China Military Watch - Jan 11, 2011

[Austin]

Wartime documents show details of Japanese atrocities

CHANGCHUN, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 89 wartime documents made public on Friday show details of atrocities Japanese troops committed in China during World War Two (WWII).

The files, once kept by the invading Japanese army in Northeast China, are a response to Japan's right-wing politicians' denial of Japan's wartime crimes in China, experts said.

The documents represent only a small portion of the nearly 100,000 wartime Japanese files retrieved underground during construction work in the early 1950s, said Yin Huai, president of the Jilin Provincial Archives in Changchun, capital of Jilin Province. Ninety percent of the files are in Japanese.

The invading troops buried some of their archives when fleeing Changchun, the then "capital" of the puppet Manchu State, in wake of a war with the Soviet Union, as they had no time to burn the documents.

Twenty-five files revealed conditions at some "comfort stations", including ratios between Japanese soldiers and "comfort women" and details of gruesome rapes.

The files also showed that the Japanese troops used "public money", evidence of organized activities, when setting up "comfort stations" and abducting and trafficking Chinese women and forcing them into sex slavery.

Among six other documents, there are Japanese newspapers published on Dec. 23, 1937 depicting gruesome killings during the Nanjing Massacre.

The newspaper reported that Japanese invaders killed 85,000 people within three days, and in one case, bodies were scattered kilometers from a port to a river.

Several letters Japanese soldiers wrote but seized by army officers expose the invaders' rapes of local women. "Japanese armies raped tens of thousands of women in Nanjing, including a 12-year-old girl, and many were even killed thereafter. The crimes were appalling," said one letter.

Six files documented the transfer of prisoners to the notorious Unit 731 where bacterial experiments on humans were carried out. The Japanese army believed the prisoners were spies for the Soviet Union.

Unit 731 was a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base established in Harbin in 1935, serving as the nerve center of Japan's biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during WWII. Fourteen files showed Japanese troops' strict management and torture of Chinese laborers, including teenagers.

The laborers were under close watch and suffered inhumane treatment. Many of them became ill and even died, according to the files. "Bodies of Chinese workers were strewn everywhere and dogs were eating corpses like eating delicious food," said one file.

The documents also showed the migration of a large number of Japanese citizens to China's Northeast during the colonial rule. The newcomers grabbed land of local farmers and even beat and killed many.

The files also had accounts of detention and maltreatment of prisoners from the U.S. and British army forces.

[Khalsa]

What I would have loved is India buying - it was sold as scrap - the Sea Shadow (just as the chinese did with the aircraft carrier):

Not sure we would have been able to ... am sure they would have kept the bidding domestic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Shadow_(IX-529)

In 2006, the U.S Navy began to try to sell Sea Shadow to the highest bidder;[1][2] after the initial offering met with a lack of interest, it was listed for dismantling sale on gsaauctions.gov.[3] The U.S. Government required that the buyer not sail the ship and is required to scrap the ship.[4] The ship was finally sold in 2012.[5][6] Sea Shadow was totally dismantled in 2012 by Bay Ship. [7]

[Austin]

[brar_w]

United states naval college academia and strategic views on china and its navy (1 hr 18 minute video/panel discussion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhwm4SJ ... qPmPzjhxmj

[NRao]

United states naval college academia and strategic views on china and its navy (1 hr 18 minute video/panel discussion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhwm4SJ ... qPmPzjhxmj

Some very good, serious stuff!!

Thanks.

[VinodTK]

Japanese media: China to buy S400 to deter Taiwan , Japan and India

Japan’s “diplomatic scholar” magazine website on April 11 quoted a Russian commercial television reported that Putin has approved the sale to China of two to four sets of S-400 air defense missile system. The deal is already in negotiations among, if approved, would allow China to become the first foreign customers this advanced defense systems. At present, China has deployed many Soviet-era S-300 defense system.

Putin Green-lights Milestone Weapons Sale to China

Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved the sale of Russia’s latest S-400 Triumf air defense guided missile system to the Chinese military, according to reports last week.

Beijing first tried to buy the advanced anti-aircraft weapon system back in 2011, but negotiations stalled in part because Russia was concerned that China would copycat the technology, and in part because Russia wanted to ensure that it could provide an ample supply of the high-tech systems to its own military before selling it to any other nation.

But now, in the aftermath of Moscow’s occupation and annexation of the Crimean peninsula, Putin has new impetus to shore up Russo-Chinese ties, economically and militarily. This newfound impetus has reshuffled his priorities and trumped his other concerns.

As a result, China stands poised to buy enough of the systems to equip up to four battalions of the People’s Liberation Army. Such a quantity, according to the military news website Huanqiu.com, would give China a strategic advantage in both the Taiwan Strait and the airspace above the Diaoyutai/Senkaku islands, which lie at the center of an increasingly tense dispute between Beijing and Tokyo.

This video made by Almaz-Antey—the Russian firm that makes the system—shows cgi demos of its purported capability. Note that the aircraft and ships being targeted look suspiciously like American models.

So what was it that made Russia reshuffle its priorities and greenlight the milestone sale? After Putin grabbed Crimea, Western powers labeled the annexation illegal and began striving to isolate and punish Russia over it. Initially, many in the West said they thought the entire world would view the move the way they did—as barbaric behavior on Putin’s part. For example, United States President Barack Obama initially said the nations were “largely united” in believing Putin had violated Ukraine’s territory.

But Mr. Obama’s statement was almost immediately exposed as naive when China and India made clear that they supported Putin. Putin later thanked Beijing and Delhi for it saying, “We are grateful to the people of China, whose leaders have always considered the situation in Ukraine and Crimea taking into account the full historical and political context, and greatly appreciate India’s reserve and objectivity.”

Of all nations, Russia is uniquely able and willing to provide the secure source of energy needed to power China’s and India’s rapid industrial and economic growth. Russia has the oil, natural gas, uranium and nuclear technology needed to provide power for the billions of inhabitants of Earth’s two most populous countries. Russia’s geographic propinquity to China and India greatly facilitates fuel transport.

Russia has sometimes dragged its feet over energy deals with India and China, but that is now rapidly changing. Last month, Indian officials announced that they had come to an agreement with Moscow to build a $30 billion oil pipeline—the most expensive in the world—to bring Russian energy to India. The announcement was viewed as a direct result of Putin’s new look toward the East. “The recent unease in both the U.S. and Europe over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s … annexation of Crimea has only added to Moscow’s efforts to diversify its markets beyond Europe,” said John Daly, ceo of U.S.-Central Asia Biofuels Ltd. after the Indian announcement.

Not to be outdone, a few days later China announced that later this month it will finally wrap up a 10-year series of talks with Moscow about Beijing buying massive quantities Russian gas.

Besides fuel and weapons Russia also possesses military know-how, which Putin appears increasingly willing to share with his Asian neighbors. This willingness will be on full display in three weeks when Russia and China hold joint naval drills in the East China Sea.

To understand the significance of Moscow’s increasingly eastward gaze, and what results to expect from it, read “Asia Stands With Putin.” ▪

[brar_w]

Vietnam and China ships 'collide in South China Sea'

The incident happened as the Vietnamese navy was trying to prevent the Chinese from setting up an oil rig in an area claimed by both nations.

No shots were fired, reports say. But Vietnamese officials said that water cannons were used on their ships.

The incident is the most serious between the countries at sea in years, with dozens of boats now in the area.

Vietnamese officials said on Wednesday that the Chinese ships intentionally rammed their vessels.

Several sailors were injured, AP quoted one official as saying.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27293314

[SSridhar]

United states naval college academia and strategic views on china and its navy (1 hr 18 minute video/panel discussion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWhwm4SJ ... qPmPzjhxmj

Terrific stuff. China watchers *must* take a look.

[Cosmo_R]

On a lighter note, paging Singha:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 816809.cms?

I think a tale (;) called the 'Hanuman Factor' authored by our resident Ludlum is in order. Indian monkeys are trained to infiltrate PRC bases....

[brar_w]

On a lighter note, paging Singha:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/worl ... 816809.cms?

I think a tale (;) called the 'Hanuman Factor' authored by our resident Ludlum is in order. Indian monkeys are trained to infiltrate PRC bases....

Thats one thing they haven't copied from the US

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/fea ... e-1.392592

Remember this

[Philip]

Interesting details about the PLAN's DDG:

http://www.informationdissemination.net/

052D's role in Chinese Navy

In my last blog entry, I looked over the future of PLAN surface combatant fleet. Part of the reason I did that is the emergency of the new Type 055 cruiser. For any future PLAN carrier group or expeditionary strike group, Type 052D will be expected as important escorts even with Type 055 in the fold. What roles can Type 052D and how will it be utilized by PLAN?

If we look at Type 052D’s ancestors Type 052C, we have a surface combatant that is clearly designed to provide area air defense. It is the first modern Chinese AAW ship that has advanced multi-functional radar system with Active guided long range SAM along with relative modern combat system. It is also expected by many to have an advanced AEGIS like combat system allowing engagements using inputs from sensors on different ships and aircraft. While it is also equipped with the advanced YJ-62 (also replaceable with LACM) and advanced sonar system (looks to be same Towed Array Sonar as on Type 054A), there is no question that the emphasis of the ship is for area air defense. Type 052C’s ancestor Type 052B can be looked at as a stepping stone from Type 052 to 052C. Its production stopped at 2, because Type 054A is cheaper and provides almost all of the capabilities of 052B (including much stronger ASW). A large PLAN flotilla prior to 052D would surely need both Type 052C and 054A to provide required air defense and anti-submarine defense.

Type 052D provides PLAN with a lot more flexibility. That’s why more Type 052D is expected to be produced than Type 052C. It is equipped with a newer generation of multi-functional radar, new variable depth sonar along with other new sensors. More importantly, it’s the first surface combatant with the universal VLS. Type 052D could also maintain a more balanced profile with 32 cells for long range SAM, 8 cells for quad-packed medium range SAM, 8 cells for anti-ship missiles, 8 cells for LACMs and 8 cells for ASROC like missile. That would provide comparable air defense to 052C while having increased firepower in ASuW and ASW. If 052D is given the task of area air defense, it can utilize all of its VLS for the purpose of air defense. They can use 48 cells for long range SAM and remaining 16 cells for quad-packed medium range SAM or even 56 cells for long range SAM and remaining 8 cells for quad-packed medium range SAM. Both of which would provide solid protection for the ship itself and surrounding fleet once we factor in the 24-cell HQ-10 SAM and 7-barrelled PJ-12 CIWS for point defense. Another possible usage is in BMD, although I'm not sure if the technical characteristics of 052D's radar allows it to do tracking and target discrimination of ballistic missile threats. This role might be left for Type 055 cruisers. In theory, you could put the reported HQ-26 missile (or some other SM-3 like missile) on 052D along with other air defense missiles in the BMD role.

With the addition of PJ-38 artillery gun and VLS launched LACMs, 052D could be PLAN's first ship to have major land attack capabilities. PJ-38 would provide 052D with the ability to support amphibious landings like Sov destroyers. Long range LACMs would finally give PLAN the ability to attack land target from far away. This is a capability that PLAN really never needed when they were a brown or green water navy. Even though YJ-62 launchers were removed, 052D could also be fitted with 16+ anti-ship missiles in an ASuW profile. All of the SAMs should also have secondary anti-ship mode. If they develop PJ-38 into being able to launch over the horizon anti-ship projectiles, 052D could be quite powerful in ASuW missions. Finally, Type 052D can also be PLAN's most effective surface ship in ASW missions. Its universal VLS can hold longer ranged ASROC missiles than Type 054A's VLS. Type 054A is almost limited to the short legged Z-9C helicopter while 052D could also use Ka-28 helicopters (and Z-15/20 in the future). With a more powerful sonar suite than Type 054A, it would be better suited for ASW missions in blue waters.

At the moment, 052D is China's primary surface combatant and expected to provide the most important roles in escorting a fleet. It is likely to be useful in China's navy for a long time because it is using China's first universal VLS and an artillery gun that can launch different type of projectiles. Its close in defense systems could easily be upgraded. New missiles and projectiles could probably be supported on 052D in the future with software updates or relatively small hardware upgrades. PLAN currently has the problem where it often does not replace outdated weapon system because of cost and supply concerns. That's why the recent Type 052 upgrades only changed the CIWS. Type 052D is first ship in PLAN to really benefit from a more plug and play approach that USN has enjoyed for years. Even when Type 055 joins service, Type 052D could still be very useful in land attack or ASuW or ASW roles.

[NRao]

Shift as Vietnam marks South China Sea battle



However, of more importance: china is actually reclaiming from the sea and has built a "City" on disputed territories:


Aerial view of Sansha city on an island in the disputed Paracel chain on 27 January 2012


There is a report that China is also building an air strip in one of these islands - there by extending her military reach way out!!!

[vanand]

New energy corridor secured
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27503017

Will China abandon Karakorum route?

[Singha]

its amazing what they have achieved on these little reefs and sandbars.

[Austin]

In the waters of the East China Sea extends the active phase of the Sino-Russian joint naval exercises "Sea interaction in 2014." exercise involved 12 ships two submarines, fighter-bombers 8 JH-7 and helicopters.

Pictures -- http://bmpd.livejournal.com/865544.html

[member_23694]

Russia-China negotiations on Sale of Su-35s almost concluded

http://idrw.org/?p=38317

Russia is likely to make about $1.5 billion from the 24 planes

What is this going on ? Latest Su-30 MKI is said to cost $100 million a piece and here off the shelf Su-35 purchase cost around $63 million
a piece. I am not even counting the mentioned $6 billion initial investment plan for PAK FA.

[Eric Leiderman]

French yahoodi stuff costs more.

[member_26622]

Price depends on Buyer (and Chut*yas get ripped off)!

If we go in the market showing interest in 100 million dressed up old hags like Rafale then Russians will ask same for their SU-3X. Chinese are already making copies of Su-30 so they have huge buying leverage.

Same inflation will be seen for buying Kilo or other Rusi submarines-- Guess who else is throwing away 1 billion $ on a conventional sub in the world Hmmmm ?

Pardon by sarcasm, but truth pill is bitter. In summary, the french have fu**ed us both ways !

[member_27862]

Russia-China negotiations on Sale of Su-35s almost concluded

http://idrw.org/?p=38317

Russia is likely to make about $1.5 billion from the 24 planes

What is this going on ? Latest Su-30 MKI is said to cost $100 million a piece and here off the shelf Su-35 purchase cost around $63 million
a piece. I am not even counting the mentioned $6 billion initial investment plan for PAK FA.

Thats the 'profit' I guess.....

[brar_w]

Latest Su-30 MKI is said to cost $100 million a piece

Any link for that? I heard 40-60 million being thrown around for a PAKFA MKI.

[Austin]

Why China and America are Headed Toward a Catastrophic Clash

Many people find it hard to understand why China is acting the way it is in the East and South China Seas. What does Beijing hope to achieve by alienating its neighbors and undermining regional stability?

Let me suggest an answer: China is trying to build what President Xi Jinping calls "a new model of great power relations." To understand how this might be the aim of Beijing's actions, we have to recognize that under his "new model," Xi wants China to wield much more power and influence in Asia than it has for the past few centuries. These things are inherently zero-sum, so for China to have more power and influence, America must have less. This is what Xi and his colleagues are trying to achieve.

Their reasoning is simple enough. They know that America's position in Asia is built on its network of alliances and partnerships with many of China's neighbors. They believe that weakening these relationships is the easiest way to weaken U.S. regional power. And they know that, beneath the flowery diplomatic phrases, the bedrock of these alliances and partnerships is the confidence America's Asian friends have that America is able and willing to protect them from China's power.

So the easiest way for Beijing to weaken Washington's power in Asia is to undermine this confidence. And the easiest way to do that is for Beijing to press those friends and allies hard on issues in which America's own interests are not immediately engaged -- like a string of maritime disputes in which the U.S. has no direct stake.

By using direct armed pressure in these disputes, China makes its neighbors more eager for U.S. military support, and at the same time makes America less willing to give it, because of the clear risk of a direct U.S.-China clash. In other words, by confronting America's friends with force, China confronts America with the choice between deserting its friends and fighting China. Beijing is betting that, faced with this choice, America will back off and leave its allies and friends unsupported. This will weaken America's alliances and partnerships, undermine U.S. power in Asia, and enhance China's power.

This view of China's motives explains its recent conduct.

Ever since President Obama announced the "pivot," China has tested U.S. willingness to support its allies over the Scarborough Shoals and Senkaku/Daioyu disputes. Until his Asian trip last month, Obama seemed inclined to step back from America's commitments, but his bold words in Tokyo and Manila suggest he has recovered his resolve to stand firm.

Now we can expect China to test this newly-recovered resolve by applying more pressure in the same places or elsewhere. And that is what Beijing is doing today in the waters off Vietnam. It is calling Obama's bluff. Expect more pressure against Manila and Tokyo soon.

Of course this carries risks for China. It does not want to fight America, so it must be confident in the judgment that America will back down and desert its friends rather than engage in conflict with China, even if backing down badly weakens the U.S. position in Asia. This confidence reflects two key judgments by China's leaders.

First, they believe that China's new anti-access/area denial capabilities can deny America a quick and easy victory in an maritime clash in the East Asian littoral waters. They have been reassured by America's own Air-Sea Battle doctrine that the U.S. knows it cannot prevail in these waters without launching a major campaign of strikes against Chinese territory. Such strikes would obviously risk a major escalation which might not stop below the nuclear threshold. So China's leaders think their U.S. counterparts understand that a war with China today is one that America could not be confident of either winning or limiting.

Second, Beijing believes the balance of resolve is on China's side. Washington clearly wants to preserve its role in Asia, but Beijing is even more determined to win power at the U.S.' expense. China's conduct suggests that the leadership in Beijing believes Washington understands this imbalance of resolve. That makes the Chinese confident that U.S. leaders will not assume that China would back down first in a crisis.

The idea that China might believe these things comes as a surprise to many outside China, including, one suspects, many in Washington. U.S. policy towards China, including the pivot itself, is based on contrary assumptions. The consensus is that Beijing is not really serious about challenging U.S. leadership in Asia because it is simply not willing to risk a confrontation with America which Beijing's leaders must know they would lose, and they do not care enough about expanding China's role in Asia to take that risk.

If that's true, then China's conduct is clearly foolish. But before assuming that the Chinese leaders are fools, we would be wise to wonder whether they really do believe what Washington assumes they believe. I'm pretty sure they do not.

Asia today therefore carries the seeds of a truly catastrophic episode of mutual misperception. Both Washington and China are steadily upping the stakes in their rivalry as China's provocations of US friends and allies become more flagrant and America's commitments to support them become more categorical.

Both believe they can do this with impunity because both believe the other will back down to avoid a clash. There is a disconcertingly high chance that they are both wrong.

Someone needs to change the nature of the game to avert the risk of disaster.

[Kartik]

Price depends on Buyer (and Chut*yas get ripped off)!

If we go in the market showing interest in 100 million dressed up old hags like Rafale then Russians will ask same for their SU-3X. Chinese are already making copies of Su-30 so they have huge buying leverage.

Same inflation will be seen for buying Kilo or other Rusi submarines-- Guess who else is throwing away 1 billion $ on a conventional sub in the world Hmmmm ?

Pardon by sarcasm, but truth pill is bitter. In summary, the french have fu**ed us both ways !

you're calling the Rafale a "dressed up old hag"??

have you totally lost it or what?

[gashish]

China’s Air Force Modernization: ‘Unprecedented in History’

http://thediplomat.com/2014/06/chinas-a ... n-history/

The increasingly modern PLAAF aircraft seemed to be the top concern of the Pentagon in the new report. Last year, for instance, the report noted that, although China is fielding more and more 4th generation aircraft, “the force still consists mostly of older 2nd and 3rd generation aircraft, or upgraded variants of those aircraft.” By contrast, the report this year stated that although the PLAAF continues to operate 2nd and 3rd generation aircraft, it will likely become a majority 4th generation Air Force within the next several years.

On the other hand, the new report pushes back the timeline by which the U.S. expects China to produce its first domestically built aircraft carrier. Last year’s report suggested that this would likely be operational sometime in the second half of this decade. The new report says that China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier will not be operational until early next decade.

[member_26622]

you're calling the Rafale a "dressed up old hag"??

have you totally lost it or what?

Analysis in Katrina thread. And have not lost it, just sharing astute observation

[brar_w]

China’s Air Force Modernization: ‘Unprecedented in History’

The full report:

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/213883 ... ode=scroll

[NRao]

May 30, 2014 :: Are China and Russia Moving toward a Formal Alliance?

[brar_w]

China's Nuclear powered Carrier.

http://china-defense.blogspot.de/2014/0 ... craft.html

No ways to verify what is written. It could very well be some psyops going on with the US carrier coming into Hong kong.

[Manish_Sharma]

US experts says China close to producing fighter engines:

http://idrw.org/?p=38883

[ashish raval]

^^ looks like they have managed to crack the holy grail of crystal blades then and have got the complex manufacturing capcity to be able to produce one. Not good. Just amazed how quickly chinese has progressed on most fronts in last 20 years turning around in one generation !!

[Philip]

http://www.janes.com/article/38483/news ... rce=Eloqua

News analysis: Recent fast jet missions suggest growing Chinese confidence
Mike Yeo, Melbourne, Australia - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
29 May 2014
PLA Air Force J-11s, at least one of which was armed with R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') short-range air-to-air missiles, intercepted Japanese reconnaissance aircraft over the East China Sea on 25 May. Source: Japanese Ministry of Defence

Recent events in the South China and East China seas suggest an increase in the confidence and capabilities of the China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF).

Aircraft from both services have been involved in asserting Chinese interests since early May. PLANAF aircraft, including Xian JH-7 fighter-bombers of the 9th Naval Aviation Division based at Ledong on Hainan Island, have been flying regular missions to support Chinese Coast Guard and PLAN ships guarding an oil rig conducting a drilling survey in waters off the disputed Paracel Islands.

Vietnamese media also photographed a Shaanxi Y-8J maritime patrol aircraft and reportedly sighted what is believed to be a KJ-200 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. On 25 May the PLAAF staged its first ever exercise demonstrating its ability to conduct flight operations from regular highways. A stretch of road near Zhengzhou in Henan Province was used for take-offs and landings by a PLAAF Sukhoi Su-27UBK, a Harbin Z-9 helicopter, and a Xian Y-7 transport.

The same day, PLAAF Shenyang J-11As flew "abnormally close" to Japanese reconnaissance aircraft over the East China Sea in the words of the Japanese Ministry of Defence. The J-11s, at least one of which was apparently armed with R-73 (AA-11 'Archer') short-range air-to-air missiles, flew to within 30 m of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force OP-3C Orion reconnaissance aircraft and 50 m of a Japan Air Self-Defense Force YS-11EB ELINT platform. Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera described the intercepts as "dangerous acts … completely beyond our comprehension".

In response, China accused Japan of interfering with a joint PLAN-Russian Navy exercise. The intercepts occurred where China and Japan's air defence identification zones (ADIZ) overlap. The J-11s came from the Chongqing-based 98th Air Regiment, and given the distance from Chongqing to the East China Sea, would have likely staged from a deployment base in Fujian Province.
COMMENT

The first publicised intercept of Japanese aircraft by China since it declared the ADIZ in the East China Sea in November 2013 may signal the start of more aggressive Chinese enforcement of the zone.

The incident is also the closest publicised intercept of a foreign military aircraft by a PLA aircraft since the April 2001 interception of a US Navy EP-3C Aries II signals intelligence aircraft by two Shenyang J-8IIs, which ended with the death of a J-8 pilot and the forced landing of the EP-3 on Hainan island.

Also notable is the distance at which the PLAAF and PLAN are operating from their home bases: the Y-8J and KJ-200 operating in the South China Sea are assigned to the PLAN's North Sea Fleet. Meanwhile, the runway exercise adds China to a small group of Asian countries with this capability, joining Singapore, Taiwan, and Pakistan.

The exercise may be linked to the lack of deployment fields in the areas near the coast. While several bases (especially in the Nanjing military region) have undergone a programme of hardening in the past decade, most appear to still be quite vulnerable to a first strike in that they have a single runway and non-hardened aircraft shelters.

[deejay]

Meanwhile:
http://www.ias100.in/daily-dose-China-& ... -1779.html

added later:
http://indianexpress.com/article/world/ ... -military/

[Austin]

Chinese aircraft carrier program. Near-term outlook

[NRao]

Testing, testing. Mic testing.

China intrudes Indian airspace in Pangong Tso, Chushul region

A day after Vice President Hamid Ansari visited Beijing to take part in the 60th anniversary of Panchsheel, Chinese helicopters on Sunday violated Indian airspace in Pangong Tso and Chushul region in Ladakh.

The recent intrusion by helicopters is being treated as China's third attempt in 24 hours to disturb the Indo-China bilateral ties.

On Saturday, the latest map of China showed India's Arunachal Pradesh state as its territory. Moreover, a large part of Jammu and Kashmir was also shown as part of China.

Things are getting very interesting.

China behaving like Pakis. Military vs. Gov tamasha.

[VinodTK]

^^^^^

Chinese troops make bids to enter Indian waters in Ladakh: Reports

[VinodTK]

From Bloomberg: Corruption in China’s Military Begins With Buying a Job

The calls started months ago to the recruitment office in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangxi, asking how much it would cost to pass this year’s tests to join the army. The going rate, depending on your “guanxi,” or connections: As much as $16,000.

Limited spots in annual recruitment drives across China’s 31 provinces and municipalities for the world’s largest army, plus a high failure rate for physical fitness tests, leads parents to pay to guarantee a spot for their child in the enlistment season that runs through September. Success offers a stable job and, for some, a path out of rural districts.

“They asked me what the current price tag is, and I said ‘around 80,000 to 90,000 yuan for you guys,’” said Wang, a recruitment officer with the People’s Liberation Army in Jiangxi, referring to former military colleagues who call him. “If your guanxi was really strong it’d cost you around 50,000 to 60,000 yuan per quota; if it was just so-so, you would have to spend 100,000 yuan at least.” Wang asked not to be identified in full as he isn’t authorized to speak publicly.

The payments reflect the challenge for President Xi Jinping as he seeks to eradicate corruption in the military and boost the PLA as a combat-ready force with broad reach across the Asia-Pacific region. While several high-profile officers have been charged with violations, and former PLA deputy commander-in-chief Xu Caihou was expelled from the Communist Party for taking bribes to help others get promoted, graft begins in rural areas and smaller towns even before recruits go past the door.

“It’s impossible to weed out corruption at the basic level, because it’s embedded in the culture,” said retired Major General Xu Guangyu, a senior researcher at Beijing-based research group the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association. “The central leadership knows corruption is the number one enemy the army faces, and if strong-handed measures aren’t taken, it would weaken the army’s capabilities to fight a modern war.”

Under the Military Service Law, males in China can apply to enlist when they are 18. While they are all registered, there are a raft of exemptions from service -- including being in school full-time or being the only family member earning an income -- which means joining is essentially voluntary for men and women. Whether for the two years of military service or for those joining a PLA academy, all applicants must pass academic and physical tests and an assessment of their commitment to the party.

Enlisting can be a way out of rural areas and provides a secure career path, according to Zeng Zhiping, a national defense law scholar and vice president of the Nanchang Institute of Technology in Jiangxi. It also appeals to urban youth who find themselves struggling in the job market.

“Nowadays, joining the army is more and more like an occupational choice and there’s less and less a patriotic halo surrounding it,” Zeng said. “People weigh their choices and make realistic decisions from economic perspectives.”

A request for comment on alleged bribery at the military-recruitment level faxed to the Defense Ministry on June 30 produced no response.

While entering the military provides a stable income, the incentive for corruption after joining remains. New recruits get a yearly package of around 25,000 yuan ($4,031) in Beijing and 15,600 yuan in rural areas such as Haiyan county in Zhejiang province, according to state media. Inspectors in April in two major military regions -- Beijing and Jinan -- said they found “irregularities” in the handling of promotions, construction and allocation of military buildings, and misuse of assets, especially land, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
‘Proper Sums’

“These guys are low or mid-level local officials who live in the communities where they serve,” said Dennis Blasko, a Florida-based senior analyst at CNA Corp.’s China Security Affairs Group, and the author of “The Chinese Army Today,” who served as a U.S. army attache in Beijing from 1992 to 1995. “It is highly likely that some of them could be influenced by the proper sums of money or gifts to either allow a youngster into the PLA or keep him or her out. They could do this by faking test results or helping to pass or fail medical exams.”

In its effort to professionalize its forces, China is following the example of the U.S. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, by increasing incentives for bright minds to serve, paying college fees and a stipend to students if they enlist as trainee officers when they graduate. Even so, around 60 percent of college students who apply for military service fail the fitness exam, the state-owned China Daily reported in August.
Physical Tests

The military has relaxed its physical standards to attract better-educated recruits, the China Daily reported June 17, citing the Defense Ministry. The height requirement for a male candidate has been lowered two centimeters to 1.6 meters (5 foot 2 inches) and the upper weight limit eased. Eyesight standards have been loosened, as nearly 70 percent of high school and college students in China are short-sighted, it said.

Kristen Gunness, the Washington-based chief executive officer of China-focused advisory group Vantage Point Asia and an adjunct fellow for China affairs at RAND Corp., said the relaxation may lessen corruption only at the margins, as long as officers are still willing to accept payments.

“As long as the rural poor are finding ways to pay their way into the PLA at the expense of others who are more qualified, the military must then spend more resources bringing the lower-skilled up to the same level as the rest,” said Gunness, a former adviser on China to the U.S. Navy. “This is where corruption also affects performance.”
Remains Common

A computerized grading system for military-academy entrance exams was in use by a majority of provinces and municipalities in 2009, according to a Shanghai-based former training-school recruitment director. While it limited some corruption, bribery remains commonplace in rural areas, the person said, asking not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Parents would telephone to ask for a favor in return for money, because their children’s results fell short or because they failed the physical check-ups, said the former director.

Xi has pledged to target both “tigers” and “flies,” meaning senior- and lower-ranking officials, in combating corruption across all walks of life. For the military, the focus is on being able to project China as a power in the region and to assert territorial claims in the East China Sea and South China Sea.
Rising Budget

China’s military budget will rise 12.2 percent this year as spending focuses on high-technology weaponry and longer-reach naval and air capacity. The military is improving its training, doctrine, weapons and surveillance to be able to conduct more sophisticated attacks against the U.S. and others, according to a Pentagon report released last month.

The level of advancement remains below that of the world’s most capable armies, Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, wrote in a book explaining reforms outlined in a party meeting in November. Corruption undermines the army’s effectiveness, retired Major General Luo Yuan wrote in the state-owned Global Times in February 2013.

Among the targets in Xi’s crackdown has been ex-Lieutenant-General Gu Junshan, a onetime deputy head of the army’s General Logistics Department who faces charges including bribery and abuse of power, according to a Xinhua report in March. Retired General Xu, a former vice chairman of the CMC, was expelled during a meeting of the Politburo chaired by President Xi, becoming the highest-level military official ensnared for corruption in more than six decades, Xinhua said June 30.
Competence Focus

The PLA is considering revamping its official evaluation system to focus on competence, Xinhua reported in February. It will audit personnel before deciding to promote them or let them retire, it said last September.

“Corruption absolutely has an impact on the PLA’s readiness,” said Gunness from Vantage Point. “This is known by the senior Chinese leadership, which is why Xi Jinping has launched his anti-corruption campaign in an effort to ready the PLA to ‘fight and win wars’ as well as get rid of peacetime complacency.”

State media have cited complaints about the recruitment process. The People’s Daily reported in early 2013 that Wang Qian, a high-school graduate in Shangqiu city in central Henan province who passed the tests, was told by the local recruitment office to pay 100,000 yuan. Wang said her admission was revoked when she said she didn’t have the money.

Shangqiu officials later said the reason for not admitting Wang was that her family had engaged in financial disputes that could reflect badly on the army if she had joined, the People’s Daily said. Two calls to the Shangqiu recruitment office weren’t returned.

Even with the government edicts against corruption, people feel compelled to “follow the unwritten rules” and make payments, according to recruitment officer Wang.

Recruiting quotas at a provincial level are usually handled by the head of the general staff of the specific PLA branch, he said. “So if you can get some middle-man to go through, you have a chance.”

[Austin]

FAS:China SSBN Fleet Getting Ready – But For What?

[deejay]

Eyesight standards have been loosened, as nearly 70 percent of high school and college students in China are short-sighted, it said.

70% of future Chinese therefore are "short sighted". OMG!

I mean as much as I want the PLA and Chinese to be behind us, this statistics is stupid.

[NRao]

China’s rise and Asian tensions send U.S. relations into downward spiral

[Austin]

China shows a mock up of a next generation attack submarine at a military university. (International Assessment and Strategy Center)




http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/201 ... val-fleet/

[Austin]

The Geopolitics of Sino-Russian Rapprochement