Defence | CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon

23/05/2012

* Taiwan spies increase in carrier threat

Hong Kong Standard: “Taiwan’s intelligence chief said Beijing plans to build two aircraft carriers to go with the first one in its fleet, a refitted former Soviet carrier currently undergoing sea trials.

“Indeed, the Chinese communists have decided to build two aircraft carriers on their own,” Tsai Teh-sheng, head of the National Security Bureau, told lawmakers. Construction is expected to start next year and in 2015, with the warships, which would be conventionally powered, to be delivered in 2020 and 2022. Tsai said Beijing has conducted six sea trials of its first carrier since the middle of last year, and that Taiwan expects it to go into service before the end of this year. Initially it may simply be used for training purposes but it can be sent for battles when necessary in the future,” he said. The ship’s sea trials have sparked international concern about the mainlands widening naval reach amid growing regional tensions over maritime disputes and a US campaign to assert itself as a Pacific power.”

via Taiwan spies increase in carrier threat – The Standard.

Taiwan to deploy additional ‘carrier killers’ (chinadailymail.com)

Posted in China alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, Military, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Tags: Aircraft carrier, Beijing, China, Sea trial, Taiwan

15/05/2012

* Carr: China concerned by Australia-US military ties

BBC News: “China has raised concerns over growing military ties between Australia and the US, Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr said as he visited Beijing.

Chinese officials had told him that “the time for Cold War alliances has long since passed”, he told reporters. The US has recently started rotating troops through bases in Australia.

On Monday Mr Carr met counterpart Yang Jiechi. He is also due to meet Vice Premier Li Keqiang to discuss a China-Australia free trade deal. China is a major trading partner for Australia and about a quarter of all Australian exports now go to China. But Australia’s key security partnership is with the US. Last month the first contingent of some US marines to be stationed in Darwin arrived; the US will eventually deploy a 2,500-strong force in northern Australia by 2017.”

via BBC News – Carr: China concerned by Australia-US military ties.

Tags: Australia, Bob Carr, China, Cold War, politics

10/05/2012

* Marine forces of China, Thailand to hold joint training

China Daily: “Marine forces of China and Thailand will hold a joint military training in south Chinas Guangdong province from May 9 to 29, sources with Ministry of National Defense said Tuesday.

Garuda as national symbol of Thailand (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The training, codenamed Blue Commando-2012, will be conducted in Zhanjiang and Shanwei of the province in line with an agreement reached by the two countries navies, according to the ministry’s information office. The training will be the second of its kind by the two navies marine forces since 2010, and it will feature anti-terrorism and increase mutual understanding of the two forces.”

via Marine forces of China, Thailand to hold joint training|chinadaily.com.cn.

It takes two to tango. So it is with the US trying to ‘surround’ China with alliances or naval exercise with Australia, India, Philippines and (see other post) with Singapore. In the meanwhile, China is holding exercises or reaffirming military alliances with Russia and Thailand.

Related articles and posts:

* Chinese vice president meets Thai defense minister (chindia-alert.org)
ASEAN Defense: China Russia team up at sea & US Philippines discuss alliance future (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
US, Thai militaries begin non-lethal training (waronterrornews.typepad.com)

Posted in China alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, Military | 3 Comments »

Tags: China, politics, Thailand, United State

10/05/2012

* U.S. plans 10-month warship deployment to Singapore

Strait of Malacca from globe at Field Museum (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Reuters: “The first of a new class of U.S. coastal warships will be sent to Singapore next spring for a roughly 10-month deployment, the Navy said on Wednesday, spotlighting a move that may stir China’s fears of U.S. involvement in South China Sea disputes.

Deployment of the shallow-draft ship “Freedom” will help refine crew rotations, logistics and maintenance processes to maximize the classs value to U.S. combat commanders, Rear Admiral Thomas Rowden, the Navys director of surface warfare, told reporters.”Well be deploying the ship for about 10 months in the spring of next year” to Singapore, he said in a teleconference. “In the meantime, were prepping her for success in the execution of that deployment.

“Singapore is strategically located along the Strait of Malacca, the chief link between the Indian and Pacific Oceans through which flows about 40 percent of world trade. The government has discussed hosting up to four such U.S. “Littoral Combat Ships,” or LCS, on a rotational basis at its naval facilities. Both countries have said the deployment stops short of a basing agreement.”

via U.S. plans 10-month warship deployment to Singapore | Reuters.

It takes two to tango. So it is with the US trying to ‘surround’ China with alliances or naval exercise with Australia, India, Philippines and with Singapore. In the meanwhile, China is holding exercises or reaffirming military alliances with Russia and Thailand (see other post).

Related articles and posts:

Posted in China alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, Military | 2 Comments »

Tags: China, Littoral combat ship, navy, politics, Singapore, South China Sea, United State

03/05/2012

* Unease Mounting, China and U.S. to Open Military Talks

NY Times: “Limited military talks between China and the United States — an arena in which the two sides view each other with mounting unease — open here on Wednesday as a prelude to a wider-ranging economic and strategic dialogue between Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner and their Chinese counterparts.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner listen as President Barack Obama addresses the opening session of the first U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington on July 27, 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Military talks are a prelude to an economic and strategic dialogue. China is increasingly suspicious of what it views as stepped-up spying by American planes and ships along its coast, and the United States is disquieted by China’s growing array of weaponry, analysts on both sides say. The two nations have been unable to agree on a serious agenda for military talks despite an escalation of tensions as China presses territorial claims in the East and South China Seas and the United States fortifies longstanding alliances from Australia to the Philippines.

The meetings, known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue, will be limited to a one-day session on Wednesday that will cover two subjects, cyberwarfare and maritime issues, Obama administration officials said.”

via Unease Mounting, China and U.S. to Open Military Talks – NYTimes.com.

Posted in China alert, Defence, Diplomacy, GeoPolitics, Military | Leave a Comment »

Tags: China, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Hong Kong, politics, South China Sea, south china seas, Timothy Geithner, U.S.–China Strategic and Economic Dialogue, United States, United States Secretary of the Treasury

30/04/2012

* Philippines Role May Grow as U.S. Adjusts Asia Strategy

New York Times: “… The (joint US-Philippines military) exercises included mock beach invasions along coastlines facing China, whose military buildup and territorial claims in the South China Sea have alarmed some of its neighbors and jumpstarted the United States’ military “pivot” to the region.

That American policy, which will include sending more troops and ships to the region, appears to have picked up speed in recent weeks. On Thursday, Japan and the United States announced what was effectively a compromise on Okinawa that calls for thousands of Marines to leave for Guam and Hawaii in an attempt to allow others to remain on the strategic Japanese island despite local objections. And on Monday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta will meet their Philippine counterparts in Washington, the highest level meeting after months of talks to expand the American military presence in the Philippines.

Ramping up the number of troops in the Philippines — even if they are rotating in and out from temporary bases — would still be something of a reversal for the nation after Philippine lawmakers years ago forced the closing of American bases, including the shuttering in 1992 of the Subic Bay Naval Station. The base, which had been a cornerstone of the United States’ military presence in Asia, was a casualty of some Filipinos’ sense that the facility served as a painful reminder of decades of American rule.

via Philippines Role May Grow as U.S. Adjusts Asia Strategy – NYTimes.com.

America continues with its strategy to encircle China in the Pacific, with military alliances not only with its traditional allies, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea; but also with Australia, India and the Philippines.

Related articles and posts:

Posted in China alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, Military | 6 Comments »

Tags: China, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Philippine, politics, South China Sea, South Korea, United States

19/04/2012

* Agni-V launch: India demonstrates ICBM capability; China reacts cautiously, says India not rival

Times of India: “Reacting cautiously to India’s test of Agni-V missile, China on Thursday said the two countries are not rivals and enjoy “sound” relations though the sources in the Chinese establishment feel that the launch can give rise to another round of arms race in the region.

“China has taken note of reports on India’s missile launch. The two countries have sound relationship. “During the recently held BRICS meeting in Delhi the leadership had consensus to take the relationship further and to push forward bilateral strategic cooperative partnership,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a media briefing in Beijing when asked about the launch.

In Delhi, the diplomatic sources in the Chinese embassy said the “Agni-V launch can give rise to another round of arms race in this part of the world. “They were also critical of the media commentary on the successful launch of the nuclear capable 5000 km-range Agni-V missile, saying it sounded provocative. Asked whether China was concerned as most of the country would come under the Agnis range, Liu said in Beijing that “both the countries are emerging powers. We are not rivals. We are cooperative partners. We should cherish the hard earned momentum of cooperation.”

via Agni-V launch: India demonstrates ICBM capability; China reacts cautiously, says India not rival – The Times of India.

Posted in China alert, Chindia Alert, Defence, Diplomacy, GeoPolitics, India alert, Military | 1 Comment »

Tags: Agni-V, Beijing, BRICS, China, Delhi, India, Intercontinental ballistic missile, missile launch, politics

18/04/2012

* India to test fire long-range missile

BBC News: “India is due to test fire a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The locally-developed Agni-V missile has a range of more than 5,000km 3,100 miles and is expected to be launched in the eastern state of Orissa.

Visual description of the approximate range of the (Indian) Agni ballistic missile series. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Analysts say the Agni meaning “fire” in Hindi and Sanskrit missile family is to be the cornerstone of Indias missile-based nuclear deterrent. The missiles are among India’s most sophisticated weapons. In 2010, India successfully test-fired Agni-II, an intermediate-range ballistic missile with a range of more than 2,000km 1,250 miles.

Defence analyst Rahul Bedi says the successful test flight of the Agni-V missile, which is capable of delivering a single 1.5-ton warhead deep inside nuclear rival China’s territory, will strengthen India’s nuclear deterrence once it comes into service by 2014-15. It is 17.5m-tall, solid-fuelled, has three stages and a launch weight of 50 tons. It has cost more than 2.5bn rupees $480m; £307m to develop.

Only China, Russia, France, the US, and Great Britain have such long-range missiles. Israel is thought to possess them.”

via BBC News – India to test fire long-range missile.

Let’s hope this doesn’t start a military space race between India and China. Both countries must surely haev better things to invest their money in than nuclear missiles!

North Korea Isn’t The Only Country Testing Long Distance Missiles (businessinsider.com)
Agni V – The Project which will be revolutionary missile weapon (buildingthegateways.wordpress.com)

Posted in Chindia Alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, India alert, Military | 2 Comments »

Tags: Agni, Agni-II, Agni-V, China, Chindia, Chindiapedia, India, Missile, politics, Sanskrit

19/03/2012

* India displaces China as world’s largest arms importer

Times of India: “India has become the worlds biggest importer of arms, displacing China by accounting for 10 per cent of global arms sales volumes. Over the past five years, Indias imports of major weapons increased by 38 per cent between 2007-11, a Swedish security think tank said with Asia topping other regions in arms imports.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute SIPRI in its new report said that India was closely followed by China and Pakistan whose weapons imports constituted 5 per cent each of global sales. Pakistan took delivery of “significant numbers of combat aircrafts during this period : 50 JF-17s from China and 30 F-16s from US,” SIPRI said. The Swedish think tank said China which had been world’s top arms importer in 2006-2007 has now dropped to fourth place, attributing this to improvements in the country’s arms industry and its rising arms exports.

SIPRI said China is now world’s sixth largest world exporter of weapons behind the US, Russia, Germany, France and UK.But “while the volume of Chinas arms export is increasing, this is largely a result of Pakistan importing more arms from China. “Beijing has not achieved a major breakthrough in any other significant market,” the report said. According to SIPRI estimates India is likely to spend more than USD 100 billion on weapons and systems in the next 15 years.”

via India displaces China as worlds largest arms importer – The Times of India.

Related articles

Arms sales: who are the world’s 100 top arms producers? (guardian.co.uk)
https://chindia-alert.org/political-factors/

Posted in China alert, Chindia Alert, Defence, GeoPolitics, India alert | Leave a Comment »

Tags: Arms industry, China, India, Pakistan, Russia, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

04/03/2012

* Chinese defence budget exceeds $100bn (against US budget of over $700bn)

Extract from Xinhua: “China said Sunday it plans to raise its defense budget by 11.2 % to 670 billion yuan (106.4 billion U.S. dollars) in 2012. …

China’s military spending mainly comprises the living expenditures of service people, expenses for training and maintenance, and spending on equipment, he said. The costs for research, experiment, procurement, repair, transport and storage of all weapons and equipment, including new types of weapons, are included in the defense budget that is published every year, the spokesman said.

… Compared to other major countries, China’s military spending is low given its population of 1.3 billion, vast land area and long coastlines, Li said. While China’s military spending amounted to 1.28 % of its GDP in 2011, that of the United States, Britain and other countries all exceed 2 %, said Li. …

By June last year, China had sent a total of 2,044 peace-keeping personnel to 12 peace-keeping zones around the world, and the Chinese navy has sent escort vessels to the Gulf of Aden and waters off the coast of Somalia to protect thousands of commercial vessels from China and other countries, according to Li.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-03/04/c_131445012.htm

A significant rise. But still less than 1/7 of US spend, though the latter is expected to halve over the next few years. Also, salary and living expenses for up to 3 million service personnel does cost a pretty penny!

Posted in China alert, Defence, Military | Leave a Comment »

Tags: Beijing, China, Gross domestic product, gulf of aden, Military budget, Military budget of the People's Republic of China, National People's Congress, Somalia, United States, Xinhua News Agency

CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon

Chindia Alert: You’ll be Living in their World Very Soon

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* Taiwan spies increase in carrier threat

* Carr: China concerned by Australia-US military ties

* Marine forces of China, Thailand to hold joint training

* U.S. plans 10-month warship deployment to Singapore

* Unease Mounting, China and U.S. to Open Military Talks

* Philippines Role May Grow as U.S. Adjusts Asia Strategy

* Agni-V launch: India demonstrates ICBM capability; China reacts cautiously, says India not rival

* India to test fire long-range missile

* India displaces China as world’s largest arms importer

* Chinese defence budget exceeds $100bn (against US budget of over $700bn)

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