Olympic curling, PLA Style, during Chinese new year.

East Asian Security Framework Planned

While the planned East Asian Security Framework received no media coverage in the US, it is a much discussed topic across the Pacific Ocean.

East Asian Security Framework Planned
02-15-2010 15:24
By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/02/113_60828.html
South Korea, Japan and China are discussing establishing a tripartite security framework this year, Seoul officials said Monday.

Senior defense officials from the three countries will discuss their security and military cooperation in the region on a regular basis, the officials said.

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense (MND) is leading the discussion, following a tripartite summit of leaders from the nations last October in Beijing, they said.

The framework will help build trust between the three militaries as well as resolve pending security issues in the region, including North Korea's nuclear weapons program, said the officials.

This issue was a lead topic during an MND meeting with South Korean diplomatic mission chiefs abroad last week, they added.

"Once the tripartite security framework takes effect, it will help resolve many security issues in the region, including North Korea's nuclear problem and the U.S.-China relationship," a security expert said. "The framework could successfully evolve into a broader security framework for Northeast Asia."

The three East Asian nations have sought closer military partnerships in recent years despite frequent disputes over history and territorial issues.

Earlier this month, a senior U.S. military officer said a trilateral military exercise by the U.S., South Korea and Japan could be conducted in the near future with the three parties sharing the concept for such a drill.

In April last year, Seoul and Tokyo signed a letter of intent on bilateral defense cooperation, the first formal military pact between the two countries.

The letter covers goodwill exchanges of top defense officials and military units from the two nations, exchanges between defense institutes, the institutionalization of joint search-and-rescue operations, reciprocal visits by aircraft and naval ships, and joint international peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

Since December 2008, South Korea and China have operated military hotlines between their navies and air forces.

The establishment of 24-hour telephone hotlines was agreed upon at talks between the defense chiefs of the two countries in April 2007 in Beijing as part of efforts to build confidence between the two militaries.
gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr

South Korea Seeks Talks With China, Japan On Military, Security Matters
2/15/2010 8:24 AM ET

http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1211253
(RTTNews) - South Korea has been actively lobbying for talks on military and security matters with China and Japan, it was stated on Monday.

Seoul's state-run Yonhap news agency quoted a senior government official, who did not wish to be identified, as saying that efforts toward establishing talks with the two neighbors were aimed at reinforcing regional cooperation.

According to the official, discussions were underway for facilitating the process. "We are mediating opinions of the related countries to push ahead with its launch by the end of this year," he added.

Seoul proposes formation of a security body comprising senior military officials from South Korea, China and Japan to meet regularly to take stock of military and security issues in the region.
Once established the three-nation panel would take steps for enhanced military cooperation culminating in joint military exercises.

According to the South Korean official, China's help was imperative for dealing with matters on the Korean peninsula.

Even though it was not stated, the move by South Korea could well be a ploy to counter North Korea's "aggressive designs and the brinksmanship" shown by its Communist leadership, which has steadfastly refused to return to the six-party talks aimed at resolving the nuclear stand-off.

Besides the two Koreas, the six-party talks include the US, Russia, Japan and China.
For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com
by RTT Staff Writer

Latest "gutted" photos of the Type 052 Luhu class DDG 112 Harbin.

Funnel removed, Towed Array shielded, Electronics gone. Clearly, it is more than a standard mid-life refit.

Happy Year Of The Tiger!

Photos of the PLAAF 3rd fighter Division in the 1980s.

Deng Xiaoping, as the Chief of Staff and Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission, famously remarked in 1975 on the state of the PLA as "arrogant, lazy, overstaffed, and incompetent to fight modern warfare.” To address this short coming, the PLAAF formed its own “flying circus” by pulling all available resources into a few combat ready units and then shifted them to trouble spots all over China. The less fortune units were left to become paper-units and later decommissioned. The flying circus concept was first developed by Manfred Von Richthofen, the German Red Baron of World War One, and calls for elite squadrons of fighters and their supporting infrastructure to move to wherever they were needed.

The PLAAF 3rd Fighter division was a flying circus and the following photos were taken in the late 1980s when it completed its 8th rotation in Tibet with its J-7II’s, and they make their presence known with these PR photos.

According to the December 7th 2007 edition of the PLA Daily, the 3rd division was commissioned on November 11th, 1949 from the 209th infantry Division. When it entered the Korean War in October 1951, it pilots had only 20 flying hours before encountering the USAF. As expected they suffered a huge loss. However, the 3rd division did produce 7 aces for the PLAAF, including its top ace, Wang Hai, credited with 9 shoot-downs or damaged American aircraft. Wang would later become the PLAAF’s Air Marshal (honorary title) in August 1998. There is even a die cast toy made after him.

After the Korean War, the 3rd took part in the 1954 First Taiwan Strait Crisis Air War. Stationed in Guangxi , during the height of the Indochina crisis, the 3rd was credited with downing 6 US recon drones. In the 1996, the 3rd played a vanguard role in the "large-scale-military-exercise" across the Taiwan Strait. Its J-10 regiment became the first J-10 unit to take on the Blue Army’s SU-30MKK “bad guy” squadron in 2007.

Orbat:

October 5th, 3rd pursuit bridge with 625, 626, 627 regiments from the 209th infantry division.

November 11th 1949, enlarged as the 3rd fighter division with 7th (625th), 8th (626th), 9th (627) regiments.

October 1951, 3183 personnel, 59 pilots, 280 ground crew, 59 Mig-15 fighters and two Il-12 transports.

It’s January 2008 orbat as follow:
7th Regiment J-7E (Wuhu)
8th Regiment J-10 (Changxing, Zhejiang)
9th Regiment Su-30MKK. (Wuhu)

Wang Hai and his Mig-15 2249

China approves US carrier visit to Hong Kong

Is this a small step to move the Sino-US relations back to "normal"?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1124247220100211
China approves US carrier visit to Hong Kong

WASHINGTON, Feb 11 (Reuters) - China has cleared a U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Hong Kong next week, U.S. officials said on Thursday, despite its announced plan to trim contacts to protest the latest proposed U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

"We have received clearance from China for the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to visit Hong Kong in the near future," said Matthew Dolbow, spokesman for the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong.

Geoff Morrell, the Pentagon press secretary, said: "We are pleased that Hong Kong port calls are continuing."

The visit would mark a concession from Beijing, at odds with Washington over the arms sales as well as Internet controls and hacking, trade and currency issues and an imminent visit to Washington by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader, who will meet President Barack Obama.

A Navy spokesman at the Pentagon confirmed the Chinese foreign ministry had approved the visit to the former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

The administration sent its latest proposed Taiwan arms sale package worth $6.4 billion to Congress at the end of last month. Congress has 30 days to act on it, after which the sales may proceed.

In response, the official China Daily newspaper said the deal would "inevitably cast a long shadow on Sino-U.S. relations."

Included in the U.S. plan are United Technologies Corp (UTX.N) UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters, Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Raytheon Co (RTN.N) Patriot Advanced Capability-3 antimissile missiles, enhancements to Taiwan's command control communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, two refurbished Osprey-Class mine-hunting ships, and Boeing Co (BA.N) Harpoon telemetry missiles.

In addition to scaling down security relations and curtailing dialogue, Beijing has said it would sanction U.S. firms that sell weapons to Taiwan.

Senior Chinese military officers have proposed that their country boost defense spending and possibly sell some U.S. bonds to punish Washington for its latest round of proposed arms sales to Taiwan.

It was not immediately clear when Beijing granted the clearance. The port call had been in the works for some time, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Navy Chief Petty Officer Palmer Pinckney, aboard the Blue Ridge, command ship for the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet based in Yokosuka, Japan, said by telephone: "We have diplomatic clearance" for the visit by the nuclear-powered Nimitz, based in San Diego. Beijing has been known to deny entry to U.S. warships to Hong Kong at politically sensitive moments.

In 2007, the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk was denied entry to Hong Kong as it neared the city's waters.

China suspended military-to-military exchanges in 2007 after President George W. Bush's administration announced the previous U.S. arms sale to Taiwan.

Senior U.S. officials have urged China to maintain military-to-military contacts, partly as a hedge against misunderstandings or accidents at sea that could spiral.

(Reporting by Jim Wolf in Washington and James Pomfret in Hong Kong, editing by Philip Barbara and Alan Elsner)

Propaganda Posters of the PLA Second Artillery Corps by the Defense Ministry (With English)

"No First Use" pledge is included.

"China would not be the first to use nuclear weapon in any circumstance and at any time and would not use nuclear weapon against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones."

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6th PAP Xinjiang Zhi-Du Commissioned On Feb 9th, 2010.

As other Chinese bloggers have noted, adding extra police units does not really address the long term underlying issue in Xinjiang and Tibet.

Anyways, the newly commissioned 6th Zhi-Du 武警新疆总队第六支队 is organic to the Xinjiang General Unit 新疆总队 for "anti-terror" operations. (here). A PAP Zhi-Du is equal to an army regiment in size, minus the heavy equipment and support elements, of course.

Xinjiang set to beef up police forces

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-02-04 07:16
http://www.chinadaily.net/china/2010-02/04/content_9424343.htm

URUMQI: The government has approved a plan to recruit 5,000 special police officers in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region to help prevent unrests such as the devastating riot on July 5 last year.

The new recruits will be civil servants under the Xinjiang regional public security bureau and their area of operations will cover the entire region.

Xinjiang set to beef up police forces Police prevent terrorist attacks in Xinjiang
It will be the largest recruitment campaign of its kind in Xinjiang and all new recruits, after a month of intensive training, will serve alongside special police officers seconded from other provinces, said Zhu Changjie, director of the regional public security bureau.

"We expect them to be on patrol independently at the end of March," Zhu said.

In China, special police units are responsible for combating terrorism, maintaining public security, and dealing with violent crime and emergencies.

More than 3,600 people, mainly decommissioned soldiers and college graduates, have been enlisted after a strict screening procedure that includes written exams, interviews and physical fitness tests.

Training of the first 2,360 recruits started on Tuesday in Urumqi, the regional capital.

Cai Anji, director of the political department of the Ministry of Public Security, urged training departments to develop "a professional force to fight terrorism, a force to strike against violent crimes and a quick-response force for emergencies".

In a letter posted on the ministry's website yesterday, Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu expressed his appreciation to police officers who had resolutely fought to maintain public security since the July 5 riot, in which 197 people died and more than 1,700 were injured.

"The overall situation in Xinjiang is stable and improving, with production and people's lives back to normal," Meng said.

"We must be alert to the complex task of maintaining public stability in Xinjiang as hostile forces will not resign themselves to failure and may deliberately seek all possible opportunities to stage new destructive activities," he said.

Meng warned the region's police to be fully aware that the fight would be long-term, arduous and complex.

Xinjiang regional government chairman Nur Bekri assured people at the region's annual legislative meeting in January that the government would continue to crack down on the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism to ensure the safety of local people.

The major tasks of local security forces were to crack down on violent terrorists who plotted attacks and cut contacts between domestic and overseas hostile forces, and to destroy their organizational systems.

Xinhua

C is for Communist-Capitalist China

The end of the Pearl River Optoelectronic Group 珠江光电集团 (State Arsenal 338)

The State-owned Pearl River Optoelectronic Group in Chengdu declared bankruptcy after the PLA switched its Type 88 (QBU 88) marksman rifle from the standard 3-9x40mm scope to the improved 6-24x44mm scope from a private company in Guangzhou China. The building has been torn down to make way for a new high-end residential/commercial complex at the heart of downtown Chongqing.

The Pearl River Optoelectronic pensioners protested outside the factory gates for 3 months in an attempt to secure benefits to no avail. Welcome to Communist China, Capitalism isn't always fair.

Protesters at the Gate

The old 3-9x40mm scope





The new 6-24x44mm scope

China poised to fly AC313 helicopter

There is nothing to get excited about -- The AC313 is just a civilian variant of the Z-8, something the flightglobal article failed to mention.

China poised to fly AC313 helicopter
By Leithen Francis
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/02/09/338145/china-poised-to-fly-ac313-helicopter.html

China is preparing to fly its AC313 medium-lift helicopter for the first time in March, leading to certification in 2011, says an official at the manufacturer Avicopter, a division of China's state-owned aerospace conglomerate AVIC.

The AC313 is a 13t helicopter that "can be extended to 15t" and the external load capacity "can be 5t", says the official. China developed the AC313 on its own rather than collaborating with foreign partners.

"The avionics system [for example] was independently developed by China," says the official, who says the helicopter is designed for "passenger and cargo transport, firefighting, search and rescue, emergency medical services, oil offshore services and VIP flights". Potential customers include government, police and general aviation firms, the official adds, who says the AC313 can carry 27 passengers or 4t of cargo.

Avicopter also manufactures the H425, a 4.25t helicopter that made its first flight in December 2004. This smaller helicopter is pitched at the same type of customers as the AC313. China is putting more emphasis on helicopter development following the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake.

Avicopter is also carrying out a feasibility study with Russian Helicopters, the consortium that includes Mil, to develop a 20t-plus heavylift helicopter.

Here is a Chinese article on the AC313 from July 13, 2009

中国最大吨级直升机AC313达世界先进
2009年07月13日21:26

来源：中国广播网

　　中广网北京7月13日消息（中国之声记者郭淼）昨天从中航工业获悉：我国自主研发的新型十三吨民用直升机AC313已全面进入样机生产制造阶段，并将于年底首飞，预计2010年完成适航取证。该机也是目前中国研制的最大吨级的直升机，同时各项性能都达到了世界先进水平。

　　为此本台记者郭淼独家采访了中航工业直升机研究所AC313型号总设计师徐朝梁：

　　记者：您觉得发展这种大中型民用直升机的意义在什么地方呢？

　　徐朝梁：首先第一个，我们解决适航取证的技术关键。因为我们国家的直升机的市场需求是非常庞大的，这样一个产业，它也能带动我们国家的内需，对我们国家的经济增长也是一个很大的贡献，就像我们国家的汽车一样。另外，我们国家直升机，包括我们今后高原直升机，我们现在还是受制于人的，如果这款机型能够顺利开发出来的话，达到了它的预期目标，那么我们也能够摆脱受制于人这样一个局面。

　　记者：那么在这款的直升机中它有哪些突破吗？

　　徐朝梁：它的突破的话，首先第一个就是国产大型直升机取得民用适航，这个是一个最大的突破，在它的相关的技术里面，燃油系统的抗坠撞，传动系统滑油失效 30分钟运转，还有座椅及束缚系统的动态特性，这从技术难度上讲是非常大，而且在我们国家以前都从来没有自主，完成过这样一个技术，以前我们曾有过这样的，都是借助国外的技术来解决来取证，我们现在是完全立足国内，自己来解决。

　　而且大型直升机的用途是非常广泛的，特别是在抗震救灾中我们也能够看的出来，主力机型都是十三吨机，实际上最主要的就是，我们引进的，我们国家买的米17直升机，它最大起飞重量是十三吨的，而我们国家也有十三吨的，作为军用机型是参加了，但是由于它的技术水平所限，外界看的不太多，所以这次我们针对抗震救灾，包括南方雪灾，自然灾害吧，对直升机的迫切的需求，我们快速的推出了这样一个十三吨机。这个机型从构型上说，应该来讲和意大利阿古斯塔EH101，构型类似。这款直升机被美国选为海军1号，也就是他们的总统座机。

　　从我们的发展目标来讲，我们的技术水平也是要达到，阿古斯塔EH101这样一个水平，从适航的标准来讲，我们也会瞄准，像美国S-92直升机具有的先进的安全性，的一个技术水平的中大型直升机。

　　记者：所以这次新型的民营的十三吨直升机的研制，应该说，对我们国家整个直升机的发展是个很重要的里程碑，是吗？

　　徐朝梁：是个很重要的里程碑，而且为我们后续发展更加先进，甚至包括重型直升机都有很重要

　　记者：目前世界上能生产这种大中型直升机的国家是不是很多呢？

　　徐朝梁：不是特别的多，我们所了解的包括欧洲直升机公司，意大利的阿古斯塔，美国，还应该是有俄罗斯，大概也就有四五个国家吧，生产这样大型的直升机。

　　记者：我想了解一下他AC313它的主要用途是什么呢？

　　徐朝梁：它的用途是非常广泛的，包括人员和货物的一个运输，包括搜索、救援，海上石油平台的运输，还有观光啊，旅游啊，甚至我们在高速公路和那个航班之间的中远距离的这样一个定期航班，也应该是它一个很好的用途。

　　记者：如果运输旅客的话，它最大的载客人数可以达到多少？

　　徐朝梁：我们第一步要造的话，目前的载客人数是25个人，下一步的计划发展中我们将要达到三十个人以上。

Z8大改型和Z8型预警机

Z8 大改型(AC313)是在原来的Z8F的基础上，换成复合材料主旋翼和尾浆，改进传动系统，更换功率更大的发动机，改进航电系统，将Z8机身原来的船型底改为平底设计，取消浮筒，在机身两侧增设短翼，在机身短翼内安置起落架。Z8大改早期可能使用国外的BK2500或是TV7-117V发动机，后期改为国内的WZ10发动机。飞控系统和操纵系统在原来Z8F的基础上升级改进，把原来的飞控系统由机械液压式升级为电传飞控系统。Z8大改型的主旋翼制造完成，主旋翼动特性试验完成，即将进行大型试验。

郭俊贤是Z10工程副总设计师及Z8预警机的总设计师。他负责了Z10工程球柔性复合材料旋翼系统的设计，这副旋翼也将用于中法合作研制的Z15上面。Z8型预警机是在Z8大改型的基础上，加装预警雷达和任务系统，作为航母的配套工程，目前正在加紧研制中。

The oddest PLA Daily photo I have ever seen

"I Fight For China, Do Something Big With Us." I don't get it, why the gas mask?

According to Daniel Erikson's latest China Brief write up, China is not doing anything "big" in the Haitian earthquake relief (here)

The original source of the photos above.

Chinese peacekeepers step up security in Haiti

http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/2010-02/04/content_4132332.htm

(Source: CCTV International) 2010-02-04

　　The overall security situation in quake-hit Haiti is stable but remains potentially volatile. Chinese peacekeepers are helping to maintain order in the capital city of Port-au-Prince under the assignment of the United Nations.

　　The earthquake has caused heavy losses within the country's local police force. Most police buildings were destroyed. Law enforcement departments have set up their offices in makeshift structures.

　　The police are now increasing their presence as life starts to return to some semblance of normalcy.

　　A Chinese peacekeeping policeman carrying out a UN mission potrols with U.S. soldiers appointed by the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in Port-au-Prince, capital of Haiti, Jan. 28, 2010. It was the first time that MINUSTAH appointed the U.S. army to participate in a combined action in Haiti. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)

Editor:Liu Wanyun