PRC Political News & Discussions

surinder · Post by **surinder** » 10 Mar 2009 21:52

I am surprised to see that there is not much discussion of the PRC-US naval confrontation on BRF.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 10 Mar 2009 21:56

surinder wrote:I am surprised to see that there is not much discussion of the PRC-US naval confrontation on BRF.

Lot of things are faked.

Keshav · Post by **Keshav** » 10 Mar 2009 23:08

China hits out on US navy row
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7934138.stm

Chellaram · Post by **Chellaram** » 10 Mar 2009 23:16

Stand-off shows Chinese navy's secret tactics

Maritime experts were given a rare glimpse of the underlying capabilities of the Chinese navy on Sunday, when crewmen involved in a stand-off with a US surveillance ship in the South China Sea revealed the fleet's previously hidden firepower.

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 11 Mar 2009 00:39

unkil likely knows that its unquestioned soup-e-reority getting questioned in int'l waters can't be good.

Just like, like someone was mentioning the other day, once Aus beat the windies in the early 90s, the windies could never really recover - if the PLAN gets USN to stand down even an inch, its game over for 'em unquestioned supremacists only. JMTPs of course.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 13 Mar 2009 00:01

'20 per cent Chinese athletes lied about age'
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holn ... 121231.htm

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 14 Mar 2009 16:13

Chinese Politicians Attract Bribes from Luxury Goods Makers:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/14/asia/shop.php

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 20 Mar 2009 04:50

China's corruption goes from covert to overt

AdityaM · Post by **AdityaM** » 20 Mar 2009 12:57

Why China Helped Countries Like Pakistan, North Korea Build Nuclear Bombs

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 20 Mar 2009 21:38

AdityaM wrote:Why China Helped Countries Like Pakistan, North Korea Build Nuclear Bombs

Why , as you say in the book, did the Chinese give the technology to Pakistan?
Pakistan can be explained by a balance of power: India was China's enemy and Pakistan was India's enemy. The Chinese did a massive training of Pakistani scientists, (just like the Russians had done for them) brought them to China for lectures, even gave them the design of the CHIC-4 device, which was a weapon that was easy to build a model for export. There is evidence that A.Q. Khan used Chinese designs in his nuclear designs. Notes from those lectures later turned up in Libya, for instance. And the Chinese did similar things for the Saudis, North Koreans, and the Algerians.

Did the Chinese further assist in the Pakistan program?
Under Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto, the country built its first functioning nuclear weapon. We believe that during Bhutto's term in office, the People's Republic of China tested Pakistan's first bomb for her in 1990.There are numerous reasons why we believe this to be true, including the design of the weapon and information gathered from discussions with Chinese nuclear experts. That's why the Pakistanis were so quick to respond to the Indian nuclear tests in 1998. It only took them two weeks and three days. When the Soviet Union took the United States by surprise with a test in 1961, it took the U.S. seventeen days to prepare and test, a device that had been on hand for years. The Pakistani response makes it clear that the gadget tested in May 1998 was a carefully engineered device in which they had great confidence.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 20 Mar 2009 21:51

Acharya wrote:[Why China Helped Countries Like Pakistan, North Korea Build Nuclear Bombs

Why , as you say in the book, did the Chinese give the technology to Pakistan?
Pakistan can be explained by a balance of power: India was China's enemy and Pakistan was India's enemy. The Chinese did a massive training of Pakistani scientists, (just like the Russians had done for them) brought them to China for lectures, even gave them the design of the CHIC-4 device, which was a weapon that was easy to build a model for export. There is evidence that A.Q. Khan used Chinese designs in his nuclear designs. Notes from those lectures later turned up in Libya, for instance. And the Chinese did similar things for the Saudis, North Koreans, and the Algerians.

Did the Chinese further assist in the Pakistan program?
Under Pakistani president Benazir Bhutto, the country built its first functioning nuclear weapon. We believe that during Bhutto's term in office, the People's Republic of China tested Pakistan's first bomb for her in 1990.There are numerous reasons why we believe this to be true, including the design of the weapon and information gathered from discussions with Chinese nuclear experts. That's why the Pakistanis were so quick to respond to the Indian nuclear tests in 1998. It only took them two weeks and three days. When the Soviet Union took the United States by surprise with a test in 1961, it took the U.S. seventeen days to prepare and test, a device that had been on hand for years. The Pakistani response makes it clear that the gadget tested in May 1998 was a carefully engineered device in which they had great confidence.

I think the reason why PRC gave the CHIC-4 design is they themselves got it from somewhere and could not be accsued by those who gave them the design in first place. The author Thomas Reed ref to something that was tested off the shelf could be the very same design. He is giving a message if you read carefully.

BTW he doesn't explian if all those Arabs & North Koriea trained by PRC are also India's enemies?

very superficial skunk.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 21 Mar 2009 07:56

PLA beefing up SIGINT interception capabilities in Woody Island, South China Sea. The same islands are shared with PLAN intelligence unit, this is what that the Amriki and intercepts at Pine Gap, the highly sophisticated Australian listening station based in Alice Springs can gather.

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 21 Mar 2009 20:22

From Rediff: Why India is no match for China now

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 23 Mar 2009 03:06

VinodTK wrote:From Rediff: Why India is no match for China now

Biggest psy ops

Sanjay M · Post by **Sanjay M** » 23 Mar 2009 10:42

Oh my, the Euro-centric Economist is now suddenly apprehensive of the same China it's been lauding all this time as a Far Emperor?

http://www.economist.com/opinion/Printe ... d=13326106

Why are they suddenly worried about China now? It's not as if China's rise has been sudden and recent. They've been applauding it for quite some time, and so it's odd to see them fretting about a Pacific-centred US-China bipolarity now. Ah, the Atlanticists are never happy, it seems.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 23 Mar 2009 13:39

Chinese intel defector tells all.The state is rotten inside and will inevitably fall like its E.German counterpart.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/14000/

Former China Intelligence Officer Tells His Story On Capitol Hill By Gary Feuerberg

Fengzhi Li (L), former China Intelligence officer of the Ministry of State Security, speaks on Capitol Hill on how the Chinese Communist Party suppresses the Chinese people. He spoke through an interpreter. (Nancy Nieh/The Epcoh Times)

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Chinese Intelligence Officer of the Ministry of State Security, Fengzhi Li, kept a low profile when he defected to the United States in 2004.

He was primarily concerned about the safety of his family, who were still on the mainland. At the time, he needed to put some distance between himself and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Then the human rights situation in China got “worse and worse,” he said. With access to the truth on how the Party suppresses the Chinese people, Li said he had to speak out to stop the killing and bring an end to a “brutal dictatorship.”

The solitude that Mr. Li enjoyed for five years ended abruptly. Last week on March 11, Mr. Li became the first person who had worked in China’s espionage system to publicly renounce his membership in the Chinese Communist Party. On March 15, Li was the focus of two rallies in the nation’s capital, celebrating the withdrawal of 51 million Chinese from the CCP or its affiliated organizations.

Then four days later, on March 19, Li followed up his public statements with an appearance on Capitol Hill to issue a new statement, which is even more vitriolic and accusatory of his former employer. He answered questions from the press, and received greetings and high praise from one of Congress’ leading human rights voices, Representative Dana Rohrabacher.

“In today’s China, political, economic and social power is highly monopolized. Except for the Communist Party, no other individuals or groups have any freedom or power, said Li.

Congressman Dana Rohrbacher (R-CA) speaks, with Li Fengzhi at his side. (Epoch Times Staff)

He continued: “In order to control its monopoly, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has developed a political system that reaches every corner of the society and uses all kinds of bloody means to suppress Chinese people and other political groups.”

The picture that Li gives of China’s security system is one that doesn’t trust the people and thoroughly Orwellian.

“Employees of the national security system are supposed to protect the country and serve the country. But the CCP expends huge amounts of funds to suppress ordinary citizens and even extends the reach of their black hands overseas. In the past few years, to deal with the citizens who appeal for their rights, political dissidents, and spiritual groups, the CCP has increased its use of the state security systems to collect intelligence, carry out the monitoring, and so forth, even directly participating in arresting and persecuting those people.”

Li said that he and many of his colleagues at the Ministry of State Security, were “furious” at the CCP’s abuse of the country's resources to deal with decent Chinese folks. They ceased to trust and have confidence in the CCP.

Happiness is Not Only Economic Well-Being
One obstacle facing anyone who raises the issue of human rights atrocities in China is the common perception in the West that China has made tremendous progress economically, and that democracy and freedom are increasing with the economic expansion. This perception of China’ progress needs to be corrected, according to Li.

Fengzhi Li, 41, was raised in a materialistic, atheistic environment, where the education system instilled communist values to children. Due to the one child policy, Li had no brothers or sisters, and he said to this reporter that the way it is enforced is heartless.

Related Articles
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Former Spy Quits CCP in Front of Chinese Embassy
Breaking With the Communist Party – Espionage Officer Says ‘My Heart Became Very Peaceful’

Based on what Mr. Li said about the “pursuit of happiness,” a phrase out of the U.S. Declaration of Independence,” opposing the materialistic CCP has led Mr. Li to dwell on the “pursuit” of other values. He said that economic improvement is only one facet of “the pursuit of happiness.” Li says Chinese people should have the right to pursue their lives with dignity, pursue social justice, and pursue a spiritual life, like the free nations do in the West. He said that economic well-being cannot alone bring about true happiness.

“Today, when people around the world talk about China's economic growth, they should pay attention to the fact that China's economic growth has not brought about the social and political progress that it should have, and it has not brought ordinary Chinese people more freedom and political rights. The huge cost of the economic growth is worrisome, and it will eventually be paid by the Chinese people,” said Li.

When human rights are respected, China will have “genuine progress,” and it will benefit not only the Chinese people, but the world.

China’s Spies Can Lead To Its Own Undoing
China scholar and NTD-TV commentator, Dr. Tianliang Zhang said he was reminded by the account given by Mr. Li of a popular German film, The Life of Others, that portrayed the inner life of a spy and won the Academy Awards for the best Foreign Language Film in 2007. It’s about an agent working for the Stasi, the East German state police a few years before the fall of communism in the GDR. The agent, Captain Wiesler, is ordered to conduct surveillance on a dissident, who is suspected of pro-Western sympathies. But through getting to know him, the agent becomes sympathetic, and decides to distort and cover up for him in his reports to his superiors.

“An interesting aspect of this agent is that he is a faithful socialist,” says Dr. Zhang. He joined the Stasi because he felt that he was protecting the country from any potential enemies. In the end, he discovered the corruption of the communist leaders and understood humanity through listening in on the dissident writer.

“Today when we know Mr. Li Fengzhi's story, we can see that what is depicted in the movie came true [for Li Fengzhi],” said Dr. Zhang.

Mr. Li’s story demonstrates “a simple fact that if a person truly cares for the country and people, they know that the Communist Party is actually damaging the country and persecuting the people,” said Dr. Zhang. And there is also the potential that when the state police monitor the people, they are positioned well to know the truth because they have access to the censored news denied to the people, and they may witness firsthand the sufferings of the regime’s victims—people like the peaceful Falun Gong practitioners or a Christian like Attorney Gao Zhisheng.

Indeed, Mr. Li, as a former Intelligence agent, evolved in the same way as the fictional Stasi agent. Based on what he knows and on his understanding of what a free society should be like, Mr. Li says he is compelled to tell the West to awaken to the totalitarian nation that China has truly become. He tells us living in the West not to be fooled by the CCP and China’s great economic progress. He implores us to realize that the human rights abuses are only getting worse.

“When the international community engages with China, if we only focus on temporary economic … benefits, but keep silent on human rights issues, it is the same as supporting the CCP. ... From this perspective, keeping silent equals being accomplices to the CCP’s tyranny!"
Last Updated
Mar 21, 2009

Here is another occassion being remembered by free Chinese,50 million who have dumped Chinese "communism" for freedom.

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/14040/

Dublin Parade Marks Fifty Million Chinese Abandoning Communism By Martin Murphy
Epoch Times Staff Mar 21, 2009

Parade in Dublin, Ireland commemorating 50 million Chinese quitting the CCP. (The Epoch Times)
DUBLIN, Ireland—In a similar vein to the Irish celebrating Saint Patrick's Day throughout the world, the Chinese abroad have something to celebrate too, 50 million of their fellow countrymen, women and children have quit Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organisations.

Parades have been taking place across the world in the USA, Hong Kong, Canada, Europe and other areas around the world. Dublin's memorial garden was the starting point for the parade in Ireland.

Ming Zhao who organised the event in Dublin told The Epoch Times why this type of activity was so important. “This parade is part of the global celebration which is a major step in the dissolving of the CCP... We also wish to support those courageous Chinese people who dared to resign from the CCP, this parade sends a important message to them of our support.” Mr Zhao also felt that it was important for the Irish people to know what was happening in China.

Mr Zhao explained that in China people can resign from the CCP via special websites which of course are monitored by the authorities, hence there are repercussions for those who resign. Not everyone has access to the internet, in some regions people publish their resignations in public areas even on paper money because it is visible to all.

I followed the parade in Dublin and tried to interview Chinese people along the route to ask them what they thought about the 50 million quitting the CCP. A middle aged Irish man stopped me and said, “These people are amazing, having this parade is like a death sentence for them, they are so brave, because of what they are doing they can never go back to China.” I asked him his name but he refused to give it as he travelled to China a lot. In fact everyone I spoke to refused to give their names. I asked the Irish gentleman why he thought this was the case, he said the following, “See that Bodies Exposition across the road, that's a warning” I asked him to explain.

He said, “That's a horrific thing to be done to you or your family, it's a warning to every Chinese person —be warned this is what could happen to you if you step out of line - that's why it is travelling around the world.”

I asked Mr Zhao why he thought people were reluctant to speak to a reporter, he said “The CCP are deploying a lot of resources to control oversea Chinese people. They use foreign Chinese students and businessmen...The Chinese embassies have their ways of monitoring people.”

I asked Mr Zhao what he thought the Irish public could do to help, he said “From a Western Europe perspective if they had spoken out in 1989 when Tienanmen happened we might not be in this situation today because the CCP wouldn't have been able to become so bold, but now it is still important for the Irish people and the government to be aware of what the CCP are up to."

Global Service Centre for Quitting CCP
Mrs Li Ye who is the Irish representative for the Global Service Centre for Quitting CCP spoke to The Epoch Times after the parade. Mrs Ye told me how people in china are recruited into the CCP

It all starts with the Communist Youth Party which would be like a communist version of the scouts, after that one would progress to the Young Pioneers in secondary school and finally the CCP.

One would pledge one's life to the party when you joined. Nowadays “Your word is your bond” might not mean much to most people, however Mrs Ye was concerned that these party members who had pledged their existence to such an evil organisation should retract their oaths.

My impression was that Mrs Ye was more concerned about these people and her efforts were directed towards helping them. She wanted the CCP to end but primarily she wanted people to quit it before it dissolved. Mrs Ye told me how she would phone people in China to explain to them the importance of quitting the CCP. She said the response was very good with older people who knew about the party's true nature, however younger people have been totally immersed in the party rhetoric so it is harder to explain to them. The same situation existed in Ireland because most of the Chinese people she encountered were students studying here in Dublin.

This was a stark contrast with the youth of Ireland because youth members from two of the main Irish parliamentary party's spoke to the public after the parade. Labour Youth was represented by Brian O'Connor and Young Greens by Barra Roantree.

Brian O'Connor said “The fact that 50 million people have left the CCP in the last four and a half years has absolutely undermined any credibility the CCP has at the moment...today the CCP is crumbling like the Berlin wall with the dissatisfaction of its own members.”

“As a citizen of a country with one of the longest established democracies in Europe, I think we should stand in solidarity with our Chinese friends here and say yes we do support you and yes we do hope that democracy eventually comes to China,” concluded Mr O'Connor.

Barra Roantree from Young Greens said, “The Olympics may have come and gone but the regime still continues to subject Tibetan people and peaceful Falun Gong practitioners to outrageous cruelties, it's only by standing up and maintaining your show of solidarity even when the spotlight is not on China that eventually the regime will be overthrown.”

With respect to the 50 million people who have quit the CCP Mr Roantree said, “This is a ground breaking and much to be welcomed development, it can only be hoped by all decent people soon we will see the end of this cruel, cruel regime.”

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 23 Mar 2009 16:23

"Whether to "Strangle the Baby in the Cradle": The United States and the Chinese Nuclear Program, 1960-64"
http://belfercenter.ksg.harvard.edu/fil ... _00_01.pdf

Nearly forty years ago, President John F. Kennedy and his advisers voiced growing concern over China’s nascent nuclear program and the threat it posed to U.S. national security. Since then, questions have lingered over precisely what steps the administration had considered to deal with this threat. Based on an exhaustive study of newly declassified documents, William Burr and Jeffrey Richelson of the National Security Archive report that the Kennedy administration embarked on a huge intelligence effort that included U-2 flights, satellite reconnaissance, and even talks with the Soviet Union on joint action. By the time of China's first nuclear test on October 16, 1964, however, Kennedy's successor, Lyndon Johnson, and his advisers had decided against direct confrontation with China, having concluded that not only was a nuclear China a threat the United States could live with, but that a confrontation with Beijing on the eve of a presidential election might prove politically unwise. In their conclusion, Burr and Richelson ponder the implications of their analysis for the current debate in the United States over China’s nuclear program.

The United States and the Chinese Nuclear Program: 1960-1964
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB38/#docs

renukb · Post by **renukb** » 26 Mar 2009 10:03

If India has to and wants to grow, it is IMP that India keeps its neighbourhood at peace and stable. As long as India's neighbourhood is NOT stable, India can not progress. Bringing in western powers to protect India's interests (Read USA/NATO) will only make our neighbours more hostile towards India. India needs to balance our relationships with our neighbours and the west. China is a threat to India, but we need to take them on our own.

Indian Army fears China attack by 2017

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage ... na+by+2017

The Indian military fears a ‘Chinese aggression’ in less than a decade. A secret exercise, called ‘Divine Matrix’, by the army’s military operations directorate has visualised a war scenario with the nuclear-armed neighbour before 2017.

“A misadventure by China is very much within the realm of possibility with Beijing trying to position itself as the only power in the region. There will be no nuclear warfare but a short, swift war that could have menacing consequences for India,” said an army officer, who was part of the three-day war games that ended on Wednesday.

In the military’s assessment, based on a six-month study of various scenarios before the war games, China would rely on information warfare (IW) to bring India down on its knees before launching an offensive.

The war games saw generals raising concerns about the IW battalions of the People’s Liberation Army carrying out hacker attacks for military espionage, intelligence collection, paralysing communication systems, compromising airport security, inflicting damage on the banking system and disabling power grids. “We need to spend more on developing information warfare capability,” he said.

The war games dispelled the notion that China would take at least one season (one year) for a substantial military build-up across India’s northeastern frontiers. “The Tibetan infrastructure has been improved considerably. The PLA can now launch an assault very quickly, without any warning, the officer said.

The military believes that China would have swamped Tibet with sweeping demographic changes in the medium term. For the purposes of Divine Matrix, China would call Dalai Lama for rapprochement and neutralise him. The top brass also brainstormed over India’s options in case Pakistan joined the war to. Another apprehension was that Myanmar and Bangladesh would align with China in the future geostrategic environment.

renukb · Post by **renukb** » 26 Mar 2009 10:14

Now that China Is the New Israel?What's Israel?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 01752.html

renukb · Post by **renukb** » 26 Mar 2009 10:17

The China Imperative?
By Subramanian Swamy
http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/module ... 83&page=12

shyam · Post by **shyam** » 28 Mar 2009 11:29

renukb wrote:Indian Army fears China attack by 2017

The year 2017 keeps on popping up in every scenario.

sum · Post by **sum** » 29 Mar 2009 21:27

Thought this is the most relevant thread since couldnt locate a Indo-China relations thread:

Pranab objects to Beijing’s remarks

Mr. Mukherjee’s comments gain significance in the background of reports that China has objected to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) granting a loan to Arunachal Pradesh for two projects. Media reports have it that Beijing blocked the loan on the ground that the State is part of China and therefore India cannot get that loan.

$@%^#& Chinese....even blocking ADB loans to AP...

Could someone please clarify as to why did the Chinese voluntarily let go of AP(citing unilateral ceasefire) after having overrun it in 1962 and then again started claiming AP after a few years?

Why didn't they retain their hold on AP when it was theirs for the taking?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 29 Mar 2009 21:51

because if they dispute something further down like assam
[a] india will be forced into stern action
india holds the strong cards in the plains

they want a contested land which is more 'peripheral' to the dilli hive-mind
and where they can bring superior logistics to bear should the need arise.

arunachal and aksai chin fit the bill perfectly.

sum · Post by **sum** » 29 Mar 2009 22:04

Singha-saar,
But why didn't they close the issue once and for all like they did for Aksai Chin and Tibet?

Why leave the AP issue open by returning the entire AP which they had captured?

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 30 Mar 2009 01:04

Chinese hack into Indian embassies, steal Dalai Lama's documents

...
The group began its research after Tibetan exiles made allegations of cyber spying by the Chinese.

After initial investigations when the group widened it research it found that the China-based cyber espionage had hacked computer systems of embassies of India, Pakistan, Germany, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea and many other countries.

In all, the hackers had gained access to 1,295 computer systems of foreign ministries of many countries, including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Latvia, Indonesia, Iran, and the Philippines, the researchers said.

After gaining access to foreign government and private computer systems, the hackers installed malware to exercise control over these computer systems to access any documents.

"We have been told by the researchers that the Chinese hackers have gained access to our computer systems all over the world, and taken sensitive documents from the office of His Holiness (the Dalai Lama)," Toronto-based Tibetan student leader Bhutila Karpoche said.
...

soutikghosh · Post by **soutikghosh** » 30 Mar 2009 21:47

China's hi-tech death vans

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... arket.html

Bade · Post by **Bade** » 31 Mar 2009 08:27

Clocks square off in China's far west

When communist China was formed in 1949, Mao Tse-tung decreed that everybody should follow a single time zone, no matter that the country is as wide as the continental United States.

But Uighurs, the dominant minority in China's northwestern Xinjiang province, balked at running their lives on Beijing time, which would have them getting up in the pitch dark and going to sleep at sunset.

"It is as ridiculous as having Los Angeles following New York time," said Alim Seytoff, who left Xinjiang in 1996 and is now secretary-general of the Uyghur American Assn. in Washington. "That is the totalitarian nature of the Chinese government that they try to impose one time zone."

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 04 Apr 2009 04:02

Ok, I attended a talk by one of the lead authors of the much publicized Ghostnet report. There should be a vid floating around soon cos the talk was recorded. The speaker happens to be an Indian. I am posting the main crux of his talk for those who care to know. I am no computer security guy, so some of the details I am writing below are based on my recollection based on my big picture understanding. The details may make a real computer security person cringe, so take it for what its worth. I will post the vid link when it appears.

-------------
Sometime in 2007 the Office of His Holiness Shri Dalai Lama (OHHDL) suspected that the computers in his office and at the computer lab (~50 in all) were acting fishy. He suspected a virus attack or something more sinister. Instead of covering up like normal western companies do, he contacted a trust and security expert in Canada who subcontracted the job to a research group in Cambridge, UK. The reason for Shri Dalai Lama's suspicion was that a meeting that his office had scheduled with a German diplomat was abruptly cancelled and this, using his confidential sources in america and europe, he figured out was due to the intervention of the chinese govt.

The computers had some sensitive information like refugee database which would allow Tibetans to move across freely in India with a single id, donor information for many schools and edu institutions in Tibet and India (donors were in large part from Tibet, europe and us with families still in Tibet), meeting schedules and itineraries of OHHDL folks, email database, past postings, plans of action etc. To cut a long security seminar short, OHHDL was attacked by a low-grade "social trust hijack" scheme. It was low-grade in the sense that the attackers left visible signatures which these guys could figure with less than 140 person-hours of work (+ 1 more month to put the Ghostnet report for the popular press and beyond). This attack was sufficient because OHHDL used third-rate security with open windows servers, no firewalls, no anti-virus software, and essentially no clue about what a malware is etc.

But the good thing about the OHHDL is that they sought help from security experts ASAP instead of sitting on their butts, which seems to be standard protocol with most banks in the US and UK when they have been violated -- apparently a large number of banks have been violated. The attackers ISP address was figured out to come from Sichuan. The second in command to Shri Dalai Lama informed these guys that Sichuan is where the command center for Military intelligence of PLA is located. Other than these indirect connections, there was nothing to connect to Govt of china and blame it on Goc policy. Till the Goc idiots contacted the German diplomat and asked her to cancel the meeting with Shri Dalai Lama.

The security guys figured out the ISP through a trick, which is a standard security trick from what he said. Apparently, voice of america funds a similar ghostnet of sorts called dynaweb which allows Falun gong members to establish contact amongst themselves inside china. So these chinese "hackers" instead of using a standard/popular tool called Tor to hijack OHHDL servers hijacked dynaweb to route their attacks. Then they fished around open fora (like brf) of Tibetan people where they could obtain social information about Tibetans of various genre. They used this information to hijack into the email server. Once they were into the email server (whose security is determined by the weakest link of the 50 computers in OHHDL), they opened read old emails, reproduced their content and attached malware in the form of pdf's and sent it to many Tibetans. In some sense, the idea is similar to the ILoveYou virus and the like of old. But in many other sense, its far more sinister cos it hijacks trusted email addresses and sends trusted information with an attachment which is a malware.

These guys suggested OHHDL to actively defend their servers by posting misleading info on their servers. But Shri Dalai Lama DID NOT want to fight a battle with the chinese which he realized he could not sustain in the long run. Cos if these are low-grade hackers, he was dreading the 5* attackers who dont leave an easily visible signature. So he said no to the misleading info solution. He also did not want to harm the lives of any Tibetan if possible -- and since many lives were at risk, he decided to fight defensively. As of now, the servers have been disconnected from the web. USB drives are not used to copy information. Info transfer takes place by printing and scanning important documents elsewhere, but this approach is taken for extremely sensitive info only cos the OCR software for Tibetan script is apparently crap. Somehow the OHHDL has been managing it so far.

He did not talk about other snoopings of the ghostnet on GoI, US, UK, and many other countries except that these coincided with a list/questionnaire the GoUS gave these guys as asking if they found intrusion signs of such and such servers from so & so countries on the dynaweb database. He did mention that anti-virus companies like Fsecure dont create patches for targeted attacks which makes situations more vulnerable. One could increase the firewall sensitivity etc, but apparently these are no solutions against a determined attacker(s). He was skeptical of security for at least the next two-three years.

PS: Again apologize for the hotchpotch security jargon translation. I wrote as much as I understood the big picture, with no notes taken cos three chinese-looking students were peering over me.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 04 Apr 2009 20:50

China secures Myanmar energy route

Over the past few years, Chinese analysts and leaders have been describing the strait, as a strategic vulnerability, drawing attention to the consequences for China if this shipping channel were to fall into the hands of "hostile powers" or pirates or terrorists. What if the US were to block China's access to the strait in the event of a China-Taiwan conflict?

The Bay of Bengal and the Arakan petroleum terminal presumably being invulnerable to the Indian and US Navies.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 07 Apr 2009 04:17

Now China objects to President Pratibha Patil’s visit to Arunachal

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 07 Apr 2009 04:26

India ignores the Tibet situation and China’s widening nfluence at the borders to its own peril

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 07 Apr 2009 04:26

RaviBg wrote:Now China objects to President Pratibha Patil’s visit to Arunachal

Would it kill new dilli to categorically "reject" such objections?

Just wondering onlee.....

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 08 Apr 2009 01:29

Chinese company, exec indicted in Iran missile case

The U.S. government on Tuesday slapped sanctions on a Chinese metals company and six Iranian companies suspected of collaborating on a scheme to transfer missile and nuclear technology from China to Iran.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 08 Apr 2009 04:56

Facing down the neighbourhood bully

AdityaM · Post by **AdityaM** » 09 Apr 2009 10:12

refer to http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 90#p650090
for China's Tibet propoganda courtesy HT.

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 10 Apr 2009 06:13

Deal with Pak radicals a first for China

satya · Post by **satya** » 11 Apr 2009 02:32

China: Cracks in Party-Army Unity?

By D. S. Rajan

It is not surprising that the open call given by a top Chinese military leader (‘Qiu Shi’, the theoretical organ of the Chinese Communist Party- CCP, 1 April 2009) for “upholding the absolute leadership of the CCP over the Army”, for “making the Party flag as Army flag at all times” and for “the Army listening to the commands of the Party, Central Military Commission (CMC) and President Hu Jintao at all times”, received world attention. The leader, General Li Jinai, a CMC member and head of the General Political Department of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), while giving the call, also admitted that ‘mistaken backward things’ viz. ‘De-politicisation’ of the Army (feizhengzhihua), Party-Army separation (feidanghua) and ‘Nationalisation’ of the Army (guojiahua) have come to influence the military, to which he demanded ‘resolute’ opposition. Prima facie, the remarks meant an acknowledgement from the CCP that internal differences on the subject persist; their implications need a careful study, considering the importance of Party-Army equation for the country’s politics and governance.

A deeper look would reveal that divergences within the CCP on ‘absolute leadership of the Party over the Army’ are not new; they had originated in the pre-revolution days and are prevailing in the post-liberation period also, as responses to the situation prevailing at each stage. Discussing chronologically, worth noting first is the rift in late thirties, as noted by the party historians, between two top leaders - Mao Zedong and Zhang Guodao due to the latter’s alleged ideas in favour of separating army from party; it finally led to Zhang’s exit from the CCP. Coming to modern era, during the ‘anti-rightist’ campaign of late fifties, there were allegations of ‘monolithic military thoughts’ prevailing in the party with some even preferring ‘liquidation of party committees in the military’. [1] In eighties and early nineties, there were reports on support to a ‘nationalised’ army, coming from advisers to the then Premier Zhao Ziyang as well as some leading organs.[2] More evidence suggesting a test for the Party in enforcing its control over the army were seen - lack of enthusiasm on the part of some PLA men in the matter of dealing with 1989 Tiananmen student protests[3], the closure of the PLA-led enterprises in 1998 following the then Premier Zhu Rongji’s dissatisfaction over the army’s smuggling activities and observations of Qiao Shi, the then Chairman of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee (interview to Le Figaro, April 1997) that President and CMC chief Jiang Zemin should be answerable to the parliament.

An active propaganda phase to emphasise party’s control over the army is being seen ever since Hu Jintao took over as Chairman of the CMC during the fourth Plenum of the 16th CCP Congress Central Committee in September 2004. ‘Hostile forces’, trying to ‘Westernise’, ‘Divide’ and ‘Depoliticise’ the army, have become the main target. Their attempts are being seen as an ‘important component’ of carrying out a ‘peaceful evolution’ in China[4]. Blame is also being leveled against ‘some factions’ in China for their support to an army under the state control[5]. Since 2005, all important occasions like PLA founding anniversaries and organs like ‘Qiu Shih’ [6], are being used regularly to lay stress on the need for party’s control over the army. Getting highlighted in this regard are Hu Jintao’s statement that the PLA should ‘obey party and CMC command at any time and under any circumstances’[7] and his ‘concern over the army’s stability.[8]

The question arises as to why the theme of “party’s absolute control over the army” is being repeated again and again in China? Basically, it can be said that the CCP always considers its control over the army, as the principal means to perpetuate its superiority and protect the one-party system in the country. It is officially stated that the principle of “CCP’s leading the State as the ruling party got evolved historically and also, is the requirement of current national conditions”.[9] In simple language, this would mean that more the party perceives potential dangers to its rule, more its dependence on the army. Both Mao and Deng had to rely on the army at crucial times to bring back normalcy in the country- Mao in the aftermath of Cultural Revolution and Deng in the case of the 1989 Tiananmen student protests.

Hu Jintao faces same compulsions, experienced by Mao and Deng. He needs the army support under the officially described “new conditions and complicated changes in national defence and military building” and “multiple security threats and diverse military tasks”. In other words, a party-controlled military would be crucial to Hu in providing guarantee to the country’s stability, which is being viewed by him as an ‘overriding task’ (Hu’s speech of 18 December 2008). Factors that could affect stability and lead to social unrest would include the impact of global financial crisis on China, increasing unemployment as a result of migration of rural workers from cities and less opportunity for young graduates passing out from universities. Army’s backing would also be important for Hu in dealing with separatist tendencies in Tibet and Xinjiang. Also, with military firmly under his grip, Hu may feel confident in fighting pro-democracy movements like “Charter – 2008” group which interalia has demanded party-army separation. However, Hu’s status as only a member of China’s collective leadership without being a ‘core’, in contrast to the supreme positions enjoyed by his predecessors, would imply reduced elbowroom for him in keeping the PLA fully under his grip.

Indiscipline and trends towards taking action independently in the PLA without consulting the party or civil administration may also be pushing Hu Jintao to keep the army under the party control. The authorities are looking upon instances of ‘slack management’ in the army and protests from demobilized soldiers with concern. The party may also have reasons to be unhappy over the military’s failure occasionally to keep the CCP and government fully informed about its actions, for e.g during the Sino-US EP-3 crisis and the Anti-Satellite Weapon test (2007).

Thirdly, a doubt arises whether or not the renewed emphasis of Hu regime on the necessity for the Army to obey the Party, has something to do with factional struggle within the party. An authoritative argument[10] has given a subtle warning against emergence of leaders like Zhang Guodao who were ‘right opportunists” and had supported army ‘nationalization’. It has called for remembering such events in party history. It has in addition cautioned the CCP against repeating the mistake committed by former USSR leading to its collapse, by the way of delinking the Soviet Army from the CPSU. The remarks need a close scrutiny for their hidden meaning, if any.

Lastly, Hu Jintao’s underscoring the need for the PLA to obey the party command may also need to be viewed in the context of ongoing moves in China to bring Hu’s military writings on par with those of his predecessors- Mao, Deng and Jiang. Politically important has been the incorporation of his “Scientific Outlook on Development” theory in the Party constitution. In military terms, the exhortation to the PLA now to follow Hu’s military line based on “Three Provides and One Role” principle along with the military thoughts of the three mentioned above, appear significant.[11]

The PLA is fast becoming a professional and apolitical army, with entry into it of qualified persons in engineering and science and technology. Its cyber warfare and space units are being strengthened with specialists. Politicians have less presence in the PLA and the level of military representation in top-level party units has come down considerably. For e.g in the nine- member Politburo Standing Committee, there is no PLA member. Gone are the Long March days, when the military dominated the high political posts. There is also presently a large turn over in the PLA representation in the party gatherings, for e.g 17th Party Congress, apparently as part of efforts to prevent emergence of strong military leaders capable of challenging the political leadership at some stage. The old system of having both ‘Red and Expert’ cadres in the party, Army and State, seems to be fast giving way to one disconnecting the two.

In sum, the gap between the Party and Army appears to be increasing day by day in practice. Under the circumstances, the focus in the coming years is expected to be on whether or not a ‘State Army’ will emerge, replacing the present ‘Party Army’ model.

(The writer, D.S.Rajan, is Director of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, Chennai, India. Email: dsrajan@gmail.com)

Adrija · Post by **Adrija** » 11 Apr 2009 09:56

Came across some news last night which wanted to confirm- supposedly the CCP has imposed a 1 year draft to all university graduates, which is utilized largely for indoctrination purposes. This was done after the Tiananmen (sp?) incident, when the Party realized the importance of increasing its hold on the students

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 14 Apr 2009 00:47

China, the Brahmaputra and India

China’s attempt to divert the Brahmaputra has reared its head again. The Chinese are apparently eyeing about 40 billion cubic metres, out of the annual average inflow of 71.4 billion, of the Brahmaputra’s waters. The river skirts China’s borders before dipping into India and Bangladesh. China has a serious need to feed water to its north-west territory, the Gobi Desert, which contains almost half the country’s total landmass, but only seven per ce nt of its freshwater. The Gobi occupies an area of 13,00,000 sq.km making it one of the largest deserts in the world. Desertification of Gobi since 1950s has expanded it by 52,000 sq.km and it is now just 160 km from Beijing. It is said to expand by 3 km per year.

...
This river system is of critical interest to all the four countries, including Nepal. China is an upper riparian state and, therefore, has the freedom and capacity to divert the river. Should that happen, the irreparable loss will result in destruction of a large part of the North-East and Bangladesh. This step will also drive millions of refugees from Bangladesh into India for their livelihood. There is thus an urgent need to address this issue trilaterally.

...

Arya Sumantra · Post by **Arya Sumantra** » 18 Apr 2009 15:05

Chaosphobia clicks in again, this time through a media personality

Jackie Chan: Chinese people need to be controlled

BOAO, China - Action star Jackie Chan grew up in Hong Kong's freewheeling society, but he said Saturday that too much freedom isn't good and he's starting to think "we Chinese need to be controlled."

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Chan's comments drew applause from an audience of business leaders on China's southern island province of Hainan.

The 55-year-old Hong Kong actor was participating in a panel at the annual Boao Forum on Saturday when he was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China. He expanded his comments to include society in general.

"I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not," Chan said. "I'm really confused now. If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic."

Chan added: "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want."