and vice chairman of Central Military Committee (CMC), recently toured the military institutions in China’s southeast provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui. Navy Commander Wu Shenli and Air Force Commander Xu Qiliang accompanied him. In his speech, Xu stressed that all military institutions must follow the Party’s strategic ideas and intensify their ideological work. Xu emphasized that “the quality of political thought is the core and soul of one’s personal quality. … [One] must firmly solidify the political foundation of holding the [Communist] banner, listening to the Party, and fulfilling [one’s] responsibility. … [One] must strictly follow the political discipline, … enhance Internet control, and prevent the spread of wrong political views.” [1] 

A June 20, 2011 article in Study Times, the newspaper published by the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Party School, acknowledged the role of the military in domestic stability while defending China’s growing defense budget. “In the process of its development, China faces not only a situation where developed countries lead in areas of the economy, technology, and military, and also in external strategic prevention and containment, as well as in interference and sabotage by separatist and hostile forces; China also faces, in addition, the challenge of maintaining social stability and fighting against secession.” 

According to People’s Daily on June 20, 2011, the China Beidou (Big Dipper) Satellite Navigation System will complete its comprehensive testing in October 2011, and will have the capacity to provide "preliminary" services to most parts of China. Next year, the navigation system may provide services to the Asia Pacific region.

China has sent eight Beidou navigation satellites into orbit, said Ran Chengqi, director of the China Satellite Navigation System management office. China will launch 3 – 4 network satellites this year to provide preliminary positioning, navigation, and time services in and around China. Next year it will launch 5 – 6 network satellites to provide services to the Asia and Pacific region.

Source: People’s Daily, June 20, 2011
http://hn.people.com.cn/GB/208663/14946299.html

The Central Military Commission (CMC), headed by the chief of the Chinese Communist Party, Hu Jintao, recently issued “Several Provisions of the Code of Ethics for Military CCP Members and Leading Cadres,” demanding conscientious implementation across the People’s Liberation Army and the People’s Armed Police. “Several Provisions,” which is a follow-up regulation for the “Several Principles of the Code of Ethics for Military CCP Members and Leading Cadres” circulated in January 2010. It lists 70 "unacceptable practices" in 11 different categories, stipulating specific responsibilities for various CCP positions in the military. The CMC asks all levels of military CCP committees to regard the fight against corruption an “urgent and realistic task and long-term strategic goal.”

Source: Xinhua, May 31, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-05/31/c_121479904.htm

To guard against divulging military secrets, the PLA’s General Staff Department and the General Political Department recently issued a joint notice strictly prohibiting military personnel from online dating. The notice also delineates the guidelines for soldiers’ using the Internet to search for marriage prospects or new jobs, as well as using personal blogs or websites. The PLA’s "Domestic Affairs" and "Regulations on the Prevention of Crime" also have strict regulations on military personnel’s participating in various online activities such as reunions with friends from their hometowns, or meetings with alumni or comrades-in-arms. The notice said, “All units must have a thorough understanding of the hidden dangers and threats from online dating and take it as a task to ensure military security and execute (such tasks) with a sense of political responsibility.”

Source: china.com.cn, May 31, 2011
http://www.china.com.cn/policy/txt/2011-05/31/content_22675745.htm

A recent PLA Daily called for standardization in the Chinese army’s simulation training. The article said, “At present, … simulation training is widely used. However, the traditional simulation training system was ‘separated apart,’ and lacked inter-system coordination. While ‘stand-alone training’ is manageable, a joint and integrated exercise is an ‘impossible task.’ Without a unified standard, communications and responsive operations cannot happen at the inter-human, inter-weapon, and inter-system level. The army’s simulation trainings can be performed only by using a single machine, or by organizing a joint simulation training in a very limited scope. It is very difficult to move to higher levels. To break this bottleneck, the best way is to standardize the system.” The standardization refers to a definition of unified standards, whereby personnel, weaponry, and training units are modularized and able be connect, communicate, and react to each other. The article also mentions the historic development of U.S. military simulation trainings.

Source: PLA Daily, June 2, 2011
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/jfjbmap/content/2011-06/02/content_59026.htm

At a press briefing on May 25, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Senior Colonel Geng Yansheng acknowledged the existence of a professional cyber warfare unit at Guangzhou Military Region, also known as the “Online Blue Army.” “China’s network protection is comparatively weak. Enhancing IT capacity and strengthening network security protection are important components of military training for an army,” said Geng, who did not respond to a question on whether the goal of the unit is to attack other countries.

Source: China Review news, May 26, 2011
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1017/0/5/7/101705788.html?coluid=151&kindid=0&docid=101705788&mdate=0526085650

People’s Daily recently reported on the newly published 2010 China Marine Law Enforcement Bulletin. Information from the Bulletin indicated that, in 2010, China Marine Surveillance sent out 188 marine missions, which traversed a total of 211,428 nautical miles, as well as 523 air flights, which covered 538,480 kilometers. The missions monitored 1,303 foreign vessels, 214 flights and 43 other objects. China Marine Surveillance owns 9 airplanes and more than 280 vessels. In order to increase its capacity, the agency is implementing the use of more and more hi-tech equipment, such as a new 3000-ton level surveillance ship that came with on-board helicopters, the latest satellite devices, and cutting edge engines. The agency is also building a platform with real time integration of space, air, sea, and coastal communications. The system currently supports real time audio and video communications across multiple command channels.

Source: People’s Daily, May 23, 2011
http://scitech.people.com.cn/GB/14705786.html