Defense/Military - 69. page

Qiushi Journal, a publication of the CCP’s Central Committee, republished an article from PLA Daily stressing the importance of improving the current military training to better suit warfare based information systems. The article advocates joint military exercises that integrate various military units, using the information network platform.

It points out that the PLA’s current training lacks an environment that simulates hardships and a near-war situation. Hence, training is relatively simple with reduced challenges. The new training should provide simulations of the actual war field, multi-dimensional surveillance, complicated electro-magnetic fields, real fighting, political and psychological warfare, network attacks and defense, and a hydrological and meteorological environment.

Source: Qiushi Journal, Jan 6, 2011
http://www.qsjournal.com.cn/gf/gfjsyfz/201101/t20110106_61298.htm

Xinhua recently republished an article summarizing the highlights of the military exercises that both China and the U.S. conducted in 2010.

China’s highlights were characterized as “oriented toward actual combat and included:” (1) perfecting remote operations; (2) information warfare, which was used widely throughout the exercises; (3) breaking traditional geo-areas in international cooperation; (4) sending a clear message on defending sovereignty.

The U.S. highlights were characterized as “encircling China:” (1) The USS George Washington covered three main Chinese seas; (2) U.S. soldiers deployed to China’s borders on all sides; (3) The U.S. arranged “preventive deployments” against China.

Source: Xinhua, December 24, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2010-12/24/c_13663015.htm

The International Herald Leader published an article containing interviews on how to deal with the U.S. return to Asia.

Yin Zhuo, Major General and Director of the Navy Information Expert Committee, said, “It will take the United States a fairly long period of time to return to Asia. Anti-terrorist wars still constrain U.S. power. … China needs to grasp this strategic opportunity firmly.”

Xu Ke, Marine Affairs Expert, Institute of International Relations, Xiamen University, said, “While the cooperation between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is still in its initial stage, China should use drastic measures in the South China Sea to take over the islands and reefs occupied by our neighboring small countries.” As for the East China Sea, China may have to wait until China’s naval forces are strong enough before taking any drastic measures.”

Source: International Herald Leader, January 3, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-01/03/c_13675032.htm

PLA Daily published an article that Qiushi Journal later republished stating that China should focus on its national security strategic chain, which is composed of strategic resources, strategic industries, and strategic capabilities. “We should better utilize the resources in our nation to serve our national security and development purpose.” “(We should) construct a stable strategic resources security system (in the world) and increase our strategic resource reserve.” “International cooperation is the best way to obtain a supply of stable strategic resources, but we should never give up the option of using abnormal means to safeguard the security of our strategic resources.”

“Our military capability is the backbone of our national strategic capabilities.” “Our military capability should extend to wherever our national interests reach.” “It is critical to have our military capability reflect our national strategic status and interests."

Source: PLA Daily, December 23, 2010
http://www.chinamil.com.cn/jfjbmap/content/2010-12/23/content_46682.htm

On December 29, 2010, People’s Daily published a December interview of Liang Guanglie, China’s Defense Minister. Li stated in the interview, “Looking at the current world situation, a full-scale war is unlikely, but we cannot exclude the possibility that, in some local areas, unexpected events may occur, or military friction may take place due to a ‘misfire.’” He indicated that, of all the military forces, the navy, air force, and second artillery corps make up a large and growing percentage, while the army is on the decline; that 80% of the officers now have college degrees; and that a modern weaponry system dominated by second generation equipment, with third generation equipment as the backbone has preliminarily been established.

Source: People’s Daily, December 29, 2010
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2010-12/29/content_711023.htm?div=-1

On December 7, 2010, Beijing Daily published an article by Professor Zhang Zhaozhong from China’s National Defense University explaining why China should build up its Coast Guard like Japan, the U.S., and India have done. Here are the reasons given by Prof. Zhang:

1. The Coast Guard can be a retractable fist.
2. Excess force used by the Coast Guard usually does not lead to an armed conflict or a war.
3. Once an armed conflict or a war breaks out, the Coast Guard can quickly be transformed into a branch of the Navy, obeying the Navy’s orders.

Source: Beijing Daily, December 7, 2010
http://bjrb.bjd.com.cn/html/2010-12/07/content_345003.htm

On December 6, 2010, Chinese military scholar Cai Zenzhao published an article on Study Times that discussed the trend of future wars. Cai observed that recent local wars in the world suggest that combat ability based on information systems determines both the battlefield position and the outcome of the war. Cai believes that informationization is the core of the development of the modern combat system; future wars will be information wars. Therefore, the effectiveness of a combat system based on an information system becomes more obvious. Cai suggested that interaction between the military and civilians is an important avenue for the development of the information system, since it is the common responsibility of the Party, the nation, and the military to develop an information combat system.

Source: Study Times, December 6, 2010
http://www.studytimes.com.cn:9999/epaper/xxsb/html/2010/12/06/07/07_38.htm

On December 7, 2010, Xinhua reported on the Chinese military’s participation in the design and planning of China’s high speed railway. Military requirements have become part of the rail development. In the Chengdu Railway Bureau, 14 military officers have been appointed to lead positions in key departments and at major stations. “Military transportation departments are riding the momentum and proactively coordinating railway planning, design, construction, and other departments. They propose the timing of the requirements and track the implementation. Military requirements were incorporated into the planning even before the start of construction. The high speed rail links Chengdu, Xi’an, Lanzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Wuhan, Beijing, Tianjin, the Pearl River Delta, and the Yangtze River Delta.

Source: Xinhua, December 7, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2010-12/07/c_12853822.htm