China, U.S. military ties to increase transparency in Asia Pacific

[Casper]

The recent talks between General Chen Bingde, the chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, have hit the headlines. The PLA top military leader’s one-week visit to the United States, the first of its kind in seven years, signals that Chinese-U.S. relations are back on track.

The fact that the PLA delegation included members of the General Staff responsible for operations, intelligence and foreign affairs, as well as senior generals from all branches of the Chinese military and key military districts, was itself testament to the visit’s importance.

In addition to the political agenda, the delegation also had the opportunity to visit several U.S. military installations, some of which were previously closed to foreign militaries. Earlier this year, the Presidents of China and the United States Hu Jintao and Barack Obama agreed on building a stable cooperative partnership between their two countries. Then, only recently, the third round of the Chinese-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue resulted in the establishment of the Chinese-U.S. Strategic Security Dialogue, which will see regular meetings between both countries’ military and civil defense officials.

Indeed, the U.S. and Chinese militaries share certain security concerns. Besides common global threats, such as WMD proliferation, international terrorism, climate change, natural disasters, and sea-lane safety, they face a variety of regional security issues in the Asia Pacific region. First and foremost is the issue of mutual trust and confidence-building. In China, there is concern that Washington does not want to see Beijing become a major player on the global and regional arena, and is therefore trying to constrain its rise. In the United States, there are concerns about the lack of transparency over China’s plans for military development, not to mention the country’s ultimate goals.

Full version of article was published on www.valdaiclub.com

 

[waltky]

possum thinks dey gonna come over here an' eat our lunch...

China's military modernization a cause for concern?
June 18, 2011 -- China refurbishing a 67,000-ton aircraft carrier, which it bought from Ukraine in 1998; The Chinese government says this year it will increase its defense spending by 12.7%; Many analysts say the real figure spent on defense by Beijing is much higher

"Aircraft carriers are tools of imperialism, and they're like sitting ducks waiting to be shot," a senior Beijing official told a group of overseas visitors. "China will never build an aircraft carrier." That was in 1971, when China was poor and isolated, ruled by Chairman Mao and his military doctrines. Now China is reorienting its military concepts in keeping with modern times. It is getting ready to launch an aircraft carrier. Why an aircraft carrier?

"It helps China with its maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea," said Chris Yung, senior research fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS) at National Defense University in the United States. "Second and perhaps more importantly, it is a symbol of Chinese rise as a major power." Many Chinese apparently want a carrier. A survey conducted in May by the official Global Times showed 81.3% of respondents support China's efforts to build its own aircraft carrier as a way to shore up the country's overall military power. More than 75% said China needs it to defend the country against invasion, while around 50% said it will serve as a "counter-balance" to the U.S. and curb its dominance in the region.

The Chinese military is now refurbishing a 67,000-ton carrier, which China bought from Ukraine in 1998. It "is being built but has not been completed," said Chen Bingde, chief of general staff of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA), in an interview with the Hong Kong Commercial Daily last week. It is expected to join the Chinese naval fleet later this year. "China's strategy is to win a high-tech regional war in modern times and to be able to deal with multiple threats in a complex international environment," Song Zhongping, a military affairs commentator told CNN. "China aims to stop the enemy before entering its border."

As the world's second-biggest economy, China sees the need to extend its power and defend its expanded economic interests. The PLA is now developing a blue-water navy and air power to back it up. Early this year, China unveiled the J-20, a new stealth fighter prototype which can elude radar detection. Photos and videos of the new stealth bomber were published on the Internet. Some military observers say it could rival America's F-22 fighter. These are the latest in a series of moves to transform the once big but poorly equipped and highly-politicized revolutionary army into a modern, professional fighting force.

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