2008 China's National Defense white paper

[snowhole]

Just released. This is the Chinese (simplified) version:
http://www.gov.cn/gzdt/att/att/site1...0adf862501.pdf

According to reports it is published in 8 languages but I can't find the English version yet.

[Guest]

Here is a gist of it!

China on Tuesday issued a white paper on national defense, pledging to be committed to the peaceful development and advance its military modernization.

The paper for the first time unveiled China's ambition to "basically accomplishing mechanization (of the military) and making major progress in informationization by 2020" and "realizing modernization by the mid-21st century."

The white paper on "China's National Defense in 2008" was issued by the Information Office of the State Council Tuesday.

Vowing to strengthen the military by means of science and technology, the paper said China was working to "develop new and high-tech weaponry and equipment, conduct military training in conditions of informationization and build a modern logistics system in an all-round way."

On China's military strategic guideline of active defense, the paper said this guideline "aimed at winning local wars in conditions of informationization."

On the current effort to streamline the armed forces, the paper said China is aimed at developing a complete set of "scientific modes" of organization, institutions and ways of operation by 2020.

Nuke Weapons Not Aimed At Any Country

The paper for the first time specified in detail China's long-standing policy of "no first use of nuclear weapons."

"In peacetime, the nuclear missile weapons of the Second Artillery Force are not aimed at any country," the paper said while reaffirming the country's will to implement "a self-defensive nuclear strategy."

"But if China comes under a nuclear threat, the nuclear missile force of the Second Artillery Force will go into a state of alert, and get ready for a nuclear counterattack to deter the enemy from using nuclear weapons against China," the paper said.

The Second Artillery Force is China's name for its core force of strategic deterrence.

Under the direct command of the Central Military Commission, the nuclear armed force is aimed to deter nuclear strike from other countries and to conduct nuclear counterattacks and precision strikes with conventional missiles.

Security Situation Improving, Still Complicated

The paper, the sixth of its kind issued by the Chinese government since 1998, gave an overall picture of China's national defense ranging from the security environment, national defence policy, to defense expenditure and arms control.

Describing China's general security situation as "improving steadily," the 105-page document said "the situation across the Taiwan Straits has taken a significantly positive turn."

The paper attributed the improvement to the failed attempts of the separatist forces for "Taiwan independence" and the progress made in cross-Straits consultations.

However, "China is still confronted with long-term, complicated, and diverse security threats and challenges," the paper said, listing the threats of separatist forces of "Taiwan independence," "East Turkistan independence" and "Tibet independence."

"In particular, the United States continues to sell arms to Taiwan in violation of the principles established in the three Sino-US joint communiques, causing serious harm to the Sino-US relations as well as peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits," the paper said.

In the face of "unprecedented opportunities and challenges," China will "persist in taking the road of peaceful development," the paper said.

The paper also reviewed the three decades of China's defense expenditure, saying it stayed at "a reasonable and appropriate level."

Although China's defense expenditure increased from 1988 to 2008, the total amount and per-service-person share of China's defense spending remained lower than those of some major powers, the paper said.

The paper also for the first time devoted separate chapters to the army, navy, air force and second artillery force, introducing their capacities and functions.

"China will never seek hegemony or engage in military expansion now or in the future, no matter how developed it becomes," the paper said.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...nt_7413082.htm

[Officer of Engineers]

Here is the entire paper in English

http://www.china.org.cn/government/c...t_17155577.htm

I was surprised by the quote in Chinese but waited for the confirmation in English

Structure and Organization

The Army has no independent leading body, and its leadership is exercised by the four general headquarters/departments. The seven military area commands exercise direct leadership over the Army units under them. The Army includes units of mobile operational, garrison, border and coastal defense, and reserve troops. The organizational order of these units is combined corps, division (brigade), regiment, battalion, company, platoon and squad. Directly under a military area command, a combined corps consists of divisions or brigades, and acts as a basic formation at the operational level. Directly under a combined corps, a division consists of regiments and acts as a basic formation at the tactical level. Directly under a combined corps, a brigade consists of battalions, and acts as a formation at the tactical level. Normally under a division, a regiment consists of battalions, and acts as a basic tactical unit. Normally under a regiment or brigade, a battalion consists of companies, and acts as a tactical element at a higher level. A company consists of platoons, and acts as a basic tactical element. The Army mobile operational units include 18 combined corps and some independent combined operational divisions (brigades).(Emphasis added)

Brigade taskings and divisional taskings at the Operational Level are one and the same.

[Officer of Engineers]

And another thing to show the PLA is not above bureaucratic inertia

http://www.china.org.cn/government/c...7155577_11.htm

The militia lost all significance after the 1979 Sino-VN War and it is still around.

[xinhui]

China wants improved military ties with US

By Kathrin Hille in Beijing

Published: January 20 2009 14:45 | Last updated: January 20 2009 14:45

China greeted the inauguration of Barack Obama as US president with an appeal for better bilateral military relations, signalling Beijing’s hopes of fully restoring military dialogue partly suspended last year over US arms sales to Taiwan.

The gesture accompanied the presentation of the biannual white paper on China’s National Defense, whose release some analysts said had been timed for the inauguration.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
Under Obama, will US foreign policy change? - Jan-20

“A few hours from now, Mr Obama will be inaugurated. In the new era, we hope that both sides can make joint efforts to create favourable conditions for the continued improvement and development of military relations,” said Hu Changming, spokesman of the ministry of national defence.

The softer tone contrasts with the uncompromising line Beijing has taken towards the outgoing Bush administration over military matters. For two months, the defence ministry has demanded that Washington reverse its October decision to sell $6.5bn in arms to Taiwan.

China’s last three defence white papers had December release dates. “This one was delayed to wait for the Obama inauguration,” said Andrew Yang, secretary of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies in Taiwan. He added that recent improvements in cross-Strait relations and the military’s need to reflect those in the document also contributed to the delay.

Currently, three Chinese navy ships are in the Gulf of Aden to protect Chinese commercial vessels from pirates, a long-range deployment which is highly unusual for the force.

Beijing’s message that it wants to get military ties with the US back on track is part of an effort to ensure the People’s Liberation Army engage more closely with international counterparts.

The white paper echoes this stance. “China’s security situation has improved steadily,” it stated, while mentioning the economic and technological advantage of developed nations and Western efforts at containing it as challenges.

Beyond such general statements, however, the information provided by the document is sparse. It gives figures for defence spending through 2007 by branch of service and type of expenditure, but in explaining the considerations behind the spending, it only said: “Defence expenditure has always been kept at a reasonable and appropriate level.”

“We have seen remarkable change in the amount and the kind of information that is disclosed. Ten years ago all that was available on defence spending was a single bottomline figure,” said Bates Gill, a China expert and director of the Stockholm Institute for Peace Research. “But despite this trend towards greater openness and transparency, the PLA remains one of the most secretive and opaque institutions in China.”

This gap between what foreign counterparts hope to see and what China is willing to provide will continue to make the PLA’s dialogue with other militaries difficult, observers said.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009

[xinhui]

Here is the entire paper in English

http://www.china.org.cn/government/c...t_17155577.htm

I was surprised by the quote in Chinese but waited for the confirmation in English



Brigade taskings and divisional taskings at the Operational Level are one and the same.

damn busy today,


The Army aviation wing is one of the combat arms of the Army, and has a three-level (general headquarters/departments, theaters and combined corps) administration system. In recent years it has been working to shift from being a support force focusing on transportation missions to being an integrated combat force focusing on air assault missions; it has stepped up training in fire assault, aircraft-borne operations, air mobility and air service support; and actively participated in counter-terrorism, stability maintenance, border closure and control, emergency rescue, disaster relief and joint exercises. The purpose is to build a well-equipped and multifunctional Army aviation force which is appropriate in size and optimal in structure.

[xinhui]

The ago of capitalism.............




China Defense Shares Gain on Higher Military Spending (Update1)
Email | Print | A A A

By John Liu

Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Long March Launch Vehicle Technology Co., a maker of equipment for China’s space program, led share gains by defense and aerospace manufacturers on speculation the government will increase military spending this year.

The maker of navigation and control systems rose 5.9 percent to 10.94 yuan in Shanghai today, and China Dongfanghong Spacesat Co., satellite-maker, jumped 8.8 percent to 20.34 yuan. Both stocks had their highest close since Aug. 7. Xi’an Aircraft International Corp., a producer of aircraft components, gained 3.1 percent to 15.54 yuan in Shenzhen.

China yesterday said it will accelerate the provision of new equipment and technology to the People’s Liberation Army, adding modern weapons, and enhanced transportation and communications abilities. The Chinese army’s equipment still lags behind that of other nations, Senior Colonel Fan Jianjun said yesterday.

“We’ll see more investment and spending on defense and aerospace projects, a big benefit for Long March and other companies” said Chen Yaobang, an analyst at Huatai Securities Co. in the eastern Chinese city of Nanjing. He recommends investors “hold” shares of Long March.

China’s defense budget rose 17.5 percent last year, after gaining 19 percent in 2007 and a record 20.4 percent in 2006, according the government said yesterday. The People’s Liberation Army is the world’s largest armed force, with 2 million soldiers.

Dongfanghong Spacesat said today that 2008 profit almost doubled to 173 million yuan ($25 million).

China’s benchmark CSI 300 Index fell 0.2 percent today.

To contact the reporter on this story: John Liu in Shanghai at [email protected]

[Officer of Engineers]

Wooo

http://www.china.org.cn/government/c...17155577_9.htm

If China comes under a nuclear attack, the nuclear missile force of the Second Artillery Force will use nuclear missiles to launch a resolute counterattack against the enemy either independently or together with the nuclear forces of other services.

So, the 2AF does not own the SLBMs. I'm tempted to say that the PLAAF would have aircraft delivery also but without further information, I would be very hesitant to point it out.

Also, Andy,

The conventional missile force of the Second Artillery Force is charged mainly with the task of conducting medium- and long-range precision strikes against key strategic and operational targets of the enemy.

Didn't we made this call 8 years ago?

[xinhui]

And another thing to show the PLA is not above bureaucratic inertia

Col,

China's first H-bomb was dropped by a H-6, as I recalled correctly, but there is no sign of a Nuke armed CM.

The way the the Chinese government handles bureaucratic inertia was the creation of the "National Security Leading Group". In 2000, the the Politburo established the National Security Leading Group (Guojia Anquan Liangdo Xiaozu) based on the concept that come into being during the chaotic days of the GPCR, as during that time, the only ways to get things done is by the personal intervention of Zhou Enlai. The NSLG is a formalization of this process with the job of coordinate all security ministries and organizations and dept under CMC.

Te first test for the NSLG was the EP-3 "incident" in April 1st, 2001 and as expected, the resolution was slow coming and was not handled well by most accounts, it was not handled well. However, the process seems to be improved over time with NSLG given greater responsibilities and the quick response to the 9/11 attack and the 2003 DPRK nuke criris were credited to the NSLG as it matures. In a way, the NSLG is similar to that of America's National security Council.

As a side note, the Tibet riot was not handled by the NSLG but rather by the Central Committee United Front Department, a department that handles "national minorities" issues.

[Officer of Engineers]

China's first H-bomb was dropped by a H-6, as I recalled correctly, but there is no sign of a Nuke armed CM.

I think that is my own failing. There are far more delivery vehicles than there are warheads. Naturally, I assigned them to the one branch visibly preparing for nuclear war, the 2AF. I never assumed that the other branches have nuclear delivery roles also until now.

[Officer of Engineers]

Andy,

I've gone over about 20 pages of PLAAF training and nothing I've seen would indicate that they have a strategic role. Penetration to the most obvious nuclear targets have a very low confidence rating. Unless they're going for a tac nuke role but we have no evidence that the PLA even have tac nukes or are prepare to fight that kind of war.

Thus far, it would seemed that aside from the 2AF, the PLAN is the only other branch with a nuclear role.

[xinhui]

That is the general impression I have too. Having an nuke capable bomber that does not mean an nuke capable airforce. I am sure the PLAN boomers do not carry SLBM on patrol either.

[Officer of Engineers]

Andy, who owns the SLBMs? The CMC or the Navy? I don't think it's the 2AF.

[Transient]

I am sure the PLAN boomers do not carry SLBM on patrol either.

What is the reason for that?

[xinhui]

All your nukes belong to CMC.

Back in the old days, CONSTIND had control over the building and support infrastructures and China's nuke. However, since old CONSTIND has gone, I am not too sure how much the new CONSTIND has operational control the nuke anymore. An interesting fact, one of the reasons cited for the firing the old CONSTIND was its failure on come up with an answer to the US SDI program back in the 1980s. Like the Russians, the Chinese was "confused" by the old SDI program.

I need to read up "China builds the bomb" again.