BEIJING, China (AP) — China has angrily rejected a U.S. Defense Department report that says Beijing is a potential military threat, insisting that its multibillion-dollar buildup is defensive.
Hmmm… What are they buying that is defensive? CNN says: “Beijing has spent heavily in recent years on adding submarines, missiles, fighter planes and other high-tech weapons to its arsenal in order to extend the reach of the 2.3 million-member People’s Liberation Army, the world’s largest fighting force.” But I want specifics. Over at globalsecurity.org, I found them:
According to Pentagon analysts, China has bought Su-27 Flanker fighters and Su-30 Flanker interceptors, AA-12 Adder medium-range air-to-air missiles, SA-10 Grumble, SA-15 Gauntlet and SA-20 Triumf surface-to-air missiles, 3M-54E (SS-N-27B) anti-ship cruise missiles, Kilo-class diesel submarines, Sovremennyi-class destroyers, Il-76 Candid transport planes and Il-78 Midas in-flight refueling tankers.
Most of the stuff is (suprise) from Russia. Check below the fold for some more info. The $24K question: is China beefing up for offensive purposes, or is this just an attempt to modernize its very old equipment (that it has a lot of.)?
The S-300PMU [SA-10 land-based, SA-N-6 naval version] surface-to-air missile system is able to engage a number of targets simultaneously, countering intensive aircraft raids at low-to-high altitude. The SA-10 offers significant advantages over older strategic surface-to-air missile systems, including multitarget handling and engagement characteristics, a capability against low altitude targets with small radar cross-sections such as cruise missiles, a capability against tactical ballistic missiles, and possibly a potential to intercept some types of strategic ballistic missiles.
The first Chinese copy have been tested, but all the components of the first copy version were imported from Russia. The October 1999 parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing featured a large number of truck towed quad-cannister systems associated with the SA-10.
The Kilo class submarines are a significant improvement over the Romeo class, of which the PRC has about 30 in service. The Kilo class is well suited for operations in the East Sea and South Sea, and it will remain one of China’s main conventional submarines. Reportedly, however, the two Kilo submarines have engaged in only limited sea operations due to engine problems. When their crews are fully trained, these new diesel submarines will provide a substantial improvement in China’s attack submarine capability. They will enhance China’s capability to interdict commercial or naval shipping, and hence to deny sea control to potentially hostile forces operating in China’s coastal seas.
Codenamed `Flanker’ by NATO, the J-11 [Su-27 / Su-30MKK / Su-30MK2] is a multi-role fighter bomber and air superiority aircraft which can also be used in the maritime strike role. The Flanker has an operational radius of around 1500 km, and is equipped with an inflight refuelling facility extending their radius by another 500 km. Although normally configured for conventional operations, the J-11 could provide China with a high-performance nuclear-capable strike aircraft.
The acquisition of Su-27, after China had attempted for years to develop the J-10 aircraft with equivalent technology to perform similar functions, demonstrates a lack of confidence in domestic industrial capabilities.
Since China received its first 4th-generation Su-27 fighter in 1992, training, tactics and operational concepts progressed slowly as China integrated the new technologies and capabilities into the force structure. This protracted learning phase has allowed China to prepare for the introduction of larger numbers of 4th-generation aircraft into its inventories. By 2002 new Su-27s and Su-30s had been more rapidly integrated into operational units. Meanwhile, air combat tactics continue to evolve and training became more advanced.
Maybe I’m biased because I’m a Taiwanese-American civilian, but I’m sure that as facist a country China is, China wants peace much more than war. And they are securing this peace by developing a force strong enough to win over China’s neighbors while at the same time offering pragmatic relations.
They could have bowled over Taiwan anytime with most countries raising little concern. I bet that what we are seeing in that conflict is China’s attempts to force a gradual surrender from Taiwanese politicians, emulating a takeover as smooth as Hong Kong. In my memory, China usually threatens Taiwan at times where politicians on the formosa start spewing bullshit about defying Chinese authority, behavior similar to the Iranians as politicians try to garner Taiwanese nationalist sentiment. And as opposed to the North/South Korea cooperation fiasco, Taiwanese businessmen already engage heavily in manufacturing agreements with China.
And some ethnically Han citizens of Taiwan saw Chiang Kai-shek as a murdering brute who invaded from China (1949), after the Japanese withdrew from 50+ years of benevolent rule. The cultural situation is very complicated as you see Taiwanese youths of same ethnicity come to terms over killings from the post-WWII era. My grandpa can belt out Japanese folk songs like there’s no tomorrow.
China is surrounded by a lot of potentially aggressive countries such as India, Pakistan, and Sino-China. I would even bet that some Chinese experts are a little suspicious of North Korea’s very eccentric leader. China has a large army, and will seem very strong as opposed to weak. However, a large army is hard to move, and it would be wiser for Chinese leaders to avoid war on multiple fronts.
I have never heard of the Chinese ever declaring ill will towards anyone but Taiwan. Chinese politicians can hold their morals, as long is it means prosperous business deals with Iran. But if extremists every try to convert Chinese to Islam, I bet strongly that things will get very very bloody, as the Chinese have suppressed Christians, the Falun Gong (damn those guys are annoying), and Tibetans when any of those groups tried to steer loyalty from to goverment towards god.
And a even more risky bet on my part, I think the Chinese would get very very pissed off if some shitty third world country blew up the USA, one of China’s most prosperous trading partners. As much as they ignore us about the Iran issue, the Chinese depend a lot on global trade with most countries, possibly even Latin America.
Uh, feel free to rebuke any of my points. You have my email, and it’s going to be a boring summer from college.
The Issue of China
China has been successfully flying below the radar for the past few decades and thanks to Clinton’s treatment of them with Most-Favored Nation status (granting them the opportunity for an economic windfall, which they took advantage of), China h…
When their 3 Gorge Dam is completed, it will have 9 times the output of Hoover Dam. Most of that will go to industry. I say in 10 years they will be projecting force with alot of carriers. They will be the superpower on the planet in about 10 years.
I think they’re modernizing their antiquated military inventories. They have to be paying attention to what the US military has demonstrated it is capable of in both AF and Iraq.
The Russians are selling, and the Chinese govt has some cash for once.
(although that could change if the banking scandals get out of hand)
China’s been attempting to get a working aircraft carrier for years. Carriers are good for one thing: power projection.
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15:18 Splinter Cell Double Agent coming to PS3 (0)..
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