N. Korea Crisis - Updated as News come to hand

North Korea Predicts New Nuclear Arms Race
www.philly.com...

North Korea's U.N. ambassador said Wednesday that U.S. modernization of its nuclear weapons and expansion of its missile defense systems will eventually spark a new nuclear arms race.

Russia has said the same recently.

reply to post by concernedcitizen519


and if the US defaults on August the second this time it may not end in an uneasy peace.

reply to post by Vitchilo





I'd like to get hold of that little Kim guy and give him a good spanking.... Then send him to his room.

Russia :
Belarus, S. Ossetia cool on joining Russia

Belarus and South Ossetia have reacted cautiously after Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested he would like to see them join the Russia Federation.

What about no...

Moscow warns NATO against extending missile shield

Russia cautioned the US and its NATO allies Monday against plans to extend an anti-missile shield into northern European seas.

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Japan :
Japan's P-1 patrol aircraft faces delays

Tears in the skin of Japan's P-1 patrol aircraft likely will delay induction of the four planes beyond March, a report by Kyodo agency said.

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Vietnam :
Vietnam to get sub fleet in six years: state media

Vietnam will have a submarine fleet within six years, the defence minister confirmed in reports on Thursday, as China's increasing maritime assertiveness causes regional concern.

"In the coming five to six years, we will have a submarine brigade with six Kilo 636-Class subs," Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh was quoted as saying by the state-controlled Tuoi Tre newspaper.

Vietnam: Tensions in South China Sea a challenge

Vietnam has vowed to defend the country’s sovereignty and interests in the South China Sea amid a spat with China that has flared regional tensions.

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Cambodia :
Hun Sen: Thai troops must also leave border DMZ

Cambodia’s prime minister says Thai soldiers must be withdrawn from disputed border territory at the same time as his country’s troops to comply with the orders of the International Court of Justice.

Pakistan :
China to give squadron of J10-B fighters to Pakistan

Taking bilateral defence relations to a new high, China will give Pakistan a squadron of the advanced J-10B fighter aircraft, a media report said. The offer was made by senior Chinese military leaders to visiting Pakistan Army's Chief of General Staff, Lt. Gen. Waheed Arshad, the Urdu daily Jang reported Saturday, quoting defence sources. The J-10B fighters are equipped with the latest weapons and Pakistan will be the first country, after China, to have these advanced aircraft, it said.

Pakistan foreign minister in India for peace talks

Pakistan's first woman foreign minister urged India and Pakistan to shed the "burden" of history as she arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday for peace talks between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Hina Rabbani Khar is scheduled to meet her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna on Wednesday for the first foreign minister-level dialogue in a year.

Khar said both countries needed to move forward as "friendly neighbours" who have "learnt lessons from history but are not burdened by history."

+1

Petraeus warns of deteriorating US-Pakistan relations

US General David Petraeus admitted Wednesday there was no option but to work on troubled relations with Pakistan, days after standing down from his job at the helm of coalition forces in Afghanistan.

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China :
Japan warns of China's growing naval muscle

Japan voiced concern Tuesday over China's growing assertiveness and widening naval reach in nearby waters and the Pacific and over what it called the "opaqueness" of Beijing's military budget.

The report, approved by Prime Minister Naoto Kan's cabinet, used a Japanese word that can be translated as "overbearing" or "assertive" for China's stance in the disputes with its neighbours, including Japan.

The report, released by the defence ministry, said that in this context, China's "future direction can be a source of concern".

The paper also said China's defence spending was not transparent, saying that the defence budget publicly announced by China "is widely seen as only part of what Beijing actually spends for military purposes."

"Opaqueness in its defence policies and military movements are concerns for the region, including Japan, and for the international community, and we need to carefully analyse them," it said.

China says Japan defence paper 'irresponsible'

China has hit out at rival Japan over a Japanese defence paper that criticised Beijing's military build-up, branding the accusations "irresponsible".

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said his country's drive to modernise its defence forces was "entirely for safeguarding its national sovereignty" and was "not targeting any other country".

"China's development is offering significant opportunities to all countries -- including Japan -- and China has not, and never will be a threat to any other country."

Right...

UN, US targets of major cyber spying campaign: report

Over 70 organizations including the United Nations and major US defense groups have been targets of a global cyber spying effort, according to security firm McAfee, with analysts pointing to China as the culprit, the Washington Post said Wednesday.

China needs at least three aircraft carriers: general

China needs at least three aircraft carriers to defend its interests, a general said, days after the state media broadcast footage of its first carrier in a rare public mention of the project.

"If we consider our neighbours, India will have three aircraft carriers by 2014 and Japan will have three carriers by 2014," General Luo Yuan, a senior researcher with the Academy of Military Sciences, was quoted as saying by Beijing News.

"So I think the number (for China) should not be less than three so we can defend our rights and our maritime interests effectively."

China downplays capability of first aircraft carrier

China sought to downplay the capability of its first aircraft carrier Wednesday, saying the vessel would be used for training and "research", amid concerns over the country's military build-up.

Well without a battlegroup, it's quite a joke.

China tells US to halt spy plane flights

China has demanded that the United States stop spy plane flights near the Chinese coast, saying they have "severely harmed" trust, but the Pentagon insisted Wednesday it was within its rights.

Clinton praises Asian South China Sea deal

Asian nations moved Friday to defuse two critical points of tension in the Pacific, in preliminary steps welcomed by the Obama administration, which is moving to reassert U.S. influence in the region.

On the sidelines of a Southeast Asian regional security conference in Bali, Indonesia, China and its neighbors reached a draft agreement to peacefully resolve competing territorial claims in the strategic South China Sea

Taiwan says Chinese fighter jets entered its airspace

Two Chinese fighter planes intruded into Taiwanese airspace, the defence ministry said Monday, in an incident local press said resulted from their attempts to drive away a US spy aircraft.

In the high-altitude face-off, one Chinese jet did not leave until two Taiwanese planes were sent to intercept it, the island's United Daily News reported.

The incident took place in late June when two SU-27 fighter planes of China's People's Liberation Army tried to drive away a US U2 reconnaissance aircraft, the News said.

Thing is, China considers it's EEZ as sovereign territory.

Chinese Navy Makes Rare Port Call in N.Korea

Two Chinese naval vessels have docked in North Korea for a rare goodwill visit marking 50 years of friendship between the two countries.

Report: China building electromagnetic pulse weapons for use against U.S. carriers

China's military is developing electromagnetic pulse weapons that Beijing plans to use against U.S. aircraft carriers in any future conflict over Taiwan, according to an intelligence report made public on Thursday.

Portions of a National Ground Intelligence Centerstudy on the lethal effects of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and high-powered microwave (HPM) weapons revealed that the arms are part of China’s so-called “assassin’s mace” arsenal - weapons that allow a technologically inferior China to defeat U.S. military forces.

EMP weapons mimic the gamma-ray pulse caused by a nuclear blast that knocks out all electronics, including computers and automobiles, over wide areas. The phenomenon was discovered in 1962 after an aboveground nuclear test in the Pacific disabled electronics in Hawaii.

The declassified intelligence report, obtained by the private National Security Archive, provides details on China’s EMP weapons and plans for their use. Annual Pentagon reports on China's military in the past made only passing references to the arms.

“For use against Taiwan, China could detonate at a much lower altitude (30 to 40 kilometers) … to confine the EMP effects to Taiwan and its immediate vicinity and minimize damage to electronics on the mainland,” the report said.

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Taiwan :
Taiwan wins in war simulation: report

A military spokesman said it had no comment on a ‘China Times’ report on the Han Kuang exercises that said Taiwan’s forces defeated the Chinese

Yeah well last war drills you made, you lost in 3 days.

Tough Odds In A China Battle

Wargaming and simulations have shown that the U.S. would generate a 6-1 kill ratio over Chinese aircraft in the event of a conflict over the Taiwan Strait, but predictions are that the Americans would still lose.

Taiwan hails missile as 'aircraft carrier killer'

Taiwan is hailing its most advanced missile as "an aircraft carrier killer" on the same day that China began sea trials of it first aircraft carrier.

Right...

China threat growing despite better ties: Taiwan

China's military threat against Taiwan is bigger than ever, the island's defence ministry said Tuesday, despite three years of efforts by Taipei to pursue detente with the mainland.

In its national defence report, published every other year, the ministry summarised mounting endeavours by China to boost its already impressive military capabilities.

"The People's Liberation Army has continued to deploy various new weapons in the Fujian and Guangdong areas," the report said, referring to two Chinese provinces located close to the west of Taiwan.

US, China talk on Taiwan as jet decision nears

The United States and China on Friday held top-level talks on Taiwan, with Washington working pre-emptively to avoid a fallout as a decision nears on whether to sell fighter-jets to Taiwan.

US officials have said that they will decide by October 1 on whether to sell F-16 jets to Taiwan, a longstanding request from the self-ruling island which fears that China's rapidly growing military has gained a major edge.

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Koreas :
USFK Commander Thurman calls for safety ahead of joint exercise

The commanding general of the U.S. forces in South Korea on Friday called for safe execution of an upcoming joint exercise between South Korean and American forces.

Inside North Korea
Very nice pics.

Unwanted Missiles for a Korean Island

Gangjeong, a small fishing and farming village on Jeju Island 50 miles south of the Korean peninsula, is a pristine Unesco-designated ecological reserve where elderly Korean women sea divers, haenyo, still forage for seafood. It is also the site of a fierce resistance movement by villagers who oppose the construction of a South Korean naval base on the island that will become part of the U.S. missile defense system to contain China.

N. Korea wants food, cement as aid from S. Korea

North Korea asked South Korea Thursday for food staples and cement after Seoul offered medicine, instant noodles and daily necessities for its neighbour's flood victims, officials said.

S. Korea, US to practise destroying N. Korea weapons

US and South Korean troops will practise destroying North Korean weapons of mass destruction during an annual joint exercise this month to improve their combat-readiness, a report said Sunday.

North Korea urged South Korea and the US to cancel their coming annual joint exercise if they want to see a thaw in relations as well as denuclearisation.

Won't happen.

China backs N. Korea call for early nuclear talks

China on Tuesday backed calls by North Korea for an early resumption of six-party denuclearisation talks, saying it was "in the common interests" of all the countries involved.

Pyongyang -- which abandoned the negotiations in April 2009 and a month later carried out its second atomic weapons test -- said Monday it wanted "to resume the six-party talks without preconditions at an early date".

As always.

Ban sees US-N. Korea differences in nuke talks: report

The United States and North Korea remain far apart after exploratory talks on Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament but both sides are trying to narrow the gap, the United Nations chief was quoted as saying.

"There is still a considerable distance between the two sides and it can't be concealed," UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon was quoted as saying by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The North's Kim said separately he was satisfied with last week's meeting.

"I am satisfied with talks this time... (and) will continue the dialogues down the road," Yonhap quoted him as saying in New York before leaving for Beijing en route to Pyongyang.

#ROK saying shells have landed in the sea near Yeonpyeong Is.

Yonhap: S. Korean Navy fires shots after hearing sound of artillery fire near wester sea border

Reported North Korean artillery fire could just be celebratory rounds over test launch of Chinese aircraft carrier...

Yonhap - #ROK military says it fired 3 shots towards NLL in Yellow Sea after 1 #DPRK shell apparently fell near there.

The #ROK military says its "warning shots" were fired one hour after the #DPRK shell was thought to fall into the Yellow Sea. #Korea

Per #ROK JCS- 1300 KST: #DPRK shell lands near Yeonpyeong; 1325 - ROK Navy broadcasts warning; 1400- ROK fires 3 shots.

N Korean hit squad sent to South

The media in Seoul are reporting that the communist North has sent an assassination squad to kill the South Korean defence minister.

Not a big surprise... That's one of the provocations I thought NKorea was able to pull.... if you look earlier in the thread, I mentionned it.

U.K. Lawmakers Urge Nat'l Assembly to Pass N.Korea Rights Bill

Some 20 members of the U.K. Parliament wrote to the leaders of four main political parties in South Korea on July 20 urging them to enact the North Korean Human Rights Act. They are members of the North Korea All-Party Parliamentary Group, and the letter, which is addressed to the leaders of the ruling Grand National Party, and opposition Democratic, Liberty Forward, and Democratic Labor parties, is due to arrive this week.

Which would wreck current talks.

N. Korea, Russia to resume economy talks in late Aug

Senior officials of North Korea and Russia will have a meeting on business cooperation in late August in Pyongyang, resuming business talks that stalled in 2007 due to the North's second nuclear test, a source familiar with the matter said Thursday.

N.Korea risks grow due to succession process: IISS

The dynastic power secession process under way in North Korea fuels the potential for conflict on the peninsula as the unpredictable regime has many ways for terrorism-style attacks on the South, a renowned security think tank said Thursday.

Divided Koreas resume talks

The United States cautiously welcomed a thaw in tensions between North Korea and South Korea and also among China and its neighbors, while warning of more difficult diplomatic work ahead.

North and South Korea resumed long-stalled talks on Friday, lifting hopes for a return to multi-nation nuclear disarmament negotiations. The top nuclear negotiators from North and South Korea met on the sidelines of a regional security conference. It was the first such session since six-nation disarmament negotiations collapsed three years ago.

US demands N. Korea commitment to nuclear disarmament

The United States on Friday ended nuclear arms talks with North Korea with a message that the "path is open" to better relations if the reclusive North shows a firm commitment to disarmament efforts.

Both sides gave a cautiously optimistic assessment of two days of talks at the US mission to the United Nations in New York, though neither gave any indication of a breakthrough.

N.Korea Picks New U.S. Partner for Mt. Kumgang Tourism

A Korean-American businessman claims he has signed a deal with North Korea to operate tours to the scenic Mt. Kumgang resort. South Korea's Hyundai Asan previously operated the tours there until they were halted in the wake of the fatal shooting of a South Korean tourist at the resort.

Thought to share this short piece of breaking news that has come in on some of our Australian news feeds.

North Korea says peninsula faces crisis amid military exercise between South and US

NORTH Korea says the Korean peninsula faces its "worst crisis" ever because of a joint military exercise between South Korea and the US that began today.

"The Korean peninsula is faced with the worst crisis ever. An all-out war can be triggered by any accidents," the North's state media Korean Central News Agency said.

reply to post by surrealist


Yeah NKorea says that (almost) every time the South does an exercise... but this time, they will include a ``kidnap Kim`` exercise, that's why they may be madder than usual.

SKorea :
Seoul to Deploy Sub-Killer Torpedoes

The Hongsangeo is an anti-submarine missile that is launched vertically to avoid detection by enemy submarines and to increase its range. It is dropped by parachute near the intended target. After release, the torpedo falls into the water and independently searches for the target.

S. Korean leader urges North to seek peace

South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak on Monday urged North Korea to stop military "provocation" and work towards peace and cooperation on the divided peninsula.

Urging peace on the same day they start military exercises...

S. Korea, U.S. begin annual military drill

South Korea and U.S. forces on Tuesday launched their annual joint exercise in their latest attempt to improve their defense posture against North Korea, military officials said.

Kim Jong Il snatch scenario included in military exercise

A joint military exercise conducted last year by the United States and South Korea included the capture of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il as one of its hypothetical goals, military sources said.

The exercise is held annually, and this year's exercise, scheduled to start on Aug. 16, may also include the capturing of Kim as a scenario.

That's gonna piss off Kim.

Activists launch leaflets across N. Korea border

South Korean activists on Friday launched helium balloons across the North's border carrying millions of leaflets calling for the overthrow of leader Kim Jong-Il.

How Will Korea Respond to China's 1st Aircraft Carrier?

Military officers fear that the deployment on the West Sea of carrier-based aircraft and escort vessels would make it more difficult for the Korean Navy's ships to operate in the region, and affect airborne capabilities as well. Korea's entire airspace would fall within the operational reach of fighter planes on the Chinese carrier.

Experts say that the Korean Navy must boost its supersonic anti-ship cruise missile capabilities so that they can attack carrier aircraft and submarines.

Some experts suggest introducing a greater range of submarines.

Considering the economy... going for missiles would be way cheaper.

Think tank says Koreas' unification may cost up to $229 bln

The initial costs for the integration of South and North Korea could vary from 55 trillion won (US$50 billion) to 249 trillion won ($229 billion) if the two neighbors are unified two decades from now, a South Korean state-run institute estimated Thursday.

Is this a joke? 229 billion ? It will cost SEVERAL TRILLION to unify... if not more.
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NKorea :
N. Korea slams South over game site hacking claims

North Korea on Sunday lashed out at South Korea for accusing Pyongyang of hacking Seoul online game sites and stealing prize money, rejecting the allegations as an "unacceptable provocation."

North Korea Updates A Cold War Classic

Japanese intelligence believes that North Korea is close to putting into service their new RSM-25 (or Musudan) ballistic missile.

The North Korean version is believed to weigh 20 tons and have a range of over 3,000 kilometers. The Japanese believe the range of the North Korean missile may be as much as 4,000 kilometers. It is believed that the North Korean version, using solid fuel rockets, was tested successfully two years ago.

After the R-27 was replaced by more modern missiles in the 1970s, the missile continued to be used for scientific research until 1990. By that time, 492 R-27s had been launched, 87 percent of them successfully.

So let's see. 3000-4000km range. Solid fueled. 87% success rate. 650kg payload. The only ``good thing`` is the crappy CEP of 1.3km... Anyway, this is bad news... Especially if they start selling this stuff.

N. Korea must halt all nuclear activities ahead of 6-party talks: FM

North Korea must halt all of its nuclear activities, including a uranium enrichment program, before the resumption of the stalled six-party talks can take place, South Korea's foreign minister said Friday.

Chances of that happening? Almost 0. Chances of SKorea backing down on this demand? High.

The Reasons Behind N.Korea's Latest Provocation

The military views North Korea's shelling of waters near the Northern Limit Line on Wednesday as an intentional provocation with multiple aims. A high ranking military officer said, "It seems to be a warning message prior to South Korea-U.S. annual drills that start on Aug. 16, and a way to test how the South reacts to such provocation."

What was distinctive about Wednesday's shelling is that it happened late at night despite sea fog that restricted visibility to just 1 km. Normally, artillery drills take place during the day when the weather is clear so that it is easy to check whether the shells reached their target.

"This clearly shows that it was not purely a regular military drill, but that North Korea carried it out with the intention of provoking the South," a military source said.

S.Korea Dismisses NK’s Denial of Firing Artillery

The South Korean military has brushed aside North Korea’s denial of firing artillery shells from Yongmae Island toward the Northern Limit Line (NLL) on Wednesday.

The North has claimed that the South mistook detonations from construction work around South Hwanghae Province as artillery fire.

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Taiwan :
Taiwan developing new 'aircraft carrier killer'

Taiwan is developing a new mobile version of its supersonic "aircraft carrier killer" missile, a legislator said Sunday, after China sparked regional concerns with sea trials of its first carrier.

US rejects Taiwan bid for F-16s: report

The United States has told Taiwan it will not sell the island 66 long-sought F-16 fighter jets, a report said, but both US and Taiwanese officials insisted Monday no decision had been made yet.

Instead, Washington will help Taipei upgrade its F-16A/Bs, according to the report.

How long will it take to upgrade all Taiwanese fighters... years? They may not have that much time... especially with the world economy tanking and the Taiwanese elections in January 2012...

Taiwan looks to develop advanced unmanned systems

Taiwan appears to be developing two advanced unmanned aerial system concepts, as it looks to bolster its defence capabilities in the light of other countries' reluctance to sell it advanced combat aircraft for fear of angering China.

+1

Taiwan opposition party accuses China of hacking

Taiwan's main opposition party on Tuesday accused hackers backed by the Chinese state of stealing information related to its presidential campaign in the run up to elections in January 2012.

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Russia :
And Then There Were Three

Now it’s been revealed that one of those missiles was not a Sineva, but a new design called Liner. Apparently the Liner is a solid fuel missile that will fit into the silos on the Delta boats.

Russia has a new SLBM... that we know nothing about.

Russia to introduce new short-range air defense system by 2013

A new short-range air defense missile system should be ready to enter service in Russia in 2013, former chief designer of Almaz-Antei corporation Igor Ashurbeili said.

The Morfey, which is an ultra short-range mobile air defense system with an effective range of five kilometers, has been in development since 2007.

New stealth fighter to top the bill at Moscow Air Show

The Sukhoi T-50 will be the jewel in the Russian Air Force’s crown. The service has relied on the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 family of combat aircraft as the core of its fighter force since the mid-1980s, but these aircraft are seen as approaching obsolescence.

The T-50 is Russia’s first new major combat aircraft design to fly since the end of Soviet Union. When an operational fighter based on it is put into service, possibly as soon as 2015, it will be the Russian Air Force’s first stealth aircraft, featuring low-observable technology that makes it almost impossible to detect with radar.

New 'missile shield' to be built around Moscow after 2015

Russia will deploy new S-500 air defense systems around Moscow after 2015, a leading Russian aerospace defense chief said on Monday.

Right now S-400s and S-300s protect Moscow.
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China :
China aircraft carrier should handle disputes: report

A news website run by China's defence ministry said Thursday the nation's aircraft carrier should handle territorial disputes, despite government assurances the vessel posed no threat to its neighbours.

Japan calls for China to explain aircraft carrier

Japan's defence minister called on China Friday to explain why it needs an aircraft carrier, after Beijing sparked increased concerns over its military expansion by starting sea trials for the vessel.

Are they freaking serious? seriously Japan... two things... it's not your damn business and why ask this just now?

China’s Plan to Beat U.S.: Missiles, Missiles and More Missiles

China is militarily weaker than many people think, especially compared to the United States. This, despite lots of showy jet prototypes and plenty of other factory-fresh equipment.

But Beijing has a brutally simple — if risky — plan to compensate for this relative weakness: buy missiles. And then, buy more of them. All kinds of missiles: short-range and long-range; land-based, air-launched and sea-launched; ballistic and cruise; guided and “dumb.”

China is militarily weaker than many people think, especially compared to the United States. This, despite lots of showy jet prototypes and plenty of other factory-fresh equipment. But Beijing has a brutally simple — if risky — plan to compensate for this relative weakness: buy missiles. And then, buy more of them. All kinds of missiles: short-range and long-range; land-based, air-launched and sea-launched; ballistic and cruise; guided and “dumb.”

The way I see it China only needs to get US engaged in any kind of arms escalation and beat them. In that case, why not missiles?

Holy... if this is true this is huge...

N.Korea 'Wanted to Shoot Down S.Korean Defense Chief's Chopper'

North Korean military units talked about the possibility of shooting down a helicopter carrying Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin during his visit to a frontline unit in July, officials here said Monday. Intelligence agencies have started investigating whether the North Koreans actually tried to shoot down Kim's helicopter and how they got hold of his frontline tour schedule.

An intelligence officer said the threats to Kim since June are believed to have something to do with the use of pictures for target practice of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un by some reserve units here.

Also connected to this :
June 28 :
N.Korea Threatens Military Retaliation for SK Army Chant
June 29 :
S. Korea refuses to accept N. Korea's warning message
and
NKorea vows military measures against SKorea

North Korea’s military vowed Wednesday to retaliate for anti-Pyongyang signs posted at front-line South Korean army units

Me thinks NKorea seriously thought about shooting down that helicopter... of course if they did, it would have started a war... me thinks Kim wanted to shoot him down but his generals talked him out of it... also because there were some diplomacy being done...

June 27 :
S. Korea separates apology demand from nuclear talks with N. Korea: official


Anyway, with all that going on, still no decision on US food aid... when the decision was supposed to be taken in MAY...

China :
China to start landing drills on carrier: report

The Chinese military could on Saturday launch air exercises on the nation's first aircraft carrier which was unveiled earlier this week, state media reported.

Taiwan :
US committed to Taiwan: White House

"There is no change in that. We take our obligation under the Taiwan Relations Act very seriously and we don't negotiate these issues with China,"

Liar. You've admitted that you talked about Taiwan and your help to Taiwan a few months back with China.

"To comment on any potential arms sale to Taiwan would be very premature at this time," said Bryan Whitman, a senior Pentagon official.

BS. Taiwan has been asking you for YEARS...

NKorea :
N.Korea warns of war as US-S.Korea exercise begins

South Korea and the United States launched a massive joint military exercise on Tuesday, prompting the North to condemn the manoeuvres as provocative and warn that "all-out war" could erupt.

NKorea threatens to bolster its nuclear arsenal

North Korea threatened Wednesday to bolster its nuclear arsenal in response to annual U.S.-South Korean military drills that Pyongyang calls a rehearsal for invasion.

NKorea is pissed at those exercises because it costs them a lot of $$... every time the US-SK does an exercise, they go on full alert...because they are run by a bunch of paranoid freaks.

North Korea warns against Ulchi exercise

North Korea said it would "deal a merciless counterblow" to South Korea if provoked by military exercises, including the ongoing Ulchi Freedom Guardian.

SKorea :
Supersonic Cruise Missile in Development

South Korea is developing a supersonic cruise missile that can be used to attack aircraft carriers, Aegis ships and up-to-date destroyers.

"Think tanks like the Agency for Defense Development have been developing a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile for some years now. They're expected to complete development in three to four years at the earliest," a government source said Tuesday.

FM notes shift in N. Korea policy

South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan on Wednesday noted a shift in Seoul's policy on North Korea, indicating a softening stance toward resuming talks with the communist state that killed dozens of South Koreans last year.

Indeed.

China :
Take The Money And Shut Up

China has played down the importance of its new aircraft carrier, the Shi Lang, even going so far as to describe the ship as intended for scientific research. At the same time, China announced that it is continuing reforms in its armed forces. This is mainly being done by introducing more modern weapons and equipment, along with higher quality and better trained personnel.

China is also improving its ability to build, and even develop, modern weapons. This is assisted by the theft of much Russian and Western (particularly American) military technology. This is done either by obtaining examples of the technology, or using Internet based espionage to steal technical details.

Western and Russian Internet security experts have made it quite clear that they believe China has been engaging in Internet based espionage for over five years. China denies everything, but the evidence keeps piling up that many, if not most, of these hacking efforts are coming out of China. There have been several recent major attacks, and the victims are getting increasingly angry at lame Chinese denials. There is increasing talk of striking back, but no one has quite figured out how to do it, especially since any such retaliation is currently illegal.

The recent sea trials of the Chinese carrier Shi Lang elicited complaints from neighboring countries that this is a bad thing. The neighbors (Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Japan) recognize similar Chinese strategies, which have been used time and again over the centuries. The pattern consists of lots of Chinese complaints (in this case, backing Chinese claims on everything in the South China Sea), followed by a military build-up meant to intimidate the neighbors into backing down. This time, the United States is backing the neighbors, which accounts for the energetic anti-American campaign that has been going on in China for decades. This propaganda about the “inevitable future war with the United States” is largely kept inside China, and denied when foreigners ask about it. But within China, the military makes no secret of who it is preparing to fight. Little of this stuff every gets translated into English, leaving most Americans unaware of it.

Very interesting...

China focused on naval power: Pentagon

China's military is increasingly focused on naval power and has invested in advanced weaponry that will extend its reach in the Pacific and beyond, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

China has pushed to develop anti-ship missiles that could strike aircraft carriers, improved its targeting radar, expanded its fleet of attack submarines and bolstered its fleet of warships, the Defense Department wrote in an annual report to Congress.

China accuses US of 'exaggerating' military threat

China's state news agency accused the United States Thursday of "exaggerating" the threat posed by its military, after a report said the Asian nation was expanding its maritime power.

China state news agency accuses US of 'interfering'

China's state-run news agency on Thursday accused the United States of "interfering" after a Pentagon report warned that the Asian power's military was increasingly focused on naval power.

Xinhua said the annual Pentagon report to US Congress had drawn protest in the past over its "interfering nature" and "distortion of facts", although it welcomed recent improvements in military relations between the two powers.

"The 94-page report, as usual, interferes with the internal issue of China by making wilful comments on the situation across Taiwan Straits," Xinhua said.

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Taiwan :
Taiwan to develop precision-guided missile

Taiwan plans to develop a long-distance precision-guided missile which would be able to strike military bases along China's southeastern coastline in the event of war, a legislator said Monday.

"In case of war, Taiwan would be able to use the weapon to strike the air-defence and ballistic missile bases deployed along China's southeastern coastline," he said.

China seeks to affect Taiwan poll, says candidate

The presidential candidate for Taiwan's opposition said Tuesday that China is actively exerting its influence to prevent her from winning elections in January.

She said it was "no secret" that China could influence Taiwanese voters through the close economic links between the two sides.

Tsai did not offer further details on the nature of the influence, but also referred to reports that young Taiwanese people studying in China were offered cheap air tickets to go home and vote.

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NKorea :
N. Korean leader to meet Russian president in Siberia's Ulan Ude Tuesday: source

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may begin his Russian visit on Saturday and is expected to hold summit talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a Siberian city on Tuesday, an informed source here said.

His train arrived in Russia today.

NK, US Agree to Hold US War Remains Talks

North Korea and the United States will likely hold talks soon on resuming a project to excavate remains of U.S. soldiers in the North.

So much for the warmongering.

N. Korea's Kim in China after Russia talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il arrived in China on Thursday, official media from both countries said, in unusually open reporting of Kim's latest visit to his cash-strapped country's chief ally.

China's state Xinhua news agency described it as a "stopover" but the foreign ministry in Beijing refused to reveal if Kim would meet Chinese officials or if he was only transiting on his return home from Russia.

Let Them Eat Yacht

North Korea is moving special operations troops from the DMZ to the Chinese border. Thousands of these well trained and loyal (to the Kim family) troops have been assigned to the eastern half of the Chinese border.

These Special Forces troops have a license to kill while on border duty. If they encounter corruption, or less than adequate devotion to duty, offenders can be executed on the spot. More frequently, the Special Forces order suspect border guards transferred, and rural families suspected of assisting smugglers, are forced to move away from the border. These guys were originally trained to be scary to South Koreans, but were rarely unleashed on North Koreans. This new move weakens the ability to invade the south, and terrifies an increasingly disloyal North Korean population.

US: North Korean Nuclear Concessions Welcome, But Insufficient

The United States has called reported North Korean nuclear concessions welcome but insufficient. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il told Russian officials that Pyongyang would freeze tests and production of nuclear weapons and missiles in the context of renewed six-party negotiations.

Officials in Washington are not rejecting Kim’s gesture out of hand. But they say the concessions the North Korean leader offered in a meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev are not enough to resume six-party talks on ending the North’s nuclear programs.

S.Korea urges N.Korea to match words with action

South Korea on Thursday urged North Korea to match its emollient rhetoric with actual deeds after the communist state's leader Kim Jong-Il offered nuclear concessions during his visit to Russia.

"I don't see any particular progress," Deputy Spokesman Shin Maeng-Ho of the South's foreign ministry told AFP.

Duh.

Medvedev wins nuclear pledge at rare N. Korea talks

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il on Wednesday promised President Dmitry Medvedev in rare talks that his reclusive state was prepared to renounce nuclear testing and allow transit of a key gas pipeline.

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SKorea :
S. Korea's military on alert against hacking attempts: official

South Korea's military is on alert against hacking into its computer system, as a suspicious e-mail is spreading among its personnel, an official said Friday.

Boeing Delivers 3 More F-15K Slam Eagles to the Republic of Korea

Boeing has delivered three F-15K Slam Eagle aircraft to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) at Daegu Air Base. The aircraft left the Boeing St. Louis facility on Aug. 16 and made stops in Palmdale, Calif., Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, before arriving in Korea.

S. Korea-US Joint Military Exercise to End Friday

The nation’s joint military drill with the United States will conclude on Friday after a ten-day run.

+1

Five men indicted in pro-N. Korean spy ring bust

Prosecutors said on Thursday they have investigated 10 South Koreans of spying for the North Korean regime for more than a decade, leaking political and military secrets in the latest in a long series of espionage cases.

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Australia :
Australia decommissions another ship

In the second major decommissioning this year, Australia will take out of service the amphibious ship HMAS Kanimbla that has been laid up since September 2010.

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Pakistan :
Foreign Wimps Fail At Jihad

For years, it was the Afghan Taliban who went to Pakistan for some rest and recuperation. That has changed, as has the type of people the Taliban are recruiting these days. It’s mainly about money.

and fewer Afghans are signing up for what are often suicidal missions. So more Pakistani Taliban (and other terror groups) are being imported.

Pakistani and Afghan parents are no longer tolerating seeing their children being turned into suicidal fanatics. So more foreigners are being recruited. There are plenty of Arabs and Chechens who find Pakistan the easiest place to get to for those seeking Jihad (“struggle”) against infidels (non-Moslems) and possibly a glorious death for Islam. Somalia, Yemen and Chechnya are all either too chaotic or too heavily policed.

Trust, But Try To Verify

In Pakistan, political, ethnic and religious violence in Karachi continues and the military refuses to go in and try to pacify the largest city in the country. If there were a military government, the generals would have no choice. This is a reminder of why military governments have been so popular in Pakistan. Another reason is economic performance. The economy grows faster when the generals are in charge. There is also less, or at least a different kind of, corruption.

250 US officials ordered to leave Pakistan

Pakistan has sent a letter to the US Embassy in Islamabad, asking it to phase out over 250 US officials in 30 to 40 days, a private TV channel quoting sources reported Tuesday.

I doubt this will happen.

APP adds: US Embassy has rejected the news item about notices given to its diplomats to leave Pakistan. A US Embassy Spokesperson while commenting on the news regarding notices issued to 250 US officials to leave Pakistan within one month said, “It is untrue.”

Or if it's even true...
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USA :
'Stealth' warships to test China's nerve

THE US is deploying a new generation of high-speed stealth warships to the disputed waters of the South China Sea, in a move that is bound to raise tensions with Beijing.

The vessels, which cost $US440 million ($422m) each, will be deployed in the shipping lanes between Hong Kong and Singapore, where four nations are at odds with China over who owns vast areas of ocean rich in oil and gas.

The ships are designed to fight in shallow waters. They carry three helicopters and special forces units with armoured vehicles that can roll off a ramp into action, while fast gunboats can be launched from the stern.

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Vietnam :
Vietnam boosts naval power with new frigate

Vietnam on Monday received the second of two Russian-made guided missile frigates, local media reported, boosting its naval firepower amid maritime tensions with China.

"It alters the naval game," said Carl Thayer, a veteran Australia-based analyst of Vietnam. "A boat of that kind provides muscle for Vietnam."

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Russia :
Russia 'surprised' by Iran's legal complaint over S-300

Russia said Thursday it was surprised by Iran's move to lodge a legal complaint against Moscow over the cancellation of an S-300 missile contract, insisting that sanctions had tied its hands.

Really Russia? Really? Under international law, Iran can sue you and win.

Russia ready to help Venezuela with weaponry purchases

Moscow is ready to loan Venezuela $4 billion on purchases of military equipment, Russia's Kommersant newspaper said on Friday citing a diplomatic source.

Chavez will sure need those weapons since he asked for his gold...
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India :
Indian Navy unveils second 'stealth-like' frigate

The Indian Navy put into service its second "stealth-like" frigate on Saturday, IANC news agency reported citing the Navy's press service.

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Japan :
Japan's political turmoil a lever for China / Beijing again times aggressive play on Senkakus to coincide with power vacuum in Tokyo

Wednesday's intrusion by two Chinese ships into Japanese waters near the Senkaku Islands was timed to capitalize on the state of flux in Japan's politics, according to observers.

With the ruling Democratic Party of Japan occupied with preparations for selecting a new leader, China apparently believed the intrusion might not meet a strong political response from Tokyo.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, about four hours after the two Chinese fishing patrol vessels entered Japanese waters, Administrative Vice Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae summoned Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cheng Yonghua to the Foreign Ministry to lodge a protest.

"It is gravely serious and deplorable that despite warnings from Japan, Chinese government ships entered Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands," Sasae reportedly told Cheng.

Cheng said he would report the protest to Beijing immediately, but insisted the islands are part of China's territory.

Interesting... China trying to intimadate yet again.

And finally, that POS Japanese prime minister Kan resigns...

Russia :
Russia to extend lease of Tajikistan military base

The presidents of Russia and Tajikistan agreed to prepare in early 2012 an agreement extending Russia's lease of a military base in Tajikistan by 49 years.

Anti-missile radar to be deployed in Turkey - Foreign Ministry

An early warning radar system will be deployed in Turkey within the NATO missile defense program, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Selcuk Unal said on Friday.

"The deployment of this [missile defense] element in Turkey will constitute our contribution to the defense system being developed within the new NATO [defense] strategy and will strengthen the defense potential of NATO as well as our national defense system," Unal said.

Test of new U.S. interceptor missile results in failure

A modernized version of the SM-3 missile has failed to intercept a ballistic missile target during a test over the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said.

U.S. could threaten Russian strategic nuclear forces - Foreign Minister Lavrov

The United States continues to refuse to guarantee that the European missile defense shield will not be directed at Russia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

"Military experts understand completely that the unlimited expansion by one party's anti-missile defense capabilities requires the other party to take equal actions in order to protect its strategic restraint potential," he added.

Russian defense minister, U.S. attache discuss missile shield

Russia's defense minister met with the U.S. defense attache in Moscow to discuss the U.S.-led project to deploy a missile shield in Europe, a ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

Serdyukov said the missile shield should not be targeted against Russia's strategic forces and added that this point must be laid down in a legally binding document rather than in verbal declarations.

MiG denies stealth technology transfer to China for J-20 fighter

Russia has never transferred any stealth technology to China to assist it with its J-20 Black Eagle fifth-generation stealth fighter prototype, Russian plane maker MiG said on Friday.

"We are not delivering any equipment to China, and never have," MiG spokeswoman Yelena Fyodorova said.

Well maybe you didn't intentionally...

The Russian Armed UAV

Russia has introduced its first armed UAV; the Lutch. The 800 kg (1,760 pound) aircraft can carry up to 160 kg (352 pounds) of weapons.

Lutch is designed to stay airborne for 18 hours, or up to 30 if fewer sensors and weapons are carried. Max speed is 270 kilometers an hour and the Lutch can operate up to 350 kilometers from the base station.

Gee their first UAV... late to the game Russia...

Russia successfully test launches troubled missile: Kremlin

Russia on Saturday successfully test fired its new nuclear-capable Bulava intercontinental missile which it hopes will become a key strategic weapon despite a string of setbacks, the Kremlin said.

According to the Interfax news agency, Russia has now carried out 16 tests of the Bulava, seven of which ended in failure. Russia is planning several more launches this year, including a possible multiple firing of several missiles.

EU, NATO refuse to recognise Abkhazia elections

The European Union and NATO refused on Saturday to recognise elections in Georgia's rebel region of Abkhazia, as they reiterated their support for the territorial integrity of Georgia.

"The holding of such elections does not contribute to a peaceful and lasting settlement of the situation in Georgia," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement stating that the 28-nation alliance did not recognise Friday's elections.

"The Alliance reiterates its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders," Rasmussen added.

Yeah what about you keep quiet NATO? Georgia is run by a thug. Whoever doesn't want to be part of it got my vote.

MiG-35D Takes On The F-35

Russia has announced that it will use its new (still in development) MiG-35D as the equivalent of the American F-35. This will be the low-end to the high end T-50 (the Russian F-22). Th

MiG-35D Takes On The F-35

Russia has announced that it will use its new (still in development) MiG-35D as the equivalent of the American F-35. This will be the low-end to the high end T-50 (the Russian F-22). The T-50 is no F-22, and the MiG-35D is no F-35.

The big selling point for the MiG-35D is its offensive and defensive electronics, as well as sensors for finding targets on land or sea.

The MiG-35D has little stealth capability. The MiG-35D first flew four years ago, and there are currently about ten prototypes being used for testing and development work. The MiG-35D is expected to enter service some time before the end of the decade. The MiG-35D will sell for less than half what the F-35 goes for (currently over $120 million each).

Kremlin's Fear of China Drives Its Foreign Policy

Russia is very concerned about China, but this is driven more by fears about China’s capabilities than any real threats.

Russia perceives China as being highly unpredictable and worries about Beijing’s technological dominance, growing military strength and demographic and economic expansion into Siberia, which is sparsely populated but resource-rich.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s saber-rattling in the Far East, while purportedly aimed at protecting the Kuril Islands from a weak Japan, is Moscow’s subtle signal to Beijing.

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Japan :
Japanese coast guard to reinforce border patrol

The Japanese Coast Guard will beef up border patrols following the intrusion of two Chinese ships into Japanese waters, NHK reported.

Two Chinese vessels were spotted near the Japan-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Wednesday. The islands are also claimed by China.

Yoshihiko Noda Is Low-Key Politician With Hawkish Bent

Japan's latest choice for prime minister rose to the top from relative anonymity in classic Japanese style, with middle-of-the-road policies and a low-key style that has allowed him to avoid making enemies. But in his limited foreign policy pronouncements, Yoshihiko Noda has shown a hawkish streak that has surprised his center-left party and already has drawn concern from Asian neighbors.

The guy thinks that Japan leaders during WW2 were not war criminals... ridiculous... and outrageous really. But considering what they teach in Japanese schools about WW2... not a big surprise. I bet 90%+ of Japanese don't know what happened at Nanking.

Japan's new PM needs to respect China's core interests, development demands

Japan, under its new leadership, should take concrete and substantial steps to promote its relations with China, and respect China's core interests.

So... Chinese government mouthpiece giving ``orders`` to the new Japanese government. Interesting.

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Vietnam :
Vietnam, China hold second defence, security dialogue

The second Vietnam-China defence-security strategic dialogue at deputy ministerial level took place in Beijing on Aug. 28, evaluating the satisfactory progress in the two countries’ relations.

Better than war.

You know what's funny? On August 27, China did put a bunch of troops, tanks, artillery and everything needed to invade Vietnam right on the border and did an exercise... to send a message obviously... Martial law was on the border...

if you can win without fighting, it's even better...

Veitnam says more Indian warships are welcome to its ports

Vietnam has said that defence cooperation with India has been going since 1980s and Indian warships are most welcome to its ports.

India :
US calls for diplomatic process over dispute involving India, China navies

The United States has asked for a collaborative diplomatic process on resolving the disputes related to the South China Sea, amid reports of the Chinese Navy confronting an Indian Navy vessel off the coast of Vietnam in late July.

India prepared to face the Chinese threat : Air Force chief

In response to the US official reports of China deploying nuclear-capable missiles along the borders with India, the Air Force chief said the country was not 'worried' over these developments as it has own plans to deal with the situation.

India Nears Order for Mk 2 Version of Arjun Tank

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared the proposal for placement of indent for 124 Nos. of MBT Arjun Mark-II on Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi, Chennai.

New tanks for India... but they won't get them for a while...

India downplays reported Chinese warning to its warship

An Indian Navy vessel appears to have been warned by the Chinese Navy off the coast of Vietnam against entering Chinese waters in late July, but India has sought to downplay the incident.

Indian JCO, 3 Pak soldiers killed in infiltration attempt

In the first major ceasefire violation in the Valley this year, an Indian junior commissioned officer (JCO) and three Pakistani soldiers were killed in a heavy exchange of fire on Thursday.

The firing started on Wednesday when Indian troops challenged a group of infiltrators in the Keran sector of north Kashmir.

India to raise 40 companies, 4 battalions, Infrastructure near Tibet border

Sinha said that 40 companies (one company has around 130 soldiers) of ITBP would be formed this year and four battalions (each battalion has around seven companies) would be raised next year.

"We would be setting up new training centres and also strengthening our presence in Afghanistan. A water wing has also been raised recently to patrol water bodies on the India-China border," said Sinha.

The Indian army manned the water bodies for ITBP till now, said ITBP.

"Around 200 men and 25 boats have been assigned the role of guarding the water bodies," said Sinha.

New Delhi could have anti-missile shield by 2014

According to a new Pentagon report on China’s military, Beijing has paid India a sort of compliment. The People’s Liberation Army now targets India with its best and latest nuclear-tipped missiles, the solid-fuel Dongfeng-21 (NATO designation: CSS-5) medium range ballistic missile (IRBM), tipped with a 250-kiloton nuclear warhead that would flatten a large part of Delhi. Until now, India had been considered deserving only of China’s oldest and most decrepit missile, the primitive, liquid-fuelled Dongfeng-3 (NATO designation CSS-2).

India’s defence establishment is taking this new threat seriously, as also that posed by Pakistan’s nuclear-tipped MRBMs — like the Ghauri-2 and the Shaheen-2 — which can strike targets 2300 kilometres away. In an exclusive interview with Business Standard, the Defence R&D Organisation’s chief missile scientist has announced that, within three years, India will have a fully deployed missile-defence shield to safeguard a city like New Delhi from missile-borne nuclear attack.

New strike corps for China border

In 2009, New Delhi acted decisively in sanctioning two new army divisions, about 35,000 troops, to strengthen Indian defences in Arunachal, which China claims as a part of Tibet. It can now be revealed that New Delhi has also sanctioned a new mountain strike corps, of an additional 40,000 soldiers, to be permanently located in bases in northeast India. The new corps is to retaliate against any major Chinese ingress into India by launching an offensive into Tibet.

The new mountain strike corps will control two divisions, trained and equipped for an attack into Tibet. If China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) captures any Indian territory, by quickly concentrating an attacking force over Tibet’s impressive road network, the Indian Army would not be forced into bloody, Kargil-style counterattacks to recapture that territory.

Instead, the new strike corps would launch its own riposte, advancing into Tibet and capturing a vulnerable chunk of Chinese territory, e.g. the Chumbi Valley that projects into Sikkim and Bhutan. Several such objectives would be identified in advance and detailed preparations made for the offensives. The new strike corps will have its own mountain artillery, combat engineers, anti-aircraft guns and radio equipment. It would also be supported by Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, operating from newly renovated bases in northeastern India. On July 26, the then IAF chief confirmed that Sukhoi-30 fighters had already been posted to air bases at Tezpur and Chhabua.

Good for them.

1st India-China strategic economic talks

Taking a leaf out of the US-China relationship, India and China are preparing to launch their first strategic economic dialogue in end-September. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, will lead the strategic economic dialogue with China, with the aim of increasing Indian investment in China and addressing a burgeoning trade deficit. Ahluwalia's counterpart in the dialogue will be the head of China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

+1

India Shifts To The East

Since the founding of modern India in 1947, the Indian Navy has placed most of its forces on the west coast, to deal with the threat from Pakistan. The east coast fleet was much smaller, and a much less desirable assignment for ambitious naval officers. That has changed. Now, China is the official “major threat” and Pakistan is rapidly declining as a challenge to Indian naval superiority off its west coast. This shift can be seen in the construction of new naval bases on the east coast.

Last year, India announced that it was building two new naval bases on its east coast, to cope with what it sees as a growing Chinese naval threat in the Bay of Bengal (between India and Burma) and the Indian Ocean.

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Taiwan :
Taiwanese Official: F-16 Buy From U.S. 'Hopeless'

Taiwan's bid to buy F-16 fighter jets from the United States has become "hopeless," a top Taiwanese official was quoted as saying in an Aug. 20 report. This follows up a report by Defense News last week that Washington told Taiwan it will not sell the jets.

North Korea :
N.Korea Bought Huge Numbers of Chinese Military Vehicles

Some 3,000 to 4,000 Chinese-made military trucks and jeeps entered North Korea last month, it was confirmed Monday. According to video clips obtained by the Chosun Ilbo, over 100 military trucks and jeeps made in China went to North Korea everyday last month after going through customs in Dandong.

Of course NKorea wanted more... like jets... so to shut Kim up they gave him those crappy trucks and jeeps. They don't want to force the US to put a boatload of troops in SKorea... which could create a war China doesn't want right now.

Kim tells China N. Korea ready for nuclear talks

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il told China Friday he was ready to resume six-party nuclear talks without preconditions, as he travelled through the Asian nation, the China's state media said.

And? China has no say in the matter.

N.Korea Desperately Seeking Cutting-Edge Weaponry

North Korea is going all out to secure armaments, as the presence of North Korean Air Force Commander Ri Pyong-chol on leader Kim Jong-il's visit to Russia indicates. Kim wrapped up his visit to Russia and returned to North Korea via China on Saturday.

During one visit to China in May last year, Kim brought along Ju Kyu-chang, the first vice-director of the Ministry of Defense Industry, and on his next visit in August, he brought Ju as well as Pak To-chun, Workers Party secretary for munitions.

A North Korean source said Kim "probably wanted China's help" in modernizing his country's aging weapons.

The North has fallen sharply behind South Korea in terms of airpower. Experts conducted a simulated war game and found that South Korean and U.S. fighter jets could overpower North Korean aircraft and gain control of its airspace within three days.

At best they'll get parts for their old planes... and ammo. I doubt they'll get more than that.

Kim Jong-il 'Keen on Fees from Russia-S.Korea Pipeline'

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is prepared to let a gas pipeline be built through his country so Russia can export gas to South Korea, according to Viktor Ishayev, the Russian president's envoy to the Far Eastern Region who accompanied Kim during his stay in Russia on Aug. 20-25.

Kim "apparently doesn't intend to participate in any consortium for the pipeline project linking Russia and South Korea, but seems interested only in collecting fees from handling transit and leasing territory," said Ishayev in an interview with a local press agency.

IMO South Korea is INSANE if they do that. They'll give power over their economy to NKorea... a really bad bet to do.

Professor: N. Korea-China pact on intervention is a dead letter

A bilateral pact between North Korea and China calling for automatic intervention in case of a military conflict has become virtually invalid with the end of the Cold War, a Chinese scholar claimed Thursday.

The two allies signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in 1961, obligating China to defend North Korea against aggression. The treaty will remain in effect until 2021 after being renewed in 1981 and 2001.

We shall see if it is enforced if push comes to shove.

N. Korea hits out at US over nuclear row: reports

North Korea's number-two leader slammed the United States on Thursday for singling out his country's uranium enrichment programme in a drive against nuclear proliferation, reports said.

"Not only our country but other countries in the world are enriching uranium," Kim Yong-Nam, the president of the Supreme People's Assembly -- North Korea's parliament -- told Japanese media in Pyongyang, according to Kyodo news agency.

China :
Ukraine Feeds The Chinese War Machine

China is buying 250 AI-222 jet engines, for its JL-15 trainer, from Ukrainian firm Motor Sich.

The new, 9.5 ton, twin engine JL-15 can achieve supersonic speeds, and has the kind of high-tech cockpit found in modern fighters. The JL-15 was designed to be produced in two versions; advanced trainer, and initial fighter trainer. This would smooth the transition to high end aircraft like the J-10 (similar to the F-16) and J-11 (a Su-27 clone).

Chinese warship confronts Indian naval ship: Report

The Indian and Chinese navies were involved in a face-off in the disputed South China Sea. A Chinese warship confronted an Indian naval vessel as it left Vietnamese waters in July but the Indian Navy has denied the reports.

According to reports a Chinese warship, which remains unidentified, confronted India's INS Airawat, an amphibious assault vessel, and asked the ship to identify itself and explain its presence in the South China. London-based Financial Times reported that the Indian warship was in international waters after completing a scheduled port call in Vietnam.

Wikileaks Reveals Early Chinese Warning Of Domestic Asset Bubbles, Overcapacity, Bashing Of "Copy And Paste" Educational System

While we have to go through the bulk, one that caught our attention was a cable from the US delegation in Chengdu, China, where a counsel met with a local representative of the World Bank's International Finance Corporation, for some candid one on one. While the bulk of the exposition, which took place in December of 2009, is not surprising, there are some frank admissions about the emergence of a Chinese bubble, long before the topic was mainstream (and only fringe investors would consider it), observation that urban housing prices are "here to stay for the coming few years as they are an unavoidable, long-term aspect of the nationwide, structural shift in the population from rural area to urban centers", the realization that the solar industry is plagued by overcapacity and due for a restructuring (many "solar" longs would have been delighted to know this well in advance of the recent decimation in the Chinese solar stock space), but most notable is the Chinese admission that "China will remain a "poor country" for years to come, and can expect to emerge as a "respectable mid-level" country only in another 10-20 years" in order to grow its service sector from the current 30-40% of the economy to a US-comparable 75%, many structural shifts will have to take place. And while such shifts "are already happening to some extent in places like the Pearl River Delta", and "Chinese companies increasingly setting up factories overseas" the biggest impediment is China's "terrible educational system" which "promotes copying and pasting over creative and independent thought." Explaining further, "the normal process undertaken by students when writing as essentially collecting sentences from various sources without any original thinking. He compared the writing ability of a typical Chinese Phd as paling in comparison to his "unskilled" staff during his decade of work with the IFC in Africa."

Very interesting... not a BIG surprise... considering the corruption of the political system in China... it is trickling down... just like in the USA.
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South Korea :
S. Korea urges end to naval base protests

Two South Korean ministers warned activists Wednesday to stop blocking construction of a naval base on a scenic holiday island, saying the $970 million project is vital for national security.

Yeah it's always ``vital for national security``... so why the hell are they building it just now? NKorea is a JOKE...


That new 5000 characters limit is really pissing me off.

Japan :

#Japan Foreign Min. Gemba told Asahi Shimbun disputed islet illegally occupied by S. Korea.

#ROK foreign minister denounces new Japanese foreign minister's reiteration of Tokyo's stance on territorial dispute.

Not a big surprise from Japanese PM... hell he believes Japan's WW2 leaders were not war criminals...

Lee agrees to cooperate with Japan's new PM on bilateral relations, N. Korea
At least they keep talking.

Opposition calls for Japan defence minister to go

Japan's main opposition party called for the new defence minister to resign on Saturday for referring to himself as an amateur shortly before he took office, but there was a poll boost for the new premier.

Not a brilliant move saying you are an amateur...
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Koreas :
US: No Signs NK is Prepared to Meet Preconditions for Additional Talks

The United States says North Korea has shown no indication it is ready to meet terms for holding follow-up bilateral discussions on denuclearization.

Of course. You think NKorea will appear weak before the 100th anniversary of Kim Il Sung? I don't think so.

Gas pipeline project with N. Korea too risky: expert

South Korea's ambitious plan to import natural gas from Russia through North Korea may be appealing to the Lee Myung-bak administration, known for its vigorous energy diplomacy, but such a project could be another gamble riskier than the now-suspended inter-Korean tour program, a U.S. expert said Tuesday.

Ya think?

North Korea's Kim does not trust China: US cable

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il expressed distrust of his country's major economic prop China during a 2009 meeting with a visiting South Korean businesswoman, according to a US diplomatic cable.

Discussing relations with the United States, he told Hyun he had altered some parts of the Arirang festival to "fit American tastes".

The leader reportedly told Hyun he had cut out a sketch depicting a missile launch because he had heard Americans did not like it.

"He had also been advised that South Koreans did not like to see so many soldiers in the performance, so now more students were included," the cable says.

Kim Jong Il is really funny and very oblivious... Nobody gives a flying duck about your Arirang festival. Yeah the few tourists that go to NKorea like it, it's nice and all... but thinking that it has an effect on foreign policy is clearly retarded.

N. Korea's military masterminds hard-line stance on S. Korea: report

North Korea's military hard-liners appear to have secured the upper hand in maneuvering Pyongyang's harsh stance on South Korea, a state-run institute here said Tuesday.

The ruling Workers' Party appears to have an interest in winning outside assistance through economic cooperation with China and inter-Korean dialogue. Still, the North's military hawks want to keep the country's hard-line stance on the South intact, the institute said.

If the hard line group has won, we can expect new provocations in the future. Not to mention... if Kim Jong Il were to die now... the hard liners could take over and wipe out the ``doves``... and that would create a very dangerous scenario.

N. Korea developing new devices to jam GPS signals: defense ministry

North Korea has been developing a signal jamming device with an extended range, the defense ministry said Tuesday.

Doesn't really matter... anyway this technology is probably coming from Russia and China as was the case in the past.

China :
China white paper pledges peaceful rise

China's government has released a policy document that lays out its vision for the country's future.

It says it wants to be a rich, strong nation at peace with other countries.

China will not repeat the mistakes of other great powers who sought to dominate other nations, the white paper says.

But the document's description of China and the world sometimes seems at odds with reality.

This is a lengthy document, running to nearly 10,000 words, but its main point is summed up in the three-word title, China's Peaceful Development.

The country's current leaders see the nation getting more powerful all the time, mainly brought about by its opening up to the outside world three decades ago.

"[We want to] build China into a rich, strong, democratic, civilised, harmonious and modern socialist country by the 100th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in the mid-21st century," it says.

Democratic... funny. Civilised... funny. (you are not civilised when you support scum like Kim Jong Il, not to mention torture people, kidnap and imprison people for their religious views and then harvest their organs, not to mention what they do in Tibet).. and rich... funny. The only rich ones will be the elite, as always.

China has a LONG WAY to go. Unless there's a revolution... then it could be a shortcut.

China sea power concerns new Japan foreign minister

Japan's new Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba on Friday voiced concern over China's growing naval power and its activities near disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Indeed.

If The Government Doesn't Like It, It Must Be Good

During the recent fighting in Libya, the rebels complained of encountering government troops armed with new Chinese weapons. Accusations were made that China was selling weapons to the Kaddafi dictatorship despite a UN embargo. A little investigating found that this was indeed the case, and that Chinese arms merchants had approached the Libyan government earlier in the year, offering to sneak the weapons in via Algeria and South Africa. The last shipments appear to have arrived in July. Back then, there were reports of smugglers moving truckloads of weapons across the Algerian border into Libya.

Of course China denies.
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Russia :
Russia successfully tests veteran missile with new warhead

Russia on Saturday successfully tested its Topol strategic missile with a new warhead designed to breach missile shields, Russian news agencies reported, citing the defence ministry.

Doesn't really matter... the missile shield is designed to take out the missile before the warhead detach from the missile... Of course a more resistant warhead is useful if the missile makes it to the final stage.

US flood aid arrives in N. Korea: relief group

A US aid shipment arrived Saturday in North Korea with around 90 tonnes of emergency supplies for the flood-hit nation, the organisation conducting the operation said.

+1

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India :
India postpones latest Agni missile launch

India postponed until next week a test-firing of its indigenously built Agni II ballistic nuclear capable missile due to a technical glitch.

Should happen this week.

Nato offers missile defence cooperation to India

In a move that holds great strategic significance, Nato has offered to share its missile defence technology with India to build its capability to shoot down incoming enemy missiles, realising the commonality of threats faced by the 28-nation grouping and South Asia's pre-eminent power.

India, thus, becomes the only nation, apart from Russia, outside of the Nato that the US-led military alliance is willing to work in the critical missile defence technology sector.

This is sure to piss off China and Pakistan. But this isn't that HUGE of a move... since India has already been doing missile defense business with Israel for several years.

Taiwan :
Taiwan Unleashes The Clones

Taiwan has revealed that it is developing clones of the U.S. Predator and X-47B UAVs.

The Predator design is not particularly difficult, although the flight control software and numerous tweaks made as the result of several hundred thousand flight hours is something the Taiwanese may be quietly negotiating for. The Chinese can’t interrupt the transfer of something they don’t know about.

If Taiwan began demonstrating a jet powered UCAV similar to the X-47B, but with better thought out and more reliable capabilities, Taiwan would have something valuable to trade, something so valuable that Chinese threats would be drowned out.

Could be good.

1,000 rally for Taiwan sovereignty

About 1,000 chanting pro-independence activists took to the streets of Taipei on Sunday, accusing Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou of surrendering the island's sovereignty to China.

Pro-independence groups have accused Ma of compromising Taiwan's sovereignty in exchange for economic benefits from Beijing, a claim which has been categorically denied by Ma.

Recent polls indicate that Ma and Tsai enjoy similar levels of public support.

So it will be a very close election. If the world economy goes bad (and it will probably) and Taiwan economy is affected... voters are likely to kick MA out of office, electing the nationalists. Last election, China's military was preparing to invade Taiwan if the nationalists were elected (according to Taiwan-US intelligence)... so we shall see.

Hopefully Obama is bright enough to park at least 1 battlegroup, if not 2, off Taiwan a day or two before the election... and stay there for a few days....the better way to avoid a war is to make it too costly for the Chinese to start one. Since it's Taiwan they don't care much about the cost of such a war, but military power might make them think twice.
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Philippines :
Philippine president back from China with US$13 billion deals

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III returned from a five-day state visit to China Saturday night, triumphantly announcing nearly US$13 billion worth of actual and planned Chinese investments in the Philippines.

China is continuing to ``buy`` the Philippines with more economic deals. That way, the Philippines is keeping quiet about the contested islands.

Anyway also of importance in the Philippines is the MILF (some kind of muslim terrorist group calling for autonomy in the south) is threatening to do assassinations and bombings if they do not get what they want.

Thing is, they are not the only ones around. 15 big groups of muslims in the South oppose MILF's plan, it's bad for business you know. Of course MILF is mad...

The other 15 or so muslims organizations don't want trouble...but if MILF is insane enough to start some trouble, a civil war between those groups or just a big government crackdown on MILF could happen.