Defense/Military - 67. page

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

In response to Western media’s reactions to the news that Pakistan asked China to help build the Gwadar port, Xu Guangyu, a retired military major general, wrote an article in Global Times “In the future China will surely have overseas bases.” The author argued, “There is no need for much ado about nothing, even if it is true; let alone that China has denied the news.” Xu continued, “[China’s] growing national power and an ever interconnected world do not allow us to avoid exchanges with the outside. It is inevitable to contact and cooperate with other countries on issues of the economy, culture, and security. Since ancient times, the vast ocean has been an irreplaceable platform for such exchanges. Any country, as long as it has a coastline of over a kilometer, will try to build ports and a fleet, exchange voyages and share ports with friendly countries.” “Today, if such a big China peacefully assists Pakistan or other countries to build ports or even naval bases, it will be a breakthrough for China’s normal overseas condition of ‘two zeros’ (no ports, no bases). This is progress. For China, as a big country with the responsibility for regional and world peace and development, such breakthroughs should become quite normal. Are you ready (to accept it)?”

Source: People’s Daily website, May 26, 2011
http://military.people.com.cn/GB/42969/58519/14742139.html

On April 28, Xinhua summarized five topics that the overseas media has discussed about China’s national defense. The topics are: 1) China’s first aircraft carrier will come into being. Speculators have two views. One says it will enhance China’s ability to apply pressure to neighboring countries. The other argues that it is too early [for the aircraft carrier] to have effective combat capability. 2) About China’s military power, one faction believes that China is militarily powerful and should be considered in connection with war. An opposite opinion suggests that China cannot surpass the United States, particularly in the ability to deal with remote distances 3) Regarding China’s Stealth Jet Fighter J-20, the article asks the [media] not use the word “threatening.” 4) About future cyber warfare, the article describes that [the Western media’s reports] are a reflection of a relapse into “paranoia.” 5) As to China’s missile technology, the article asks [the media] not to make any connection between “threat” and “War.”

Source: Xinhua, April 28, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-04/28/c_121353528.htm

On April 25, 2011, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO – founded in 2001 by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) held a conference for the Chiefs of the General Staff in Shanghai, as part of the agreement of the Tashkent Summit of SCO Heads of State. China initiated the conference; it will be the first of its kind since SCO was founded ten years ago. Chen Bingde, China’s chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army and also the host of the conference pointed out that, over the past 10 years, defense and security cooperation among SCO member states has been fruitful; mutual military trust has deepened; laws and regulations have continued to improve; the cooperation mechanisms have developed; and joint anti-terror exercises have been effective. SCO defense ministers signed a cooperation plan last month for the period 2012-2013.

Source: Xinhua, April 22, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-04/22/c_121335988.htm

Voice of America (VOA) recently reported that China’s first aircraft carrier is approaching the stage of final delivery. The report saw this as a major milestone in China’s effort to modernize its military –despite the fact that the aircraft carrier is just a refit of the long-retired Ukrainian aircraft carrier “Varyag.” It is widely believed that this new addition to China’s Navy will be used mainly for training purposes and as a reference for future aircraft carrier designs. The real-world battlefield capabilities are far behind the ship’s counterparts in today’s U.S. Navy. The VOA report also mentioned the worries expressed in the media on the part of China’s neighboring countries, such as Taiwan and South Korea.

Source: Voice of America, April 9, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20110409-China-First-Aircraft-Carrier-119529679.html

Guo Boxiong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, spoke recently at the PLA’s Military Training Program Reform meeting and asked for “conscientious implementation of Chairman Hu Jintao’s decisions and instructions on military training, … innovations in the training model, and development of the training system, given the conditions of information technology, … and continuous creation of great improvements in military training.” This is one of several recent high level instructions given on military training with a focus on information technology.

Source: Xinhua, March 30, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2011-03/30/c_121249897.htm