Defense/Military - 87. page

Outlook Weekly lauded the PLA’s involvement in the Olympics, stating it reflected the army’s complete loyalty under the absolute leadership of the Party. The article states that it demonstrated the high quality of the forces, the successful collaboration with all levels of government entities, and the importance of the critical role played by the Party committees within the PLA.

A total of 300,000 PLA and armed police assisted with the Beijing Olympics since 2004, out of which, 179,000 of them were actively involved during the games.

Source: Outlook Weekly, 14th Edition, 2009
http://www.outlookweekly.cn/htm/content_4566.htm

The Xinhua online forum reported that during his meeting with the Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, the Chinese Minister of National Defense, Liang Guanglie, expressed his intention to build an aircraft carrier. Xinhua stated that this is the first time China has made an official announcement on this issue.

Source: Xinhua, March 21, 2009
http://forum.xinhuanet.com/detail.jsp?id=64963696

In early March, Xinhua published several news articles to prepare for the open announcement, including interviews with retired high-ranking military officials, statements from navy commanders, and quotes from foreign newspapers regarding China’s intentions of building the aircraft carrier. Those articles include the following:

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/04/content_10938392.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/06/content_10954617.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/misc/2009-03/06/content_10953807.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-03/08/content_10968282.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/10/content_10979871.htm

An article was posted in a popular Chinese discussion forum suggesting that China should rapidly improve naval and air forces to deal with the increasing threats introduced by the countries bordering the South China Sea.

The article emphasized a need for aircraft carriers. It also compared the current naval and air capabilities between China and those of Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Detailed mid-term and long term strategies were laid out.

Source: Teng Xun Forum, March 24, 2009
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/army/2009/03/200903241058.shtml

PLA Daily editorial on March 18: "Insist on military modernization construction in preparing for military warfare, with an emphasis on core military capacities."

"China’s current national security is facing a complex situation. Although non-traditional security threats continue to rise, the traditional threats remain the top concern. The Party’s 17th Congress has pointed out that the military must improve the capabilities to confront multiple security threats and fulfill diverse military operations. The multiple security threats primarily refers to the threat of the country being invaded, overthrown, and split; diverse military operations primarily refers to accomplishing the task of win a regional and information warfare. The core military capacities matters for the nation’s fundamental interests."

Source: Xinhua, March 18, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-03/18/content_11029549.htm

Without more hawks, there is no protection of Chinese national interest, warns an article of Global Times, a newspaper under the State media People’s Daily that focuses on international news. The Global Times article advocates for tough stance against the West and Japan as China is increasingly involved in international conflicts. The article cites examples of Wu Yi, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, Sha Zukang, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and former Chinese Ambassador in Washington, Li Zhaoxing.  Chinese Navy admirals were quoted in the article to say that with the People’s Liberation Army, other countries have no chance in the South Chinese Sea.

Source: Global Times, reprinted by Qiaobao (a Chinese Government sponsored newspaper in the United States)
http://www.usqiaobao.com/newscenter/2009-03/09/content_198164.htm

Attachment to old munitions, vested interest groups and rigid ideology are the three obstacles to military transformation, says Study Times, the newspaper of the School of Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party. “We should be on alert and eliminate any attachment to old mechanical munitions that may block the transformation.” The article attributes the failure of the transformation efforts of Nikolay Ogarkov (Russian Military Officer) to vested interest groups in Russia who would see their positions and interest impaired as a result of changes. Finally, “the outcome will have been already determined even before the war starts between an army guided by rigid ideology and an army guided by new innovative ideology.”

Source: Study Times, March 2, 2009
http://www.studytimes.com.cn/WebPage/ny1.aspx?act=0&id=2474&bid=7

China’s Information Office of the State Council issued the white paper on "China’s National Defense in 2008" on January 20, 2009. Global Times, a newspaper under People’s Daily, later stated that Western media including BBC of Britain and Zaobao of Singapore have misquoted the white paper in saying China promises in the white paper to cease research and development of nuke weapons. Global Times says that the quote was out of context.

Source: Global Times, January 22, 2009
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Observation/2009-01/352450.html

China should seek breakthroughs in infusing new technology into existing munitions, stated People’s Liberation Army Daily. In addition, emphasis should be laid on training of military personnel. Problems listed in the article include China lagging behind developed countries in technology, imbalance in internal structures of the Services, acute shortage of joint forces commanders and technologists, political constraints limiting military construction and development.

Source: Xinhua, January 3, 2009
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2009-01/03/content_10596724.htm