2001

~ 2000, 2001

[ News ] [ Papers ] 

Chinese Intercepts and Nuclear 'Event'
(Washington Times, Dec. 7, 2001) China's military has been increasing aerial intercepts of U.S. reconnaissance aircraft flying in international airspace along China's coast, according to defense officials. U.S. intelligence agencies have detected new efforts by China on strategic nuclear weapons. The latest evidence comes in intelligence reports that China conducted a nuclear weapons-related experiment in Xinjiang province.

China Tests Supersonic Anti-Ship Cruise Missiles
(Washington Times, Sep. 25, 2001) China has conducted the first flight test of its new Russian-made anti-ship cruise missile, the most potent naval weapon in China's growing arsenal and a major improvement over its other anti-ship cruise missiles. A Chinese Sovremenny-class guided missile destroyer fired an SSN-22 Sunburn missile during a test Sept. 15.

PLA Chief Warns on Strait Meddling
(AFP, Sep. 12, 2001) One of the Chinese military's leading foreign policy makers delivered a stark warning to "international forces" to keep out of Taiwan affairs, saying the stand-off in the Taiwan Strait had become "grimmer and more complex". General Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of staff of the PLA, blamed increased tensions on pro-independence forces on the island

China Increases Missile Threat
(Washington Times, Aug. 28, 2001) China has stepped up deployments of short-range missiles opposite Taiwan and now has more than 350 rockets within range of the island. China added more than 30 new CSS-6 and CSS-7 missiles within range of Taiwan in a buildup that U..S. officials say is increasing tensions and destabilizing the region.

China Tests Missile in War-Game Finale
(Washington Times, Aug.24, 2001) Chinese military forces carried out a flight test of a medium-range nuclear missile this week as the finale to China's largest nationwide war games in years. A CSS-2 intermediate-range ballistic missile was fired from a test facility in northern China on Tuesday and tracked by U.S. military satellites to an impact area near the Mongolian border.

PLA Flexes Its Muscle with Joint Exercises
(AFP, Aug. 22, 2001) The PLA held integrated military exercises around Dongshan Island near Taiwan. Fishing boats and other vessels in the region had been told to return to harbour and stay away from the waters for the joint-forces war games. The training session was part of China's massive round of military drills, which have been under way for four months in the Dongshan area.

Large Drill Near Taiw Military Holds an
(AP, Aug. 12, 2001) The Chinese military has started war games off its southern coast opposite Taiwan. The amphibious mechanical unit of the Chinese Liberation Army ''Liberation No.1,'' also known as ''Donghai No.6,'' began a joint military exercise off the southeast coastal province of Fujian near Dongshan Island.

Chinese 'Civilian' Satellite a Spy Tool
(Washington Times, Aug. 1, 2001) China's military has deployed a new reconnaissance satellite that is being used to target U.S. forces in the region, according to U.S. intelligence officials. The satellite is Beijing's first high-resolution imaging satellite and is disguised as a civilian earth monitoring system.

China Signs $2 Billion Deal To Buy Russian Fighter Jets
(WP, July 20, 2001) China has signed a contract with a Russian aircraft manufacturer for another batch of ground-attack jets, Russian news reports and diplomats said, in a move that would allow China's modernizing armed forces to improve their ability to launch an assault on Taiwan. Chinese officials signed the contract with the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association to supply upward of $2 billion worth of Su-30 MKK ground-attack planes.

PLA's Strength Against Taiwan over Next Decade Limited
(United Daily News, June 11, 2001) Minister of Defense, Wu Shih-wen, said that mainland China's People's Liberation Army will likely concentrate on developing cruise and ballistic missiles over the next decade. However, according to a U.S. Defense Department report, the PLA's ability to categorically succeed in a military attack against Taiwan is "limited."

Chinese War Games Up the Ante
(CNN.com, June 11, 2001) War games that started last week in China's Fujian province are to last longer and feature more advanced weapons than previous exercises. Military sources in Beijing said on Monday the highlights of the second stage of military maneuvers would include sophisticated, long-distance missiles as well as air-and-naval drills to search and destroy aircraft carriers and submarines.

Chinese Missile Moves Near Taiwan Worry U.S.
(Washington Times, June 7, 2001) China is mobilizing some of its short-range missiles near Taiwan as other military forces are engaged in the largest war games in five years, according to U.S. intelligence officials. The missile activity at two bases across the Taiwan Strait is raising concerns inside the Pentagon that China's military may be set for test missile firings at Taiwan -- similar to 1996 missile flight tests that led to a U.S.-China confrontation.

Chinese Navy Runs Emergency Deployment Drill
(Washington Times, June 5, 2001) The Chinese navy carried out an emergency deployment last week, sending ships and submarines out of ports as if preparing for an attack, according to U.S. defense and intelligence officials. The May 27 exercise off northern China was described as a "rapid dispersal exercise," said officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

China Plans War Games Off Taiwan
(WP, June 1, 2001) Thousands of Chinese soldiers are massing opposite Taiwan for their biggest military exercises in several years, coordinated with amphibious tanks, fighter aircraft, submarines and missile batteries, an official Chinese Web site reported. The report by BeijingNews.com said the main goals of the exercises are to practice "attacking and occupying an outlying Taiwanese island and fighting off an aircraft carrier."

Beijing Prompts Invasion Fears
(Washington Times, May 30, 2001) China has massed amphibious vehicles and landing craft on an island near Taiwan as part of large-scale military exercises that are now under way, Pentagon officials said. At least 157 amphibious craft and vehicles were spotted recently on Dongshan island by U.S. intelligence-gathering aircraft. The island is located across the Taiwan Strait from southern Taiwan..

Beijing Readies China Sea Exercises
(Washington Times, May 17, 2001) China is preparing to conduct large-scale military exercises in the South China Sea from Hainan island and on Woody Island, where China is building up its forces for power projection. Defense officials said preparations for the exercises, including amphibious warfare drills, were detected by U.S. intelligence agencies over the past two weeks. "We're seeing preparations," said one official. He said it is not known when the maneuvers will begin.

Chinese Believed Preparing for a Nuclear Weapons Test
(Washington Times, May 11, 2001) China is stepping up preparations for an underground test at its Lop Nur nuclear weapons testing facility, according to U.S. intelligence officials. A test could be carried out in the next several days, they said. Vehicle activity at the test site in the remote western province of Xinjiang was detected by spy satellites last week.

U.S. Military Concerned About China's Cyberwarfare Capabilities, Says U.S. General
(AFP, Mar. 29, 2001) China is developing cyberwarfare capabilities that could put at risk the computer networks that the U.S. military increasingly relies on for its operations, the general responsible for U.S. military space and cyberwarfare programs warned Thursday.

China Beefs Up Missile Stocks
(Washington Times, Mar. 27, 2001) China is sending additional shipments of short-range missiles to Fujian province opposite Taiwan, a sign Beijing is stepping up deployments as the Bush administration contemplates new arms sales to the island.

Jiang Urges PLA to Accelerate Defense Modernization
(People's Daily, Mr. 10, 2001) Chinese President Jiang Zemin urged the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to enhance defense combat effectiveness under high-tech conditions, subject itself to the absolute leadership of the Party and speed up military modernization.

China's Military Offers 'Contributions'
(CNN, Mar. 8, 2001) Senior generals have vowed to make major contributions to building the economy and maintaining the Communist Party's "absolute authority." Various People's Liberation Army officers have talked to the state media after Beijing on Tuesday announced a whopping 17.7 per cent budget boost for the 2.5 million-strong army.

China Raises Defense Budget
(CNN, Mar. 6, 2001) China has raised its defense budget by 17.7 percent for 2001 in a bid to improve its 2.5 million-strong People's Liberation Army. The hike, to a spending of 140 billion yuan ($17 billion), was revealed in the National People's Congress (NPC) budget report delivered by Finance Minister Xiang Huaicheng.

PLA to Increase Combined Services Training Drills
(CNA, Mar. 5, 2001) Republic of China Defense Minister Wu Shih-wen said that mainland China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is expected to intensify combined services training in tandem with its military technology development and arms procurement.

Ship's Trip Through the Strait Confirmed
(Taipei Times, Jan. 19, 2001) The second Sovremenny-class guided-missile destroyer bought by China from Russia passed through the Taiwan Strait last week under the watchful eye of Taiwan's military, Minister of National Defense Wu Shih-wen confirmed yesterday.

China Builds New Missile Base Across Taiwan, Report Says
(AFP, Jan. 15, 2001) China is building a base in a southeastern city for advanced long-range ground-to-air missiles, a move feared to weaken Taiwan's air defense capabilities.

Shock of the New for PLA Strategists By Jasper Becker
(South China Morning Post, Dec. 26, 2001) Set against the impressive display of American might in Afghanistan right on China's Western borders, Beijing's expressions of indignation over the US decision to drop the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty have been muted. Both Chinese and US analysts seem convinced no fresh crisis in Sino-American relations is brewing.

China Finds Launches Lucrative By Michael Cabbage
(OrlandoSentinel.com, Dec. 10, 2001) China has rockets for sale -- cheap. Beijing soon could be beating Western capitalists at their own game by grabbing a larger share of the lucrative yet cutthroat commercial-launch market. Necessity has driven China's communist leadership to embrace once-alien concepts such as marketing and customer service.

China's Military Build-Up a Danger By Tsai Ming-yen
(Taipei Times, Nov. 27, 2001) The improvement of China's position in the world is widely regarded as one of Beijing's top foreign-policy priorities. China's intentions to turn itself into a military superpower, presumably in order to enforce its regional hegemony, has concerned its neighbors.

Nations Across Asia Keep Watch on China By Doug Struck and Rajiv Chandrasekaran
(Washington Post, Oct. 19, 2001) As China emerges from a half-century of internal struggles and poverty to extend its reach across Asia, its neighbors and the United States see a looming struggle for power. In response, some Asian countries have joined a new arms race.

Generals' Move Casts Light on Taiwan Policy By Oliver Chou
(Straits Times, Aug. 30, 2001) The recent redeployment of two generals from China's regional air commands bears watching for Beijing's next moves in its military strategy towards Taiwan and the protection of its national borders.

China Case Study from Transformation in Global Defense Markets and Industries: Implications for the Future Warfare By John A. Battilega, David R. Beachley, Daniel C. Beck, Robert L. Driver, Bruce Jackson
(National Intelligence Council, 16 July 2001) Although China is a historical military power with a rich tradition that goes back 5000 years, modern Chinese security perspective are about twenty-five years old. China views its overall national security situation and current grand strategy to be consistent with long term approach to modernizations.

Don't Exaggerate the Military Threat From China By Ellis Joffe
(International Herald Tribune, July 28, 2001) The buildup of the Chinese armed forces that feeds the U.S. perception of a military threat from a rising China will continue. But the perception should be qualified by recognition of the restraints that limit the buildup. Underlying it is China's long-term aspiration to gain respect and recognition as a great power.

War Games Address China's Combat-Rescue Deficiencies By Oliver Chou
(Straits Times, July 7, 2001) China's loss of a pilot in the mid-air collision with an American spy plane in April has seen the People's Liberation Army losing no time in beefing up its rescue operations. The massive war games, now being staged on south-east China's Dongshan Island across Taiwan, feature rescue operations as a major component of the military exercise.

The Military Potential of China's Commercial Technology (online book) By Roger Cliff
(Rand, June 2001) This report examines China's current commercial technology in eight industries that have the most potential for supporting military technology development, and assesses the prospects for technological progress, in terms of capabilities, effort, incentives, and institutions, over the next 10 to 20 years.

From Revolutionary Internationalism to Conservative Nationalism: The Chinese Military's Discourse on National Security and Identity in the Post-Mao Era By Nan Li
(United States Institute of Peace, May, 2001) It has been a quarter of a century since the death of Mao Zedong, and China has experienced a dramatic transfprmation in those twenty-five years. While still ruled by a communist party, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has emerged as a major economic power by unshackling its command economy and privatizating many of its state-owned enterprises. Yet Maoist revoluntary doctrine that distinguished the PRC as a leader of world revolution and national liberation movements in the 1950s and '60s is only now beginning to be reassessed. (PDF file)

China Explores Ways to Defeat Superior U.S. Forces In Fight By David Wood
(San Francisco Chronicle, Apr. 20, 2001) China's military, faced with powerful and technically advanced U.S. combat forces, is exploring the use of computer viruses, information warfare and stock market manipulation as non-traditional "weapons" to offset America's huge military advantage.

US Commits to Security of Its Allies By Larry Wortzel
(Taipei Times, Mar. 15, 2001) China is acquiring a number of weapon and command and control systems that could extend the range of its own missiles and aircraft, and permit it to project power at greater ranges from its shores.. In some cases, the assistance is coming from US allies, or from major recipients of financial aid from the US.

China Sends Its Army Money, and a Signal to the U.S. By Craig S. Smith
(New York Times, Mar. 11, 2001) China announced its biggest military budget increase in 20 years last week, making generals from Washington to Tokyo sit up. Certainly the 17.7 percent jump to $17.2 billion this year is intended to send the message that China is serious about modernizing its 2.5-million-man armed forces in order to give the United States pause if it thinks of operating unchallenged in Asia. But military analysts say the focus for now remains a limited one: Taiwan.

China’s Increase in Defence Spending
(Economist, Mar. 8, 2001) With big new spending increases, especially for defence, China is looking bolder. China’s defence spending has been rising steadily since the Gulf war ten years ago first revealed to its military planners just how far they had fallen behind. The adjustment is partly meant to counter “drastic changes” in the international military situation—presumably a reference to NATO’s successful use of air power in 1999 against the Yugoslav army in Kosovo, and America’s plans for missile defences.

China's Acquisitions of Russian SU Fighters: A Great Leap Forward? By Ming-yen Tsai
(Peace Forum, Taiwan Research Institute, Feb. 8, 2001) China's purchases of Russian fighters suggest that the modernization of the PLAAF's outdated aircraft fleet has been put at the top of China's defense modernization.

China's Energy Strategy in the 21st Century By Chien Chung
(Taiwan Research Institute, Peace Forum, Jan. 5, 2001) The strategic oil reserve in China is surprisingly thin: less than three-day stock for domestic oil refinery and petrochemical industry.  In view of the depleting production of domestic oil field and growing dependence on imported oil, China has decided to reshape its energy policy.  China will possess three-week oil reserve in hand by 2010 to cope with future world-wide energy shortage and potential regional armed conflict.