# China to strengthen military



## CrazyCanuck (29 Dec 2006)

China said Friday it will strengthen its military to thwart any attempt by Taiwan to push for independence, but vowed that it was committed to the peaceful development of the world's largest army.

A report issued by the State Council, China's Cabinet, also said the country's defense policy will focus on protecting its borders and sea space, cracking down on terrorism and modernizing its weapons.

"China will not engage in any arms race or pose a military threat to any other country," the 91-page white paper said.

"China is determined to remain a staunch force for global peace, security and stability."

The communist nation's 2.3 million-strong military is the world's largest but has been criticized for its lack of transparency about its buildup.

Its reported 2006 budget is $35 billion, but analysts believe the true figure, which doesn't include weapons purchases and other key items, is several times higher. By comparison, U.S. President George W. Bush has signed a bill authorizing $532 billion in defense spending for the 2007 fiscal year that began Oct. 1.

One o
f Beijing's key short-term goals has been to take a firm stand against any independence efforts by Taiwan, the self-ruled island that the communist mainland claims as part of its territory.

It has hundreds of missiles pointed in its direction across the Taiwan Straits.

China has also spent heavily to beef up its arsenal with submarines, jet fighters and other high-tech weapons.

"The struggle to oppose and contain the separatist forces for Taiwan independence and their activities remains a hard one," the report said.

It indirectly criticized the United States for promising Beijing that it will adhere to the "one-China" policy, "but it continues to sell advanced weapons to Taiwan, and has strengthened military ties with Taiwan."

Washington switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979 but remains Taiwan's major foreign backer, and is committed by law to providing it weapons to defend itself against possible Chinese attack.

China has announced double-digit military spending increases nearly every year since the early 1990s, causing unease among its neighbors.

But despite its huge size, its forces are said to lag well behind those of other major countries. In recent years, leaders have focused on improved training and advanced technology, hoping to close that gap.

"This increase…is compensatory in nature, and is designed to enhance the originally weak defense foundation," the white paper said. "It is a moderate increase in step with China's national economic development."

It said the Army is speeding up upgrades of battle equipment while the Navy is building up its weaponry and troops. The Air Force is giving priority to the development of new fighters as well as air and missile defense weapons, it said. No details were given.

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/12/29/china-military.html

Any thoughts? Personally I'd say the longer these guys are a paper tiger the better

edit: source


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## Sig_Des (29 Dec 2006)

Source and maybe a link to the article?


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## jollyjacktar (29 Dec 2006)

Here you go Sig_Des

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2006/12/29/china-military.html


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## eerickso (5 Mar 2007)

It is going to increase military spending by 20% for 2007.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6416633.stm


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## Meesh15 (5 Mar 2007)

Watch out for China. Booming economy. In direct competition with the US for oil. Going higher tech each year. Starting to develop a Blue Water Navy.  A high ranking Chinese Officer was quoted just a couple of years ago as saying that China would bide its time and then pay the US back for every humiliation. I would really hate to see a resurgent Russia alligned with China.


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## a_majoor (5 Mar 2007)

It is a race against time.

China's economy is very unbalanced; they are highly dependent on foreign oil and resources (not to mention foreign investments and markets) and most disturbing of all, their demographic profile is becoming very pear shaped, as the population ages and the effects of the "one child" program (preferential selection of male children, you can imagine how this was done) become apparent.

China's history is of alternating periods of stability and turmoil, an implosion of the current Chinese state may actually be the key event of the 21rst century


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## reccecrewman (6 Mar 2007)

Every empire crumbles, and it is just a matter of time before China does take the torch.  The United States has held it for over 60 years, 90 is you are of the school that says America became the world power during WWI.  The US took the torch from Britain who had a firm hold on it for more than 100 years............  It is coming without a doubt. However, India could well give China a serious run for it's money as the #2 power.  My .02


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## MarkOttawa (6 Mar 2007)

A guest-post at_ Daimation!_

Chinese threats
http://www.damianpenny.com/archived/008977.html

Mark
Ottawa


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## CougarKing (6 Mar 2007)

Meesh15 said:
			
		

> A high ranking Chinese Officer was quoted just a couple of years ago as saying that China would bide its time and then pay the US back for every humiliation. I would really hate to see a resurgent Russia alligned with China.



Meesh,

Umm... I don't recall any Chinese General or Senior Colonel ever saying that. Do you mind telling me your source and the name of that officer? Any humiliation? Aside from Allied forces preventing them from snatching victory at the Chosin Resevoir and many other battles during the Korean War, I don't recall the US ever humiliating China.

Well there could be one exception- during the 1996 Taiwan Missile Crisis when then-US President Bill Clinton sent two US Navy Carrier battle groups to the Taiwan Straits to deflect any further aggressive moves by China to influence the Taiwan elections at the time. That fact that the Chinese were prevented from lobbing futher missiles over Taipei and into the Pacific must have been humiliating for the local neighborhood bully.  ^-^

And don't even mention the accidental US aerial bombing of the Chinese Embassy at Belgrade back during the NATO Air Strikes on Serb forces in 1999- it was an unintended and unfortunate strike due only to poor intelligence and no malice on the US military's part.


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## I_am_John_Galt (6 Mar 2007)

Further to the "matter of time" theme:

http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2007/03/the_party_buys_1.html


> *The Party buys some time*
> Samizdata Illuminatus (Arkham, Massachusetts)  Asian affairs • Globalization/economics
> 
> When commenting on the recent Chinese stockmarket meltdown, Glenn Reynolds wondered if a prediction posted on Samizdata some time ago could be coming to pass. Whilst exposure for Samizdata on Instapundit is nice, I think Mr Reynolds is wrong if he perceives this stockmarket wobble to be a potential opening salvo of the economic holocaust presaged on these pages early last year. Far from heralding the collapse, it will delay the inevitable.
> ...


(Sorry, I was going to select some quotes, but the whole thing was too juicy: emphasis added by me) - I'm not sure if I am completely convinced of the conclusion (that the drop was engineered), however I'm sure the bigger picture will prove to be all too accurate.


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## Meesh15 (6 Mar 2007)

CougarKing, I will have to go through my papers from Quantico (used it as a quote for my China paper). Probably take a few days. But if I recall he was a LtGen and he was a Commandant of one of their Defence Academies.

I'll get back to you.


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## chanman (6 Mar 2007)

Meesh may be referring to the concessions and treaties extracted from the Qing dynasty in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and then presence of the treaty ports and foreign military presence up to the Second world war. (Gunboats, troops out to protect national interests, etc.).  A rather lawless period with the Communists, Nationalists, warlords, foreign powers (including Japan before and after invading in the '30's), etc.


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## CougarKing (6 Mar 2007)

You mean the "Gunboat Diplomacy" such as that featured in the movies "The Sand Pebbles" (about a USN gunboat on the Yangtze River/Chang Jiang) and "Empire of the Sun" (showing the International Settlment of Shanghai in 1941) and the foreign concession ports/treaty ports such as Guangzhou/Canton (under various powers) and Qingdao (under the Germans until 1914).

You probably also mean the Opium War, but that was more Britain. Then you have constant humiliation by Japan from the 1st Sino Japanese War (1894-1895) to Japan's occupation of Tsingtao/Qingdao during WWI and (the 99 demands- forgot the exact number)  as well as the invasion of Manchuria by the Japanese in 1931 and the ensuing invasions of Nationalist China/the ROC from 1937-1945.

Other than the United States participating in extracting trade concessions from China in concert with other powers, I can't recall any particular instance where America humiliated pre-Communist China before 1949 and before the Korean War of the 1950s.


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## tingbudong (7 Mar 2007)

Chinese generals ranting about western/foreign humiliation and how China will have it's revenge is a fairly common occurance with which I wouldn't create a policy towards China around.  This country is fiercely nationalistic, and at times, to the point of absurdity, largely regarding transgressions against their country that occurred in the 19th century.  They also view themselves (something which is hammered in by the state media and education system) as surrounded by enemies and unfriendly states, seeking to limit them.  As high as I place human rights, western lecturing doesn't sit to highly with the general population as well.  It just seems to piss them off more, and offer further confirmation regarding what their leaders have been telling them.  I've found that Mainlanders place a huge emphasis on history, largely using it as justification for present or future actions, while in the West we largely regard it as a record of crap that we shouldn't do again.   However, a previous poster used the word 'paper' to describe their military, and in many ways, I consider their nationalism somewhat also 'paper'.  It seems so loud largely because of a group 'follow the leader' mentality, with people following an idea or thought, without actually deeply thinking about it. Acknowledging the inability of Marxism to act as a glue, the CCP has been encouraging nationalism as a replacement.  A renaissance of all things Chinese (apparently they invented pizza, is latest I've heard) and a focus of blame (ie.  Why we are they way we are...and in keeping with party tradition, it's not our fault, but some one elses, in this case, foreigners).

A land of contradictions....

  ...but that top General probably has a kid (or two) studying in Australia, Canada or another aggressor nation he so desperately wants to seek revenge upon. And he to, if not limited by his position in the PLA, would probably want to join the minions of upper class Chinese earning (or purchasing) western citizenship.  I know numerous locals who, despite having spent little time in Australia, hold Australian passports for, as they explained to me 'options', which I read as "if the crap hits the fan in the mainland, we got our ticket out".  Wealthy families will fly to western nations to in order to have their babies, thus granting their children automatic citizenship.  The people that hold CHina's wealth are doing this.  These are people who have a very high standard of living on the mainland, with the exception possibly being environmental conditions and educational opportunities (although the latter can be bought), but their actions don't appear to support a super nationalistic revenge seeking society.  It sort of tells me they aren't to sure about the future, but rather the insurance provided by citizenship in another country.  

That said, there is significant animosity to the United States.  The state run media doesn't help.  As one local friend told me "During the Iraq War, some people were calling it Saddam's Channel".  But I have seen a general admiration of democratic principles, especially the ability we have to change our government, and the idea that anyone can run for a government position.  Not to mention a fetish for western produced products.

Anyways,..

A previous poster wrote that China was heavily dependent upon foreign oil and resources.  Personally, I believe this is where they are weakest, and where the US/allies pretty much have them by the balls (if they should choose to do so).  I'm not a military man, but I know that the US Navy is incredibly powerful with 10 carrier battlegroups (?) and a presence in every ocean and every sea lane and have berths in many ports around the globe.  China is pursuing a Blue water navy, but I doubt if it has the ability to create the numbers and quality required to safeguard its sea lanes against a US navy which is also developing.  Land based petroleum lines can be targeted from the air.  In many ways, the CCP is correct in proclaiming that they are indeed surrounded.

On paper they want Taiwan back, but they are quite happy with the status quo (Up to the US to keep Taiwan independence movers in line).  There is a belief that peaceful unification will occur eventually, and in their favor (providing the economy continues to advance) much to the angst of the Japanese (who depend upon a friendly Taiwan to ensure passage of their oil).  A few Chinese view holding Taiwan not in terms of reunification but as a method by which to exert revenge upon Japan, the other foreign country they are not too happy with.


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## CougarKing (7 Mar 2007)

tingbudong said:
			
		

> Chinese generals ranting about western/foreign humiliation and how China will have it's revenge is a fairly common occurance with which I wouldn't create a policy towards China around.



Well, if it's so common, can you name a single member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) or the General Staff Dept. (GSD) who's spoken out on CCTV? hmm...? I don't think Admiral Liu Huaqing did it before he retired, though one of his children owns or runs Bao Li Enterprises, one of those enterprises that were PLA-backed at one time, I heard...

About the Chinese children being born in the US, Canada or Australia getting automatic citizenship- I had met one of them in my Mandarin class back in college  >- (I wonder why her English was better than her Mandarin if her father was supposed to be some top CCP official). That's not surprising at all and not something to rant about...it would be better if they just left and came to a Western country anyway- the sooner the better, so they won't have to watch to that CCTV crap they call television!

Speaking of which, did you happen to watch Band of Brothers DUBBED IN MANDARIN in one of those Chinese channels? Hehehehe...

CAPTAIN WINTERS: "KAI HUO!!!!!!!"""

Ting Bu Dong? Ni yi jing ting de dong ma? hehehehehe ;D


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## tingbudong (7 Mar 2007)

> Well, if it's so common, can you name a single member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) or the General Staff Dept. (GSD) who's spoken out on CCTV?



I cannot provide a cite or names, base it upon news bits and items I've read over the years.  Chunks from mainland publications, stuff in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other international units.  Every so often I'll come across a bite at western powers, usually in anonymity.  I do though, recall back in 2005, a Major General Zhu Chenghu made some comments about utilizing nuclear weapons against the USA in a first strike capacity. Such officials wouldn't in a million years proclaim such harsh words in a CCTV9 interview, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were to do so on some lesser internationally-viewed mandarin programs. 

没听过，因为我没有电视


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## CougarKing (7 Mar 2007)

tingbudong said:
			
		

> I没听过，因为我没有电视



OH COME ON! I don't believe you don't have TV!!!! 


PIAN ZI!!!!  > ;D

骗子! 骗子! 骗子! (I think there is an A-mei song called Pianzi/liar, hehehe)


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## tingbudong (7 Mar 2007)

Just DVD man!


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## chanman (7 Mar 2007)

CougarKing said:
			
		

> You mean the "Gunboat Diplomacy" such as that featured in the movies "The Sand Pebbles" (about a USN gunboat on the Yangtze River/Chang Jiang) and "Empire of the Sun" (showing the International Settlment of Shanghai in 1941) and the foreign concession ports/treaty ports such as Guangzhou/Canton (under various powers) and Qingdao (under the Germans until 1914).
> 
> You probably also mean the Opium War, but that was more Britain. Then you have constant humiliation by Japan from the 1st Sino Japanese War (1894-1895) to Japan's occupation of Tsingtao/Qingdao during WWI and (the 99 demands- forgot the exact number)  as well as the invasion of Manchuria by the Japanese in 1931 and the ensuing invasions of Nationalist China/the ROC from 1937-1945.
> 
> Other than the United States participating in extracting trade concessions from China in concert with other powers, I can't recall any particular instance where America humiliated pre-Communist China before 1949 and before the Korean War of the 1950s.



*shrug* neither can I, I was only speculating as to what Meesh might have been referring to.


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