Wednesday, January 21, 2009

China Exploring New Markets For It's Military Hardware Like Ecuador

China Exploring New Markets For It's Military Hardware Like Ecuador
(NSI News Source Info) January 21, 2009: Ecuador is buying, for $5 million each, a dozen Chinese JY11 low altitude radars. This system has a max range of 180 kilometers, and can spot aircraft flying at tree top level, up to nearly 50,000 feet.
The JY-11 is a full-solid state, frequency-scan low-/medium-altitude 3D air surveillance radar developed by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) 38th Institute of Hebei, Anhui Province. The S-band radar system is designed to detect and track targets at low-altitude and provide target information for air defence weapon systems. It can be used as a stand-along system, or as a part of a multi-sensor air defence weapon network. The whole system comprises three transportable units with the capability of fast automatic assembling and dissembling. The JY-11 achieves azimuth scanning by mechanical rotation of its radar antenna, and vertical scanning by electronic frequency phase scanning. The radar antenna creates multiple scanning beams with different operating frequencies and elevation angles in an instantaneous vertical plane. The radar also features low pulse peak power and ultra low SL level, thus reducing the possibility of being detected by enemy radar warning receivers and anti-radiation weapon systems.
The 3-D radar is mobile, requiring three large trucks to transport it all. The JY11 is a phased array system, that can also deceive many radar detectors. The JY11 has been available for less than a decade, and is popular with users.

Israel Has Given A Heavy Blow To Hamas Infrastructure

Israel Has Given A Heavy Blow To Hamas Infrastructure
(NSI News Source Info) January 21, 2009: Hamas thought they were invulnerable to Israeli attack. By placing so many of their military and government facilities in densely populated residential neighborhoods, they believed any Israeli bombing or shelling would cause high, and politically unacceptable, civilian losses. But the Israelis used surprise, more precision than expected, and innovations like calling civilians in the target area and telling them to get out before the bombs hit nearby.
A Palestinian man inspected the damage to his home after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Israeli aircraft bombed a government compound, buildings linked to the Islamic University and the home of a top Hamas commander in a continued onslaught that left Gaza without electric power, residents said.
As a result, most of the 1,300 Palestinian dead were Hamas personnel, and nearly all the damaged structures were those used by Hamas. The Palestinians cranked up the spin machine anyway, and accused the Israelis of war crimes and genocide. But Israel responded with a media campaign featuring aerial videos of Hamas fighters setting up mortars and rockets next to schools and residential neighborhoods.
This didn't stop the usual alliance of leftists, anti-Semites and Islamic radicals from calling Israel names. But the mud didn't stick nearly as much as in the past. It's as if the Israeli campaign was seeking to humiliate and discredit Hamas, as much as it was to destroy military and government assets. Dozens of senior Hamas officials were killed by smart bomb attacks. The families of these Hamas leaders often died as well. Israel ignored Hamas attempts to protect its leaders by surrounding them with women and children in residential areas. What dismayed Hamas the most was Israel finding the location of their officials. Even before the ceasefire took effect on the 18th, Hamas death squads were rounding up the usual suspected (members of rival Fatah, and anyone else unlucky enough to be suspect) for torture and execution.
The UN did not pay much attention to this, as it has been going on for over two years in Gaza. In that time, over 400 Fatah members have been killed by Hamas death squads, and many more Fatah (and any other Hamas rivals) tortured, wounded or jailed. Hamas apparently didn't realize that there were other ways to get target locations, besides informants on the ground. But all they understood was informants, so Hamas went after informants, and Hamas felt better after. But the bombings continued. Israel believes it has destroyed 60 percent of the 200 or so smuggling tunnels that bring weapons (particularly long range rockets for attacks on Israeli civilians) into Gaza. Israel wants Israeli or American sensors and technicians prowling the Egyptian border to detect all the tunnels, and for Egyptian border guards to destroy them. Hamas opposes this (as do many Egyptian officials, especially the ones who benefit from the bribes of the tunnel operators). Negotiations continue. Ultimately, Hamas found that hiding their senior leadership in hospitals or orphanages offered the best protection from Israeli attack. Weapons and key items of military equipment could also be stored there. Hamas apparently exercised some restraint, in to what degree they took over these institutions for military purposes. Someone in Hamas began doing the math, and realized that, at a certain point, a hospital full of weapons and Hamas personnel stopped being a hospital to Israeli commanders, and became a prime target. Israel believes that Hamas had about 3,000 rockets in late December, and that during the 22 day campaign, about 700 of those rockets were fired in the general direction of Israel, while Israeli air (mostly) and ground forces destroyed another 1,300. That leaves Hamas with about 1,000 rockets, and dozens of functioning smuggling tunnels to Egypt through which components for replacement rockets can be moved. Hamas claimed that Israeli bombs and troops did $1.9 billion worth of damage. It was probably closer to a few hundred million dollars. There were only about a thousand smart bombs used, and many of these were small ones (like the new U.S. 250 pound SDB, which Israel recently received). Hamas claimed that 5,000 homes were destroyed (and 20,000 damaged), along with 16 government buildings and 20 mosques.
There are about 147,000 buildings in Gaza. Israel may take another media shot at Hamas by releasing photos of what was actually destroyed, and let Hamas try to dance away from their lies. But that may not be necessary, as Hamas is already the growing target for ridicule in the Arab world. If Israel was trying to get Hamas exposed as a bunch of tyrants, genocidal liars and blowhards, they seem to have succeeded, January 20, 2009: The last Israeli troops were leaving Gaza, and taking up positions along the Gaza border. Apparently Israeli forces are being prepared for a quick return to Gaza if Hamas and Egypt do not come through on the terms of the ceasefire (mainly the security on the Egyptian border.) Palestinians continue to fire rockets into southern Israel, and shoot at Israeli troops. January 19, 2009: Hamas accepts the ceasefire, sort of, they way they usually do. That means rockets will still be fired at Israel, Hamas will still call for the destruction of Israel, and peace will depend on how effectively smuggling into Gaza can be controlled. Israel has made it clear that, whenever it believes Hamas is becoming too dangerous, it will send bombers and troops in again. January 18, 2009: The initial response to the Israeli ceasefire was the launching of eight rockets into Israel. These were fired from residential neighborhoods in or around Gaza City. Sometimes the Israelis caught the launch on one of their UAV vids. Many of these videos have quickly shown up on the Internet.
While intended to expose Hamas culpability in the deaths of Palestinian civilians, the vids have also been a major blow to Hamas morale. Israeli use of UAVs has been more intense than in any previous conflict. The Israelis have also developed techniques to get information seen from the air, to the appropriate troops (air force, artillery, nearby infantry, Information War) quickly. January 17, 2009: Negotiations with Hamas over a ceasefire continued, and about two dozen rockets were fired into Israel. In an effort to break the deadlock, Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire, to begin at 2 AM on the 18th. Israeli troops would stay in Gaza until Hamas agreed to a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Israeli troops moved into Gaza city, easily destroying any Hamas fighters who tried to interfere. Hamas fighters were not prepared for combat, and this is a serious problem for Hamas. It was not just lack of training (some Iranian trained Hamas fighters also got killed quickly), but a lack of combat leadership.
Higher Hamas commanders had worked up elaborate defense plans, but there was not lower ranking (lieutenants, captains and sergeants) to carry it out. Hamas is largely based on spectacle, theater and putting on a show. That doesn't work on the battlefield, at least not as well as the Israeli approach (good leadership and lots of training). Israeli troops used new training techniques (and lots of practices) to keep their losses low. While about 400 Hamas fighters were killed trying to oppose the Israeli advance, only nine Israeli troops died (and this includes four killed by friendly fire). January 14, 2009: Hamas has agreed to a truce, that would halt rocket and mortar attacks into Israel, and allow goods to enter Gaza. Hamas is fighting Israeli demands that strict security be established to keep weapons (especially long range weapons) out of Gaza.

Al-Qaeda Active In Russia's North Caucasus - Interior Ministry

Al-Qaeda Active In Russia's North Caucasus - Interior Ministry (NSI News Source Info) ROSTOV-ON-DON - January 21, 2009: Members of Al-Qaeda are active in Russia's North Caucasus republics of Chechnya and Daghestan, a deputy interior minister said on Wednesday. "Al-Qaeda training centers exist around the world, and in southern Russia they are active on the territory of the Chechen republic and the republic of Daghestan," Arkady Yedelev told journalists. He added that representatives of the international terrorist network carry out regular inspections of armed groups in the republics and provide them with weapons and explosives. Yedelev said the process was "natural" as Russia was "becoming stronger" and enemies "had to have an influence on operations [in the country]." "We know this and are prepared for it," he added.

French Navy Orders Exocet Block 3 Missiles / Exocet Block 3 Missiles for French Navy / DGA Orders Exocet Block IIIs / MBDA To Upgrade 45 Exocet......

French Navy Orders Exocet Block 3 Missiles / Exocet Block 3 Missiles for French Navy / DGA Orders Exocet Block IIIs / MBDA To Upgrade 45 Exocet Block 2 To Block 3 Missile Standard For French Navy (NSI News Source Info) January 21, 2009: The French defence procurement agency, Délégation Générale pour l’Armement (DGA), in late December awarded a contract to MBDA for the upgrade to Block 3 standard of 45 Exocet Block 2 anti-ship missiles belonging to the French Navy. (MBDA will upgrade an initial batch of French MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles to Block 3 standard, which doubles the range and adds GPS guidance. MBDA photo) The upgraded missiles will be delivered in 2011 and 2012. This order is a result of the development contract for the Exocet MM40 Block 3 awarded in January 2004. DGA qualified the new version missile in April 2008. These missiles will arm the Horizon-class frigates, on which modifications to allow Block 3 integration were also completed in 2008. In future, the MM40 Block 3 will also become the main anti-ship weapon of the FREMM multi-mission frigates. Modifications of the Block 3 Exocet mainly consist in replacing the solid fuel motors fitted to previous versions by a turbojet, and the integration of state-of-the art avionics, including a GPS receiver. These modifications double the missile’s range and allow it to modify its angle of attack to the target, and to engage targets it the littoral zone by designating them using their geographical coordinates.

Indian Navy Commissioning Its First Helicopter Base, INS Shikra / Indian Navy Commissions First Helicopter Base / Indian Navy To Commission First.....

Indian Navy Commissioning Its First Helicopter Base, INS Shikra / Indian Navy Commissions First Helicopter Base / Indian Navy To Commission First Chopper Base (NSI News Source Info) January 21, 2009: The Indian Navy will be commissioning its first helicopter base, INS Shikra, today (22 Jan 09). An impressive commissioning ceremony is planned at Mumbai to usher in the first helicopter base. The Air Station will be commissioned by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) and Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC), Admiral Sureesh Mehta, PVSM AVSM VSM. Captain Philipose G Pynumootil is the first Commanding Officer of INS Shikra and will read out the Commissioning Warrant. The Air Station, which first commenced air operation in 1964 with setting up of a small Helicopter Maintenance Unit, today, provides maintenance and flying support to a diverse range of helicopters operating from naval ships at Mumbai. Operations from here include Sea King, Kamov 28, Kamov 31 and Chetak helicopters. The station also provides Air Traffic Control services to all civil and military helicopters operating in South Mumbai. The location of the air station close, to naval facilities, makes it ideally suited to support ship-borne helicopters of the Western Fleet as also their maintenance and training requirements. In addition, the proximity of the air station to Mumbai High and Saurashtra region on the West Coast, makes it the preferred site to provide effective air support for protection and security of the national assets, at short notice. The Commissioning of INS Shikra, will provide a shot in the arm, to the growth of Naval Aviation. The commissioning is symbolic, of the recognition of the important role played by naval helicopters in the maritime capability of our nation. Shikra, after which the Air Station is being named, is a small aggressive raptor with short broad wings and tall tail adapted for manoeuvrability, agility and speed. The crest of the air station depicts a bolt of lightning in the talons of a Shikra, symbolising the strike power of the aircraft. The red and grey body depicts spirit of the men of "blood and steel" who man the unit and constantly strive for excellence.

Jordan May Buy Additional Belgian F-16s / Jordan Buying More Belgian F-16s

Jordan May Buy Additional Belgian F-16s / Jordan Buying More Belgian F-16s
(NSI News Source Info) BRUSSELS - January 21, 2009: Officials from Jordan and Belgium are in the midst of finalizing a deal which will result in the sale of nine Belgian F-16s to Jordan.
The aircraft are considered redundant by the Belgian Defense Ministry, which under the country's 2000-2015 modernization of the Belgian Defense Forces plans on only retaining 60 F-16s.
The modernization plan continues the process of shrinking the Belgian fleet from its outsized Cold War-era inventory; Belgium purchased 160 F-16s in 1979 with the Soviet Union in mind. Belgian Defense Minister Peter De Crem expects the sale to fall in the area of EUR7 million ($9.28 million). Meanwhile, Jordan continues to build up its F-16 stockpile through the acquisition of surplus Belgian aircraft.
In August 2007 it purchased 14 surplus Belgian F-16s, all of which underwent Mid-Life Updates (MLUs) in Belgium before being delivered to the Jordanian Air Force in the first half of 2008.

Tajikistan, US Discuss Afghanistan Supply Route: FM / NATO Supplies Get New Route Into Afghanistan / Russia Will Allow NATO Supplies Through......

Tajikistan, US Discuss Afghanistan Supply Route: FM / NATO Supplies Get New Route Into Afghanistan / Russia Will Allow NATO Supplies Through Afghanistan - Report / NATO Needs To: Close Pakistani Border (Taliban Reinforecement) & Shut Down Opium Trade (Taliban Revenue) - Analyze (NSI News Source Info) DUSHANBE - January 21, 2009: The United States and NATO are in talks with the central Asian nation of Tajikistan about supply routes of non-military equipment to Afghanistan, the country's foreign minister said Wednesday. "Talks are ongoing with the United States and NATO," Tajik Foreign Minister Khamrokhon Zafiri said at a press conference. "Tajikistan has colossal possibilities, there are five or six bridges on the Tajik-Afghan border over the Panj River for the transport of non-military cargoes," he added. No agreements have yet been signed, but European countries and the United States have offered proposals and foreign officials are to visit Tajikistan soon to conclude the talks, Zafiri said. Additional Info: Related News NATO Supplies Get New Route Into Afghanistan (NSI News Source Info) January 21, 2009:The US Commander in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus, says an agreement has been reached for new overland transport routes into Afghanistan through countries other than Pakistan. Western troops in Afghanistan had been seeking different ways of getting supplies because convoys were coming under regular attack. General Petraeus said agreements have been reached for additional logistical routes to Afghanistan through the north. They were concluded through central Asian states and also Russia, he said. Currently, most of the NATO supplies are transported overland through Pakistan. But support for the NATO war effort in Afghanistan is unpopular and supply trucks have increasingly been attacked by local Taliban militants.

China First Reveals Defense Expenditure Figures Of Past 30 Years / White Paper: China's Defense Expenditure Kept At A "Reasonable And Appropriate...."

China First Reveals Defense Expenditure Figures Of Past 30 Years / White Paper: China's Defense Expenditure Kept At A "Reasonable And Appropriate Level" / Full Text: China's National Defense In 2008 (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING - January 21, 2009: China revealed its defense expenditure figures over the past 30 years for the first time in a white paper here Tuesday, considered an effort to win further international trust through increased transparency. "Comparing the figures in the past three decades, people will have a clear picture that the country maintained a balance between military expenditure and national economic strength," said Wen Bing, a researcher of Beijing-based Academy of Military Sciences (AMS). Since 1986, the percentage ratio between China's defense expenditure and gross domestic product (GDP) had never exceeded 2 percent, according to the figures released by the white paper on China's National Defense in 2008, issued by the Information Office of the State Council. This ratio had dropped in 19 years out of the past three decades. In 2007, the same ratio of the United States was 4.5 percent. It was 2.7 in Britain and 2.57 in Russia. In addition, the percentage ratio between the defense expenditure and the central government expenditure had remained below 10 percent since 1985, except 1992. This ratio also decreased in 19 years out of the past three decades. "Although the exact number of expense expenditure rose in the past 30 years, it has taken up an appropriate part of the whole expenditure," Wen said. The military expense rose from 16.78 billion yuan (2.43 billion U.S. dollar at the current exchange rate) in 1978 to 355.49 billion yuan (51.52 billion dollars) in 2007. "I believe through these figures the world will have a better understanding on China's defense policy," Wen said. In the white paper, the country clearly stated that it will stick to a defensive national defense policy. There are several other figures that were released by the white paper for the first time. One of them was that the militia members total shrank to 8 million now from 10 million in 2006. The white paper also first introduced the framework of China's border police force. It was made up of 30 provincial police units,110 city-level units, 310 county-level units, 20 marine units, 207land border checkpoints and 1,691 township-level stations. "The white paper introduced to the rest of the world China's perspective of national defense development. This has showed its sincerity to improve mutual trust and reduce concerns of the international society," said Chen Zhou, another AMS researcher.
Additional: Related Info
Full Text: China's National Defense In 2008
(NSI News Source Info) BEIJING - January 21, 2009: The Information Office of China's State Council on Tuesday issued a white paper titled "China's National Defense in 2008". Following is the full text of the document:
In a TV live broadcast, Chinese defence ministry spokesman Sr. Col. Hu Changming introduces a white paper on China's National Defense in 2008 at a press conference in Beijing, Jan. 20, 2009. The white paper was issued by the Information Office of the State Council Tuesday. China's National Defense in 2008 Information Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China January 2009, Beijing Contents Preface I. The Security Situation II. National Defense Policy III. Reform and Development of the PLA IV. The Army V. The Navy VI. The Air Force VII. The Second Artillery Force VIII. The People's Armed Police Force IX. National Defense Reserve Buildup X. The Armed Forces and the People XI. Science, Technology and Industry for National De-fense XII. Defense Expenditure XIII. International Security Cooperation XIV. Arms Control and Disarmament Appendix I Major International Exchanges of the Chinese Military (2007-2008) Appendix II Joint Exercises and Training with Foreign Armed Forces (2007-2008) Appendix III China's Participation in UN Peacekeeping Operations Appendix IV Imports and Exports of Seven Major Types of Conventional Arms of the PRC (2007) Appendix V Defense Expenditure of the PRC (1978-2007) Appendix VI Major Military Regulations Issued in 2007 and 2008 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10][11] [12] [13] [14] [15] (Click the numbers accordingly)

Eurocopter Warns Of Falling Orders In 2009 / Eurocopter Seeks U.S. Partners for Projects

Eurocopter Warns Of Falling Orders In 2009 / Eurocopter Seeks U.S. Partners for Projects (NSI News Source Info) Paris - January 21, 2009: Eurocopter is looking for American partners on a proposed European heavy-lift helicopter and its bid for the U.S. Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), CEO Lutz Bertling said Jan. 20. The European helicopter maker, an EADS subsidiary, is in early talks with Boeing and Sikorsky as potential partners for a Future Transport Helicopter, he told a New Year's press conference here. France and Germany support the large helicopter project, which is one of the top priorities of the European Defence Agency's head, Alexander Weis, Bertling said. "There is some trans-Atlantic work to be done," he said, with the possibility of common standardization between American and European programs. Eurocopter is in contact with American original equipment manufacturers, excluding Bell, to explore the potential for a "joint business opportunity," he said. The talks were at a preliminary stage, consisting of design discussions, and were being held with Boeing and Sikorsky, said Philippe Harache, Eurocopter executive vice president for customer relations. Eurocopter also is looking for an American partner to supply military mission systems for the new tender for the ARH program, Bertling said. Eurocopter would supply the airframe to EADS North America, which would act as the prime contractor. Eurocopter has responded to the U.S. government's request for industry views with the single-engine EC145 and a double-engined aircraft for the ARH competition. A twin-engined product better matched the requirement, Bertling said. There were, however, logistical benefits of choosing the EC145,which has been delivered to the U.S. Army under the LUH 72 program and is under evaluation by the U.S. Navy, he said. In India, Eurocopter is bidding for a requirement for 197 Army attack helicopters and a reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft. Eurocopter won the tender for 197 units in 2007, but the government reset the competition after an appeal from Bell. The European company also hopes to sell its NH90 to meet the Indian Navy's need for shipborne helicopters. In Japan, Eurocopter is campaigning to sell about 100 NH90s to the Army, Navy and Air Force, Harache said. A recent order of EC135s by the Navy marked the first buy of non-American helicopters by the Japanese armed forces, he said. The NH90 program is "margin- and cash-positive," Bertling said. The program is on a fixed and firm contract, and the first deliveries must absorb cost overruns incurred by the lateness of the aircraft, he said. That meant profitability on the NH90 was lower than predicted, he said. No extra provisions were taken on the NH90 in 2008. Eurocopter flew an unpiloted, fully autonomous EC155 last year as part of a classified UAV project for the French Ministry of Defense, Bertling said. The company is preparing to support the French Army's deployment of the Tiger combat helicopter in Afghanistan in the second quarter of the year, Bertling said. Eurocopter increased its 2008 operating profit over the previous year's 211 million euros ($279.8 million). Bertling declined to give the amount but said he was "satisfied" by the increase. Annual sales rose 7.5 percent to 4.5 billion euros from 4.17 billion in 2007, and deliveries rose 20 percent to 588 units from 488. New orders fell to 4.9 billion euros after the record 6.6 billion booked in the previous year. The order backlog was worth 14 billion euros, or 1,550 units, with 71 percent signed with military or government clients, reducing the risk of cancellations, he said. Some 18 percent of the backlog, however, faces cancellations in view of the economic crisis. Among the leading indicators the company tracks is the second-hand luxury yacht market for market intelligence on sales of VIP helicopters. Sales of VIP aircraft make up about 20 percent to 25 percent of orders, Harache said. Eurocopter expects to sell about 450 helicopters this year. That figure includes the 22 and 50 NH90s ordered in December, respectively, by France and Brazil, worth 380 million and 1.8 billion euros, Bertling said. The company will manage cash carefully, with a view to selectively helping customers finance their purchases. Eurocopter will boost research and development spending by 20 percent this year, despite the economic climate, Bertling said.

India Test Fires BrahMos Cruise Missile From Pokhran / India Tests Land-Attack BrahMos Missile

India Test Fires BrahMos Cruise Missile From Pokhran / India Tests Land-Attack BrahMos Missile (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - January 21, 2009: India test-fired its land-attack version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on Jan. 20, in the Rajasthan desert bordering Pakistan, Defence Ministry officials here said. The nuclear-capable missile, which travels at Mach 2.8, has a range of 293 kilometers. (Photo/Image: Indian Army BrahMos missiles are seen during the Army Day parade in New Delhi on January 15. Courtesy: Prakash Singh / AFP) The land-attack BrahMos will give Indian firepower a quantitative jump once the missile has been inducted into Army service in the next one to two years, an Indian Army official said. The missile can be fired within two minutes, compared with the short-range Prithvi missile, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes to launch, the official said. The land-attack version of the BrahMos uses thermal sensors for quick capability, the Army official said. The service plans to induct three batteries, each with four road-mobile autonomous launchers on 12-wheel-drive Tata vehicles to use for precision strike. The Jan. 20 test was the fifth for the land-attack version of the BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia. The supersonic anti-ship BrahMos cruise missile was already inducted into the Indian Navy's arsenal, and the air version is in the last phase of flight trials. It eventually will be fitted on the Air Force's Sukhoi multirole aircraft. The Army already has the Prithvi missile, with a range of 250 kilometers; the Agni-I missile, with a 700-kilometer range; and the 2,000-kilometer-range Agni-II missile.

China Calls For Closer Defence Ties / China Calls on Obama to Strengthen Military Ties / US Urged To Repair Military Ties, Stop Selling Weapons....

China Calls For Closer Defence Ties / China Calls on Obama to Strengthen Military Ties / US Urged To Repair Military Ties, Stop Selling Weapons To Taiwan (NSI News Source Info) BEIJING - January 21, 2009: China called for stronger military ties with the U.S. on Jan. 20, just hours before Barack Obama was to take power in Washington. Beijing said there were currently "difficulties" in military relations between the two nations and urged the U.S. to remove obstacles to an improved relationship. "In this new period, we hope that both China and the US could make joint efforts to create favorable conditions and improve and promote military-to-military relations," Ministry of Defense spokesman Col. Hu Changming told reporters. "We call on the U.S. to remove the obstacles to the growth of military relations between the two countries and to create favourable conditions for the healthy growth of military relations." Hu did not specify the nature of these obstacles, but China has repeatedly demanded that the U.S. cuts its military links with Taiwan. Last month, China's defense minister called on the U.S. to drop a planned weapons sale to Taiwan, saying it threatened Sino-U.S. defense cooperation. The Pentagon notified Congress in October that it planned to sell $6.5 billion of military hardware to Taiwan, Beijing's longtime diplomatic rival. "China-U.S. military relations in the past 30 years show that only when the two sides have taken full account of each others' core interests and concerns could the two sides enjoy firm political basis for military-to-military relations," Hu said Tuesday.
Additional Info: Related Topic
US Urged To Repair Military Ties, Stop Selling Weapons To Taiwan
(NSI News Source Info) January 21, 2009: China Tuesday urged the US to take concrete steps to put bilateral military ties back on track after relations were derailed because of Pentagon's arms sales to Taiwan last year.
The Barack Obama administration should clear the way for improved military ties, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. Announcing the publication of the sixth defense white paper since 1998, Hu Changming told a news briefing: "The US president-elect Obama will take office in a few hours and current US Defense Secretary Robert Gates will keep his job ... At present, when bilateral military ties face difficulties, we urge the US Defense Department to remove obstacles and take action to create favorable conditions for the healthy development of ties." "Only when both countries respect each other's core interests can we consolidate the political base of our military relations," he said. China suspended high-level military contact with the US in October in protest against Pentagon's $6.5-billion arms sales to Taiwan, which included 30 Apache attack helicopters and 330 Patriot missiles. It was the largest arms sale to Taiwan since China and the US signed the August 17 Communiqu in 1982, in which the US agreed to gradually reduce sale of weapons to the island. Last month, though, Obama said Sino-US military exchanges should continue. He said he even wanted to "resume laboratory-to-laboratory exchanges that were terminated in the 1990s". US Navy Admiral Timothy Keating, who commands forces in Asia and the Pacific, said last month that he hoped the two countries would resume military contacts after China sent three of its navy ships to tackle pirates off Somali waters. The defense white paper says China's security environment "continues to improve" with cross-Straits relations having "taken a significantly positive turn". But it criticizes US arms sales to the island, saying it is "seriously harming Sino-US relations, as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits". China is worried over the US' increased "strategic attention to and input in the Asia-Pacific region", the paper says. The country is committed to peaceful development, the paper says. Despite the increase in military spending, China's per capita expenditure is much less than that of the US, Britain, France or Russia.