~ 2000 ; 2001 ; 2002 ; 2003 ; 2004 ; 2005; 2006 ; 2007 ; 2008; 2009
Gulf
of Aden and China’s Blue Water Navy
Documents
Military and Security
Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2011
China’s National
Defense in 2010
Annual Report to
Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic
of China 2010
Military Power of
the People’s Republic of China 2009
White Paper:
China’s National Defense in 2008
(Information Office of the State Council of the
People’s Republic of China, Jan. 21, 2009) China is still confronted with
long-term, complicated, and diverse security threats and challenges. Issues
of existence security and development security, traditional security threats
and non-traditional security threats, and domestic security and international
security are interwoven and interactive.
[ News ] [ Papers ]
MND Confirms Chinese Missile
Tests
(Taipei Times, Jan. 10, 2012) The Ministry of
National Defense confirmed that China had test-fired Julang-2
(JL-2) -submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) before the New Year.
China GPS System Begins
Service
(AP, Dec. 27, 2011) A Chinese rival to the U.S. global positioning system network has
started providing services in China
and the surrounding area.
China Spacecraft Make First
Successful Docking As Country Pursues Space Station Goal (AP, Nov. 3, 2011) Two unmanned Chinese spacecraft docked above
Earth successfully, moving China one step closer to setting up its own space
station.
China Plans 2012 Manned
Space Flight After Docking Test
(Reuters, Oct. 31, 2011) China will launch up to
two manned space mission in 2012 as it hones the skills needed to secure a
long-term manned presence in outer space, an official spokeswoman said.
China to Launch Unmanned
Space Mission Next Month to Practice Docking with Space Station (AP, Oct. 26, 2011) China will launch an unmanned spacecraft
early next month that will attempt to dock with an experimental module, the
latest step in what will be a decade-long effort to place a manned permanent
space station in orbit.
China Lanuches 1st Space
Station Module
(AP, Sep. 30, 2011) China launched an experimental
module to lay the groundwork for a future space station, underscoring its
ambitions to become a major space power over the coming decade.
China to Launch Space
Station’s First Module
(AFP, Sep. 20, 2011) China said it will launch its
Tiangong-1 space module later this month, marking its first step towards
building a Chinese space station.
Assurance Against Invasion, War
Doesn’t Include Taiwan: China
(AFP, Sep. 8, 2011) China said it would avoid
“invasion, expansion or war” — but not at the expense of its claims on Taiwan
— as it seeks to dispel fears over its military build-up and territorial
assertiveness.
U.S. Official Warns about
China’s Military Buildup
(New York Times, Aug. 25, 2011) The pace and
scope of China’s military buildup is “potentially destabilizing” in the
Pacific, a top defense official warned as the Pentagon released an annual
report, titled “Military and
Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2011.”
China: New Role for Military
Vessel
(New York Times, Jul. 28,
2011) China’s
defense ministry said the nation’s much-publicized first aircraft carrier will
be used purely for research and training and not for deployment in military
situations, Xinhua reported.
China Developing EMP
‘Assassin’s Mace’: Report
(CNA, Jul. 25, 2011) China is developing
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons that it plans to use against U.S.
aircraft carriers in any future conflict over Taiwan, the Washington Times
reported.
China Admits ‘Secret’
Aircraft Carrier Is Nearly Ready for Launch
(The
Guardian, Jun. 8, 2011) China has moved a step
closer to launching its first aircraft carrier with senior generals in the
People's Liberation Army finally confirming one of the world's worst kept
military secrets.
PLA Announces New Cyber
Warfare Unit
(CNA,
May 28, 2011) Chinese military officials have for the first time confirmed
the establishment of a cyber warfare unit, Chinese media reports said.
Chinese Military to Work at
Trust with Neighbors
(AP, Apr. 1, 2011) China's military promised to
work at building trust with neighboring countries following months of
tensions with the U.S. and neighboring countries over Beijing's increasingly
assertive behavior.
Chinese Military Paper Lays
Bare Fears about US
(Reuters, Apr. 1, 2011) China said it faced an
increasingly “volatile” Asian region where the US has expanded its strategic
footprint, maintaining that better military ties between Beijing and
Washington rested on respect for each other’s interests.
China Sticks to No-First-Use
of Nuclear Weapons: White Paper
(Xinhua, Mar. 31, 2011) China has adhered to the
policy of "no-first-use of nuclear weapons at any time and in any
circumstances," says a white paper on the country's national defense.
PRC Missile Could Render
PAC-3s Obsolete
(Taipei Times, Mar. 18, 2011) The faster re-entry
of a longer-rang missile would greatly reduce the effectiveness of PAC-3
missile interceptors acquired from the US, analysts said.
China Aims New Missile Types
at Taiwan: NSB Says
(Taipei Times, Mar. 17, 2011) The DF-16 ballistic
missiles not only poses a threat to Taiwan,
but could also be used to strike US
military bases on Guam and Okinawa.
India Overtakes China As
World’s Top Arms Importer, SIPRI Says
(Bloomberg, Mar. 13, 2011) India replaced China as the world’s top
weapons importer, according to a study by the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute, as it aims to modernize its armed forces and
project power through the region.
China to Spend $91.5 Billion
on Improving Defense in 2011
(Bloomberg, Mar. 3, 2011) China plans to
increase defense spending 12.7 percent this year as the improved military
capabilities of the country with the world’s biggest army have heightened
concern in the U.S. and the region over its goals.
PRC Jets Will Lag Behind US
for Years: Gates
(AP, Feb. 19, 2011) The US will retain a far
bigger fleet of top-end fighter planes than China
for years to come despite Beijing’s early test
of a stealth-style jet, US
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told lawmakers.
‘Carrier Killer’ Won’t Stop
US: Admiral
(AP, Feb. 16, 2011) A new “carrier killer”
missile that has become a symbol of China’s rising military might will not
force the US Navy to change the way it operates in the Pacific, a senior Navy
commander said.
China Confirms Stealth
Jet-Test Flight during Gates’ Visit
(USA Today, Jan. 11, 2011) "Taiwan still
enjoys certain theater advantages, but a fighter like that, if developed,
could be used in anti-intervention in this region, so it could complicate the
overall strategy and military preparedness," said Philip Yang.
Officials Voice Doubts on
Stealth Fighter
(Taipei Times, Jan. 6, 2011) A leading defense
official said Russian analysis indicated that Chinese technology in terms of
advanced fighters was not up to scratch in many aspects.
China’s Anti-Aircraft
Carrier Missile ‘Closer to Completion’
(Chosun Ilbo, Dec. 29, 2010) China is getting
closer to building a ballistic missile designed to sink aircraft carriers,
the chief of the U.S. Pacific Command claimed.
Defense Minister Says Modern
Warfare Capabilities Rises, China Daily Reports (Bloomberg, Dec. 28, 2010) China’s Defense Minister Liang
Guanglie said the ability of the nation’s military to engage in modern
warfare has increased “sharply,” the China Daily reported.
China’s New Drones Raise
Eyebrows
(Wall Street Journal, Nov. 19, 2010) China is ramping up production of unmanned
aerial vehicles in an apparent bid to catch up with the U.S. and Israel in developing technology
that is considered the future of military aviation.
China Stages Naval Exercises
(New
York Times, Nov. 4, 2010) China’s Marine Corps held major naval exercises in
the South China Sea, massing 1,800 troops and more than 100 ships, submarines
and aircraft for a live-fire display of the nation’s growing military power.
Pentagon Takes Aim at China
Cyber Threat
(AP,
Aug. 19, 2010) The U.S. for the first time is publicly warning about the
Chinese military's use of civilian computer experts in clandestine cyber
attacks aimed at American companies and government agencies.
China Paper Warns Military
Thinking Outmoded
(Reuters,
Aug. 14, 2010) China's military thinking is outmoded and should learn from
others, especially the United States, when it come to modernizing its vast
armed forces, a leading armed forces newspaper said.
PLA Urges Tough Stance against
US Exercises in Region
(Reuters,
Aug. 13, 2010) China’s
People Liberation Army (PLA) demanded a tough response to US plans to send an
aircraft carrier to naval exercises near its coast, saying that “respect” was
at stake.
‘Carrier-Killing’ Missile Is
China’s Game Changer
(AP,
Aug. 7, 2010) US naval planners are scrambling to deal with what analysts say
is a game-changing weapon being developed by China — an unprecedented
carrier-killing missile called the Dong Feng 21D.
Beijing Urges Seoul to
Refrain from West Sea Drill
(Chosun Ilbo, Jul. 8, 2010) China has asked the South Korean government
through a diplomatic channel to refrain from a join exercise with the U.S. in the West Sea
this month.
China’s Navy to Match S
Korea-US War Game
(The Australian, Jun. 30, 2010) China has
announced its own naval maneuvers in response to those planned by the US and
South Korea.
No Redeployment Plans from
China: U.S.
(CNA, Jun. 19, 2010) China
has never presented a concrete plan for redeployment of its missiles
targeting Taiwan,
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg said.
China’s Military Secrecy
Damages Trust
(CNA, Jun. 19, 2010) China's lack of military
transparency and its suspension of military-to-military exchanges with the
United States will only make it less trustworthy to other countries, a senior
U.S. defense official said.
MAC Welcomes Report on PLA
Forces Repositioning
(Taipei Times,
Jun. 18, 2010) The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) welcomed China’s reported offer to reposition its
military forces opposite Taiwan.
China Faces Nuclear
Diplomacy with Awkward Baggage
(Reuters, Apr. 11, 2010) Chinese President Hu
Jintao takes tricky baggage to the nuclear security summit opening on Monday,
representing a superpower in the making that is a relatively small nuclear
arms state, wary of its big peers.
U.S. Says China Nuclear
Programs Lack Transparency
(Reuters, Apr. 6, 2010) Lack of transparency
surrounding China's
nuclear programs raises questions about its strategic intentions, the United States
said. 2010 Nuclear Posture Review
Report
Russia Delivers Missiles to
China in Estimated $2 Billion Deal
(Bloomberg, Apr. 2, 2010) Russia delivered anti-aircraft missiles to China
under a contract that may be valued as high as $2 billion.
China Announces 7.5 Pct Jump
in Defense Spending
(AP, Mar. 4, 2010) China announced a planned 7.5
percent boost in defense spending this year, a smaller increase than expected
and the first time in more than two decades the jump has been less than
double-digits.
China to Launch Space
Station Module in 2011
(New York Times,
Mar. 4, 2010) The Heavenly Palace, the first module in China’s permanent space station,
will be launched next year, a senior aerospace official confirmed.
PLA Officer Calls for New
Agency to Control Internet
(Reuters, Feb. 23, 2010) An article in the latest
edition of ‘Chinese Cadres Tribune’ magazine calls the Internet ‘a new
battlefield without gunpower.’
China Leads the World in
Hacked Computers, McAfee Study Says
(Washington Post, Feb. 15, 2010) More private
computers were commandeered by hackers for malicious purposes in China in the
last quarter of 2009 than in any other country, according to a new study by
an Internet security company.
China, US, Russia in Cyber
Arms Race: Net Security Chief
(AFP, Jan. 28, 2010) China, the United States and
Russia are among 20 countries locked in a cyberspace arms race and gearing up
for possible Internet hostilities, according to the head of web security firm
McAfee.
China Launches Orbiter for
Navigation System
(China Daily, Jan. 17, 2010) China took one step forward in
its ambition to build an independent global navigation network capable of
rivaling foreign congeneric systems with the successful launch of a new
orbiter into space.
China Continues Arms Build-up
Despite Warming Ties with Taiwan: U.S. (CNA, Jan. 14, 2010) Although Taiwan's relations with China have improved, China has continued its military build-up
against the island, which raises doubts about whether China really wants to adopt peaceful means to
resolve cross-Taiwan Strait issues, U.S. officials said.
China Unveils Anti-Missile
Test After Taiwan Sale
(Reuters, Jan. 12, 2010) China successfully
tested emerging military technology aimed at destroying missiles in mid-air,
the government said, while state media warned ties with Washington would be
hurt by U.S. missile sales to Taiwan.
China’s Space White Paper:
Increasing Transparency… to a Degree By Kevin Pollpeter (China Brief
12(3), Jamestown
Foundation Feb. 3, 2012) The white paper, unfortunately, devotes much less
time to Chinese policies governing its activities in space and, as a result,
will do little to alleviate concerns over the country’s increasing national
power.
China in 2012: Shifting
Perspectives-Assessing the PLA from the Ground Up By Dennis J. Glasko (China Breif
12(2), Jamestown Foundation, Jan. 20, 2012)
Assessing senior-level leadership changes is important, but in order to judge
the degree of improvement in People’s Liberation Army operational
capabilities, many other factors need to be examined.
China’s Assertive
Behavior—Part Three: The Role of the Military in Foreign Policy By Michael D. Swaine (China
Leadership Monitor #36, Jan. 6, 2012, Hoover
Institution) This article assesses what is reliably known about the role of
the PLA in China’s
foreign policy processes. It reviews the changing relationship of the PLA to
the overall PRC leadership system and political power structure in China
and focuses on the organizational and procedural relationship of the PLA to
the foreign policy process in particular.
Space Report Touts Tech,
Tiptoes around Military Uses By Matt Durnin (China Real Time Report, Dec. 30, 2011) If China’s space plans
come to fruition—and its track record over the last decade puts the odds in
its favor—it will possess one of the world’s most robust and diverse space
systems, many with military applications.
Beijing Launches Its Own GPS
Rival By Jeremy Page
(Wall Street Journal, Dec. 28, 2011) China has
begun operating a homegrown satellite navigation service that defense experts said could help the Chinese military to identify, track and strike
U.S. ships in the region in the event of armed conflict.
China’s Spies Are Catching
Up By David Wise
(New York Times, Dec. 11, 2011) United States
counterintelligence agencies have been slow to recognize: just as China has
become a global economic power, it has developed a world-class espionage
service — one that rivals the C.I.A.
Chinese Military Creates
Strategic Planning Department By Peter Mattis (China Brief 11(22), Jamestown Foundation, Nov. 30, 2011) On
November 22, Chinese President Hu Jintao and the Central Military Commission
(CMC) issued a directive creating a “Strategic Planning Department”.
China’s Space Program
Bolstered by First Docking By Andrew Jacobs (New York Times, Nov. 4, 2011) Some Western scientists said the
successful mission provided stark evidence that the 20-year-old sanctions
that limit cooperation between American and Chinese aeronautical engineers
had failed.
Loosening Rules, China
Allows Facial and Neck Tattoos to Join Army By
Michael Wines (New York Times, Nov. 3, 2011)
Seeking to broaden its appeal to China’s better-educated and perhaps
more hip youth, the People’s Liberation Army has dropped a longtime bar to
enlisting in the service: now, recruits can sport tattoos on their faces and
necks.
The 2011 DOD China Report
and Taiwan’s Security By Richard C. Bush III (Brookings, Oct. 11,
2011) If Beijing is serious about its goal of winning the hearts and minds of
the Taiwan people, it may wish to reassess its own security strategy. It will
not win hearts and minds by creating the impression that intimidation is part
of its policy repertoire.
China’s Assertive
Behavior—Part Two: The Maritime Periphery By Michael D. Swaine and M. Taylor Fravel (CLM No. 35,
Hoover Institution, Sep. 21, 2011) This essay assesses
whether, to what degree, and in what ways the PRC has become more assertive
along its maritime territories.
China’s Assertive
Behavior—Part One: On “Core Interests” By Michael D. Swaine (CLM No. 34, Hoover Institution,
Feb. 22, 2011) The single most dominant theme in Sino-U.S. relations of the
past year or more has been the emergence of a more “assertive China.” This
article assesses whether, to what extent, and in what manner Beijing
is becoming more assertive in several areas of relevance to the United States.
Beijing Confronts
Long-Standing Weakness in Anti-Submarine Warfare By
Lyle Goldstein (China Brief
11(14), Jamestown Foundation, Jul. 29, 2011) Observers of China’s
naval development generally accept that Chinese anti-submarine warfare
remains an Achilles’ Heel of the otherwise highly methodical and quite
remarkable evolution of Chinese maritime power.
China Defends Carrier Plans,
Neighbors Fret Over Buildup
(Reuters, Jul. 28, 2011) China’s neighbors are
worried its aircraft carrier program may in time intimidate regional rivals
but its military defended the plan as vital for maritime security.
China Developing New
Military Satellites: Report By Ben Blanchard
(Reuters, Jul. 13, 2011) China is
developing cutting-edge satellites that will allow it to project power far
beyond its shores and deter the United States from using aircraft carriers in
any future conflict over its rival Taiwan, a report said.
Near-Term Missions for
China’s Maiden Aircraft Carrier By Aaron Shraberg (China Brief 11(11),
Jamestown Foundation, Jun. 17, 2011) The real weight of the carrier program
on the balance of power in Asia is several years coming, at the earliest
after the carrier completes its initial sea trials and its airmen are
trained.
PLA Developing Joint
Operations Capability (Part Two): Military Training Coordination Zones By Kevin McCauley (China Brief 11(10), Jamestown Foundation, Jun. 3, 2011)
Military Training Coordination Zones have been established to support and
promote integrated joint training and experimentation. These training zones
play an important role in supporting the joint exercises in each Military
Region and further the development of the military’s integrated joint
operations capability.
PLA Developing Joint
Operations Capability (Part One): Joint Task Force Experimentation By Kevin McCauley (China Brief 11(9), Jamestown Foundation, May 20, 2011) When
fully operationalized and integrated with new weapon systems and
technologies, these efforts could significantly enhance the PLA’s joint
operations capability for contingency operations in potential conflicts along
its continental and maritime periphery.
China’s National Defense in 2010 By Jaeho Hwang
(PacNet #27, Pacific Forum, CSIS, May 10, 2011)
The PLA emphasized that this white paper is the “product of reform and
openness” and an “important symbol.” While there were improvements on its
content and form, the white paper has not satisfied international and
domestic expectations in regard to PLA transparency.
An Initial Assessment of
China’s J-20 Stealth Fighter By
Carlo Kopp
(China Brief, Jamestown Foundation, May 6, 2011)
The maiden test flight in January 2011 of China's
J-20 stealth fighter prototype is an important strategic milestone in several
different respects, and is part of an ongoing effort by China to develop advanced
military technology.
PLA’s Fruitless Moves on
Ex-Taiwan Top Brass By Jens Kastner
(Asia Times, May 3, 2011) Few observers hold that
the fraternization of high-ranking cross-strait military retirees will have a
significant impact on Taiwan's political decision makers, let alone the
active-service military cadre.
China’s 2010 National
Defense White Paper: An Assessment By Michael S. Chase (China
Brief 11(7), Jamestown Foundation, Apr. 22, 2011) In spite of the White
Paper’s lack of detail on specific capabilities, it would behoove Western
analysts to study the perspectives offered in the biannual assessment. One
reason is what the White Paper tells us about changes in Chinese threat
perceptions.
China Lays Out Vision for
Military By Edward Wong
(New York Times, Apr. 1, 2011) The military’s vision
was laid out in a national defense white paper, a document published
every two years since 1998.
A Chinese Assessment of
China’s External Security Environment By
Dingli Shen (China Brief 11(5), Jamestown
Foundation, Mar. 25, 2011) An assessment based on a Chinese government white
paper and recent report published by a leading think tank on China’s external
security environment suggest that Beijing perceives that it is facing
unprecedented external challenges.
The Implications of China’s Active Defense Strategy By
Balbina Y. Hwang (PacNet #16A,
Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 10, 2011) China’s rise seems to be different
not just due to the sheer magnitude of its size and breadth but because it
has been accompanied by a shift in its foreign policy.
Understanding China’s Defense Budget: What It
Means, and Why It Matters By Andrew S. Erickson and Adam P. Liff (PacNet #16,
Pacific Forum, CSIS, Mar. 9, 2011) The PLA budget remains unclear in many
respects, but it is not necessary to count every single RMB to know that the
PLA can and will do a lot more in the foreseeable future.
Implications of China’s
Military Evacuation of Citizens from Libya By
Gabe Collins and Andrew S. Erickson
(China Brief 11(4), Mar.
10, 2011) The deployments signal that as the Chinese military becomes more
proficient in long-range operations, it will increasingly be able to scale-up
deployments if necessary.
China Defense Budget Stirs
Up Regional Disquiet
(Reuters, Mar. 5, 2011) China will beef up its military
budget by 12.7 percent this year, the government said, a return to double-digit
spending increases that will stir regional unease.
U.S. Military Says Keeps Up
with China; Is It Enough? By Phil Stewart (Reuters, Feb. 1, 2011) Looming cost cuts are adding to doubts
about the future of American power in the Pacific.
Turning a New Leaf in
Relations: Russia’s Renewed Arms Sale to China By
Stephen Blank (China Brief 11(2), Jamestown
Foundation, Jan. 28, 2011) The strain in the bilateral arms sales and
geopolitical tension between a rising China and declining Russia still
remain. Yet for the time being the two sides appear to have reached a mutual
accommodation.
2011 PLA Military Training:
Toward Greater Interoperability
By David Chen (China Brief
11(2), Jamestown
Foundation, Jan. 28, 2011) In general, PLA training in the coming year
appears poised to continue experimentation and modification of force
structures to accomplish the long-term objectives of preparing the Chinese
armed forces to execute longer-distance joint operations.
China Tries to Steal a March
By Trefor Moss
(Asia Times, Jan. 14, 2011) The story of the
Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter is perhaps more remarkable for what it says
about the bravura of China's rulers than for what it reveals about the future
capability of the Chinese air force.
Test Unrelated to Gates
Visit, China Says By Michael Wines and
Elisabeth Bumiller (New York Times, Jan. 12,
2011) One day after China staged a public first flight of its
new stealth jet fighter, this nation’s state-run media insisted forcefully
that the two events were little more than coincidence.
Chinese Military Tests
Fighter Jet Ahead of Hu’s Meeting with Gates By
John Pomfret (Washington Post, Jan. 12, 2011)
With the test of a stealth fighter jet, the Chinese military provided a blunt
demonstration of its willingness to challenge both the United States and its
own president.
Defense Secretary Gates:
U.S. Underestimated Parts of China’s Military Modernization By
John Pomfret (Washington Post, Jan. 9, 2011)
The United States has been surprised by the pace of China's military development, Secretary
of Defense Robert Gates said, acknowledging that U.S. intelligence has
underestimated elements of the country's military modernization.
U.S. Will Counter Chinese
Arms Buildup By Elisabeth Bumiller
(New York Times, Jan. 9, 2011) The Pentagon is
stepping up investments in a range of weapons, jet fighters and technology in
response to the Chinese military buildup in the Pacific, Defense
Secretary Robert M. Gates said on the eve of his visit to Beijing.
PLA Drive Targets Taiwan: US
Study By William Lowther
(Taipei Times,
Jan. 8, 2011) Blumenthal, a former senior director for China and Taiwan
at the Pentagon’s Office of International Security Affairs, argues that China’s
strategy would be guided by the principles of surprise, possible pre-emption
and “decisive blows.”
China’s Push to Modernize
Military Is Bearing Fruit By Michael Wines and Edward Wong (New York
Times, Jan. 6, 2011) A decade of aggressive modernization of China’s once
creaky military is beginning to bear fruit, and both the Pentagon and China’s
Asian neighbors are increasingly taking notice.
Chinese J-20 Stealth Fighter
in Taxi Tests By Bill Sweetman
(Aviation Week, Jan. 3, 2011) China’s first known stealth
aircraft just emerged from a secret development program and was undergoing
high-speed taxi tests late last week at Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute’s
airfield.
Why China’s Missiles Should
Be Our Focus By Mark Stokes and Dan Blumenthal (Washington
Post, Jan. 2, 2011) With the New START treaty ratified, the Obama
administration can turn its attention to the real source of nuclear
instability among the great powers: China's buildup of conventional
ballistic missiles.
PRC’s Fifth-Generation Jet
Pictures Cause Stir in US By William Lowther (Taipei Times, Jan. 1, 2011) In what has caused a major stir
within the Pentagon, Beijing Internet censors earlier this week allowed
high-resolution photographs of the Chengdu Aircraft Corp stealth fighter to
be published for the first time.
Expert Downplays PRC Threat
to Taiwan By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Dec. 30, 2010) A US military
expert is playing down the threat to Taiwan of China’s new DF-21D ballistic
anti-ship missile, which is said to be capable of sinking an aircraft
carrier.
Military Strength Eludes China,
Which Looks Overseas for Arms
By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Dec. 24, 2010) China’s persistent dependence on
Russian arms suppliers demonstrates a central truth about the Chinese
military: The bluster about the emergence of a superpower is undermined by
national defense industries that can't produce what China needs.
China Expands Naval Presence
Through Jeddah Port Call By Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(25), Jamestown Foundation, Dec. 17, 2010) China’s naval
presence on the global stage is expanding. Foreign port visits by its naval
vessels to the Gulf region are emerging as an important element in Chinese
naval strategy.
PLA’s Growing Power
Projection Capabilities By Jeffrey Engstrom (China Brief 10(25), Jamestown Foundation, Dec. 17, 2010) A
narrow focus on Chinese activities along the periphery obscures a more
profound trend, whereby the People’s Liberation Army is modernizing in ways
that will allow it to project forces farther beyond its borders.
China Unveils Sea Defense
System to Counter Aircraft Carrier By
Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(23), Nov. 19,
2010) It has come as a surprise to outside observers that state-owned China
Aerospace Science & Industry Corporation displayed a detailed diagram
depicting an integrated “Coastal Defense System” coordinating an attack on an
un-flagged aircraft carrier group approaching a small island off the coast of
China.
Hambantota, Chittagong, and
the Maldives—Unlikely Pearls for the Chinese Navy By
Daniel Kostecka (China Brief 10(23), Nov. 19,
2010) This article will examine allegations of Chinese military facilities in
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives to include the practical benefits of
these locations for China’s security.
Report Looks at How China
Meddled with the Internet By John Markoff (New York Times, Nov. 18, 2010) An annual report to
Congress touched off a round of speculation about the motives of a small
Chinese Internet service provider that briefly rerouted as much as 15 percent
of the world’s Web traffic on two occasions last spring.
Mission Action 2010: Three
Complex, Transregional, Integrated Joint Operations By
Dennis J. Blasko (China
Brief, Jamestown Foundation, Nov. 5, 2010)
Between the two exercises, Stride 2009 and Mission Action 2010, units from
all MRs, except for the Nanjing MR, were involved. In neither exercise did
units move toward coastal assembly areas or into the Nanjing MR as might be
expected if these exercises were part of preparation for operations against Taiwan.
China Navy Focused on
Taiwan: Forum By William Lowther
(Taipei Times, Nov. 5, 2010) A symposium on the
South China Sea was told that Beijing’s naval
buildup over the last decade was focused “almost solely” on Taiwan.
China’s Fast Rise Leads
Neighbors to Join Forces By Mark Landler, Jim
Yardley and Michael Wines (New
York Times, Oct. 31, 2010) China’s military expansion and assertive trade
policies have set off jitters across Asia, prompting many of its neighbors to
rekindle old alliances and cultivate new ones.
China’s New Submarines and
Deployment Patterns: Aimed at South China Sea? By
Russell Hsiao (China
Brief 10(21), Jamestown Foundation, Oct. 22,
2010) Images and media reports about new types of submarines appearing in
recent months have generated a lot of interest in China's evolving submarine force.
PLA Gains Clout: Xi Jinping
Elevated to CMC Vice-Chairman By Willy Lam (China Brief
10(21), Jamestown
Foundation, Oct. 22, 2010) Xi's induction into the policy-setting CMC could
also augment the military establishment's already formidable clout in foreign
policy and other arenas.
Politics and the Military
Blur in China By Ko Shu-ling
(Taipei Times, Oct. 5, 2010) One thing
commentators agree on when discussing the often -mysterious relations between
the CCP and one of the world’s largest military forces is that they exhibit
none of the instability witnessed in Latin American and Africa in the last
century as authoritarian regimes repeatedly fell victim to military coups.
Aging Tigers, Mighty
Dragons: China’s Bifurcated Surface Fleet By
Joseph Carrigan(China Brief 10(19), Jamestown
Foundation, Sep. 24, 2010) PLAN has become a bifurcated force—a navy
comprised of modern, highly capable ships and submarines and older, decidedly
less capable and seemingly less reliable ones.
China’s Evolving Anti-Access
Approach: “Where’s the Nearest (U.S.) Carrier?” By
Andrew Erickson (China Brief 10(18),
Jamestown Foundation, Sep. 10, 2010) Emerging Chinese A2/AD
capabilities should concern not only the U.S. Navy but also the U.S. military as a whole, whose operations in East Asia writ large could be affected.
Ryukyu Chain in China’s Island
Strategy By James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara (China
Brief 10(18), Jamestown Foundation, Sep. 10, 2010) After decades of declining
to dispute Chinese access to the Pacific, Tokyo has started taking the prospect of
Sino-Japanese maritime competition more seriously, and it grasps the
geographic dimension of any such contest.
Living with a Modernized PLA By
Dean Cheng
(Taipei
Times, Aug. 27, 2010) In light of the all-round expansion of Chinese military
capabilities, as outlined in the report, the administration of US President
Barack Obama needs to maintain the credibility of its own presence in the
Western Pacific.
Taiwanese Must Heed Report
on PRC Power By Nat Bellocchi
(Taipei
Times, Aug. 27, 2010) If Taiwan does want to keep all its options for the
future open, then the public and the government need to make it clear to China
and the rest of the world that progress in the economic arena needs to be
accompanied by clear steps by Beijing renouncing the use of force.
Testing Time for US Arms
Report on China By Peter J Brown
(Asia Times, Aug. 25, 2010) China does share an interest in
averting an overt arms race and potential miscalculation. Within that space,
this report provides a realistic context for further engagement.
Straight Talk on Taiwan By
Joseph A. Bosco
(LA Times, Aug. 20, 2010) The value of ‘strategic
ambiguity’ has run its course. As long as China
believes the U.S. will
abandon democratic Taiwan
to avoid going to war, the danger of conflict increases.
PLA Expands Network of
Military Reconnaissance Satellites By
Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(17), Jamestown
Foundation, Aug. 19, 2010) Given the dual use-nature of remote sensing
satellites, China is rapidly improving its diverse network of space-based
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors, which can
bolster the Chinese military's expanding land, sea and air operations.
PLA Amphibious Capabilities:
Structured for Deterrence By Dennis J. Blasko (China Brief 10(17), Jamestown Foundation, Aug. 19, 2010) A few
weeks before the U.S. DoD released its 2010 report to Congress,
a Taiwanese military intelligence assessment reportedly asserted that the PLA
"regular amphibious abilities have ... increased, with transport
capacity reaching a full division". Unfortunately, the 2010 DoD report
does not support the assertion.
The Chinese Military
Challenge
(Wall Street Journal, Aug. 19, 2010) Considering
that the Pentagon's annual report on China's military power tells us little
that we didn't already know, we'll put the delay down to the Obama
Administration's reluctance to offend Beijing's sensitivities. That may be
the most alarming fact of all.
PLA Plans to Isolate Taiwan:
Pentagon By William Lowther
(Taipei
Times, Aug. 18, 2010) A new Pentagon report on the Chinese military concludes
that Beijing is rapidly expanding its armed forces “to deter, delay or deny”
any possible US support for Taiwan in case of a conflict.
Economic Powerhouse China
Focuses on Its Military Might
By John Pomfret (Washington Post, Aug. 17, 2010) China
is quickly modernizing its military and has set its sights on extending its
influence deep into the Pacific and Indian oceans now that the military
balance with its longtime nemesis, Taiwan, is tilting in its favor,
the Defense Department reported.
Pentagon Cites Concerns in
China Military Growth By Thom Shanker (New York Times, Aug. 17, 2010) China
has increased spending on a military that is becoming larger and more
effective even as Beijing
has rebuffed exchanges with the Defense Department that could improve
stability, according to a Pentagon study released.
Assessing the PLA’s
Promotion Ladder to CMC Member Based on Grades vs. Ranks—Part 2 By
Kenneth Allen (China
Brief 10(16), Jamestown
Foundation, Aug. 5, 2010) While rank and grade promotions, as well as an
officer’s age, are visible indicators, personal relationships and an
Army-dominated system add a less predictable but arguably equally important
layer, especially for ascertaining who the next CMC vice chairmen will be.
Assessing the PLA’s
Promotion Ladder to CMC Member Based on Grades vs. Ranks—Part 1 By
Kenneth Allen (China Brief 10(15), Jamestown
Foundation, Jul. 22, 2010) The protocol order and placement of the
PLAN, PLAAF and Second Artillery commanders on the CMC as a “policy
promotion,” which is not an automatic promotion upon becoming the commander,
implies that the eight members of the CMC may not be equal in terms of their
authority.
Modernizing Navy for
Self-Defense
(China Daily, Jul. 13, 2010) It is strengthening
its marine strategy and its navy to protect its core national interests and
not to pose a threat to any country. The People's Republic of China
has never infringed upon any country's marine rights. On the contrary, other
countries have violated its marine rights and interests repeatedly.
Aims and Motives of
China’s East China Sea Live Fire
Drills By Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(14), Jamestown Foundation, Jul. 9,
2010) In spite of a lack of expert agreement over Chinese intentions, one
aspect of the exercise seems clear, the combined arms exercise demonstrates
the PLA’s growing integrated war-fighting capabilities.
China Flexes Its Naval
Muscle By Peter J Brown
(Asia Times, Jul. 9, 2010) China this week again used
the East China Sea as a setting for military maneuvers and exercises that it
knew would rattle the United States and its allies.
Reorientation of China’s
Armed Forces: Implications for the Future Promotions of PLA Generals By
Joseph Y. Lin (China Brief 10(13), Jamestown Foundation, Jun. 24, 2010) Against the backdrop of the
PLA’s stated intention to reorient the armed forces as part of its
modernization efforts, an analysis of promotion patterns of the 118 PLA
generals (1981 - 2009) may yield important insights into the foci of PLA
force transformation.
Taiwan Issue Spurs China to
Build Up Missile Forces By Bill Gertz
(Washington Times, May 24, 2010) China's rapid
development of ballistic and cruise missile forces is altering the balance of
power in Asia and threatens U.S. forces in a conflict over Taiwan and beyond,
according to a forthcoming report by Project 2049 Institute.
The U.S.-China Strategic
Security Relationship and the Nuclear Posture Review Report By
Michael S. Chase (China
Brief 10(9), Jamestown
Foundation, Apr. 29, 2010) The United States should persuade China that
increasing transparency would not undermine Chinese interests, but would
instead benefit both sides by helping to promote shared strategic stability
and national security interests.
China’s Grand Strategy By
Daniel Blumenthal
(Foreign
Policy, Apr. 29, 2010) Taiwan's
importance is the same as the importance of our Japanese, South Korean, and
Philippine allies -- more geopolitical than geostrategic. These countries
have embraced the international system that the United States created and
defended after World War II.
PLAN East Sea Fleet Moves
Beyond First Island Chain By Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(9), Jamestown
Foundation, Apr. 29, 2010) The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) recently
carried out its annual exercises far from China's coastal waters.
Strategic Implications of
China’s Access to the Rajin Port By
Russell Hsiao (China Brief 10(6), Jamestown Foundation, Mar. 18, 2010) North Korean authorities
are currently studying a proposal to grant a 10 year extension to China's
lease of Rajin Port, which is located strategically on the border of North
Korea and Russia, close to the mouth of the Tumen river basin and the Sea of
Japan.
The PLA Raises Its Voice By
Peter J Brown
(Asia Times, Mar. 9, 2010) A growing number of
senior officers in the different branches of the Chinese People's Liberation
Army (PLA) are becoming outspoken. But why they have chosen now to raise their
voices is subject to debate.
China’s Military Bluster
Camouflages Toothless Bite By Ben Blanchard (Reuters, Mar. 8, 2010) Big on spit and polish and parades but short
on experience, new technology and force coordination, China’s military has
far to go before its bite begins to approach its increasingly loud sound.
China Says It Is Slowing
Down Military Spending By Michael Wines
(New York Times, Mar. 5, 2010)
China’s official military budget will rise by just 7.5 percent in 2010, a
government spokesman said Thursday, a rate that is about half the official
increase in recent years and the first to fall below 10 percent since 1989.
Evidence of Learning? Chinese Strategic Messaging
Following the Missile Defense Intercept Test By
James Mulvenon (China
Leadership Monitor, Hoover
Institution, Winter 2010) China’s 11 January 2010 test of a missile defense
system offers important examples of improved strategic communications,
particularly when compared with the 2007 ASAT test.
PLAN Shapes International
Perception of Evolving Capabilities By
Jesse Karotkin (China
Brief, Jamestown
Foundation, Feb. 4, 2010) As the PLAN gears up to undertake unprecedented
international missions and in the process execute new capabilities in the
coming decades, rather than deny the rapid evolution of PLAN capabilities,
Beijing has focused on assuaging concerns over Chinese intentions.
Britain Warned Businesses of
Threat of Chinese Spying By John F. Burns (New York Times, Feb. 1, 2010) British business executives dealing
with China were given a formal warning, titled “The Threat from Chinese
Espionage,” more than a year ago by Britain’s security
service, MI5.
The PLA’s Multiple Military
Tasks: Prioritizing Combat Operations and Developing MOOTW Capabilities By
Michael S. Chase and Kristen Gunness (China Brief, Jamestown Foundation,
Jan. 21, 2010) The concept of “multiple military tasks” emphasizes the need
for the PLA to enhance its capabilities to successfully conduct combat
operations, particularly with regard to Taiwan, and expand the PLA’s
capabilities by participating in military operations other than war.
Chinese Missile Defense:
Anything You Can Do
(The Economist, Jan. 14, 2010) Instead of waiting
for the Pentagon to tell the world, the official news agency, Xinhua, on
January 11th tersely announced China’s successful test of a land-based missile-defence
system.
Major Reshuffles in China’s
Military and Security Leadership By
Willy Lam (China
Brief, Jamestown Foundation, Jan. 7, 2010)
President and Commander-in-Chief Hu Jintao has reshuffled the leadership of China’s
military and security forces to speed up rejuvenation and raise the
efficiency and combat-readiness of the generals.
China’s Conventional Cruise
and Ballistic Missile Force Modernization and Deployment By
Martin Andrew (China Brief, Jamestown
Foundation, Jan. 7, 2010) China’s
ballistic and cruise missile forces have increased in capability over the
past decade and are now starting to pose a considerable conventional threat
to nations within Southeast, South and West Asia
as well as European Russia.
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