Defense/Military - 91. page

During the press conference at the First Session of the 11th National People’s Congress held on March 4, Jiang Enzhu, spokesperson of the conference disclosed that China’s defense budget for 2008 is 417 billion yuan (US$57.2 billion), a 17.6 percent increase from last year including currency impact. The increases are mainly to cover spending in army benefits, food and fuel consumption, administrative and training costs as well as equipment and weapon.

Source: China Review News, March 4, 2008
http://cn.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1005/8/3/1/100583185.html?coluid=4&kindid=18&docid=100583185&mdate=0304143540

In response to the Annual Report on China’s Military Report of U.S. Defense Department, Xinhua states, "The Annual Report on China’s Military Power submitted by the Pentagon to the Congress, as one of the series of military assessment reports, again criticizes that China’s lack of transparency in military and security matters may lead to misunderstandings and miscalculations, therefore posing a threat to regional stability.”  Xinhua cites a Washington Post’s article on differences between U.S. Defense Department and U.S. intelligence officials.

Source: Xinhua, March 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-03/04/content_7713318.htm

China’s military transparency has been increased according to a Hong Kong newspaper, says Xinhua on March 3, 2008. The Hong Kong newspaper article cited the statistics in the December 2007 "World Military Yearbook 2007" published by the PLA Publishing House December 2007.

Xinhua comments, “Some so-called international military experts have focused their attention on China’s military spending, accusing China of military affairs being not transparent with ulterior motives. The releasing of ‘World Military Yearbook 2007’ greatly increases the transparency of China’s military power, and effectively refutes the senseless accusation of these ‘experts.’”

Source: Xinhua, March 3, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-03/03/content_7709045.htm

Xinhuanet posted an analytical article entitled “What Does Iran Nuclear Crisis Tell Us” today in its “International Observation” section. On top of the article, the website highlighted a quotation by former U.S. president Reagan: “Peace relies on our power and strength, not opponent’s kindness.” The article breaks into three parts under the subheadings of “Iran’s toughness and U.S.’s concession;” “peace and development requires strong military power even more;” “Navy, especially aircraft carrier, is irreplaceable.”

Source：Xihuanet， March 4, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-03/04/content_7714169.htm

According to China Military Net, China North Industry Group Corporation (CNGC) and China Ordnance Equipment Group (COEG) have passed the survival stage and entered into global expansion. CNGC’s 2007 revenue hit 126.5 billion yuan, up 20.8 percent comparing to 2006. Its profits grew by 41.5% over 2006. Revenue base are primarily high-tech military products, products for military and civilian dual use, and petroleum exports. COEG’s revenue grew to 129.9 billion yuan (18.3 billion dollars) in 2007, profits totaling 3.69 billion yuan (0.52 billion dollars). The pruduction and sales of COEG’s automobile/motorcycles and photoelectric products lead the whole world, said the website.

Source: China Military Net, February 28, 2008
http://www.milchina.com/Get/cn/2008-2/28/02280849533.htm

China state-media Global Times quotes a January 29 article from the Russian newspaper The Independent that says that China, the biggest customer of Russian defense industrial products, is gone forever. Exports of national defense technology and products to China have recently been close to zero. The article says that Moscow is very concerned about the situation. It is also one of the major issues for the Russian Defense Minister’s visit to China.

Source: China News Agency, January 31, 2008
http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/p/2008-01-31/0733483714.html

PLA Daily published an article on January 28 about its military technology advance. The article introduced a military scientist, Ge Xiaofei, and his recent achievements in advancing China’s fighter airplane technology. The article says that Ge has succeeded in developing an automatic electronic interference apparatus for the next generation’s fighter airplane. He also finished a theoretical plan, operation procedure, and feasibility report to develop a “fighter plane air-refueling technology.” The Article is posted on Xinhuanet’s military section.

Source: PLA Daily, January 28, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-01/28/content_7510808.htm

In 2008, China will accelerate the privatization reform of state-owned Chinese defense industrial enterprises and plans to complete the reform within the next five years. According to  officials from the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense of China (COSTIND), the anticipated capitalization will amount to close to 100 billion RMB.

In 2007, 18 public companies (formerly state-owned defense enterprises) requested to increase market capitalization and 10 of them applied for an Initial Public Offering. COSTIND officials encourage both domestic and foreign participation in the privatization reform.

Source: Xinhua, January 20, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2008-01/20/content_7454122.htm