Posts tagged ‘Beijing’

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.

31/03/2012

* Chinese websites closed, six detained for spreading rumors

Xinhua: “Chinese authorities closed 16 websites and detained six people responsible for “fabricating or disseminating online rumors,” the State Internet Information Office SIIO and Beijing police said Friday. The websites, including meizhou.net, xn528.com and cndy.com.cn, were closed for spreading rumors of “military vehicles entering Beijing and something wrong going on in Beijing,” which were fabricated by some lawless people recently, said a spokesman with SIIO. The rumors have caused “a very bad influence on the public” and the websites were closed in accordance with laws for failing to stop the spread of rumors, said the spokesman.

Beijing police also detained six people for allegedly fabricating and spreading the above-mentioned rumors, particularly through microblogging posts, according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Public Security. An undisclosed number of people who had disseminated similar rumors on the Internet were also “admonished and educated,” who have shown intention to repent, the police said.”

via Websites closed, six detained for spreading rumors – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

One wonders if there is “no smoke without a fire”?

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

See also: https://chindia-alert.org/political-factors/geopolitics-chinese/

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!

 

 

 

 

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