February 02, 2010
Time to Settle US Arms Sales to Taiwan
Now that the Obama administration will fulfill W's promise of high-tech weaponry to Taiwan it is important to review just where the USA and China stand on the issue.
The Taiwan Relations Act does imply if not compel the USA to supply arms to Taiwan for its defense. As Taipei and Beijing rapidly detangle 60+ years of separation with historic cooperation it can be argued just what is Taiwan defending itself against? But the 1982 Sino-American communique says the USA will end arms sales to Taiwan. Specifically,
The Taiwan Relations Act does imply if not compel the USA to supply arms to Taiwan for its defense. As Taipei and Beijing rapidly detangle 60+ years of separation with historic cooperation it can be argued just what is Taiwan defending itself against? But the 1982 Sino-American communique says the USA will end arms sales to Taiwan. Specifically,
6. Having in mind the foregoing statements of both sides, the United StatesThe foregoing was agreed to by both sides NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO. The only people benefitting from the latest arms deal are three corporations, perennial Pentagon suppliers Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, and United Technologies. It is time for the USA to stop fanning flames and work toward peace by ending arms sales to Taiwan.
Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms
sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in
qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent
years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States
and China, and that it intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan,
leading over a period of time to a final resolution. In so stating, the United
States acknowledges China's consistent position regarding the thorough
settlement of this issue.
7. In order to bring about, over a period of
time, a final settlement of the question of United States arms sales to Taiwan,
which is an issue rooted in history, the two governments will make every effort
to adopt measures and create conditions conducive to the thorough settlement of
this issue.
Labels: foreign relations, military-industrial complex, reunification, taiwan
February 01, 2010
Chinese Investment Returns to Gwadar - Future Overseas Base?
Pakistan's National Economic Council approved nearly $4 billion (US dollars) worth of mega projects last week including New Gwadar International Airport. The projects are financed by the Pakistani federal government, the export-import banks of China and the USA, Oman, and others. The Gwadar airport anticipates 300,000 passengers per day with capacity for cargo and 50 flights and hour. Once again there is big talk of pipelines and power plants. Meanwhile Indian interests are speculating that Beijing wants a military base in Pakistan. An op-ed by prominent Fudan University (Shanghai) professor Shen Dingli (an expert in international security matters) raised a lot of eyebrows late last week with its call for Chinese overseas bases. Many interpret the editiorial as proof that Beijing is building a 'string of pearls' of Navy bases around India to gain independent control over trade lanes across the Indian Ocean and into the South and East China Seas.
Of course the idea that a Chinese Navy base or two in support of Chinese shipping could alter America's military supremacy is absurd. As the map pictures, China is ringed by US military installations. And all Chinese traffic in the seas around China are at the mercy of US Navy ships, carriers, and submarines. More probably Dr. Shen's editorial is more a salvo in the war of words over Obama's arms sales to Taiwan.....
Of course the idea that a Chinese Navy base or two in support of Chinese shipping could alter America's military supremacy is absurd. As the map pictures, China is ringed by US military installations. And all Chinese traffic in the seas around China are at the mercy of US Navy ships, carriers, and submarines. More probably Dr. Shen's editorial is more a salvo in the war of words over Obama's arms sales to Taiwan.....
Labels: chinese trade, foreign relations, global security, military-industrial complex, navy, pakistan
December 17, 2009
Reunification Watch: China-Taiwan Trade Talks Next Week
Preliminary talks on trade issues between Beijing and Taipei will occur during Christmas week. The meetings are expected to determine a timeframe for formal talks on the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement or ECFA. ECFA could be a limited free trade agreement and sweep away decades of restrictions between Chinese investors on both sides of the contentious Taiwan Straits. The ever vocal opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) on Taiwan is spinning a thunderous media cycle claiming ECFA would cost millions of jobs and end Taiwan's independence. But even American allies of the DPP admit a trade agreement would diffuse the dangerous tensions and military buildup in the region.
I fully expect ECFA to happen in some form well before 2012 the year of Beijing's Communist Party congress and Taiwan's next presidential election. And once it does come to pass it will be high time for the US federal government to honor its commitment in the Sino-US joint communique of 17 August 1982 and end arms sales to Taiwan. The recent bruhaha on both sides of the Straits over the discovery of a Chinese blogger that the Obama administration is possibly pushing United Technologies sale of Blackhawk helicopters to Taipei is a perfect example of how 27 years later the US continues to fan flames in the region.
The 1982 communique says:
6. Having in mind the foregoing statements of both sides, the United States Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and that it intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan, leading over a period of time to a final resolution. In so stating, the United States acknowledges China's consistent position regarding the thorough settlement of this issue.
7. In order to bring about, over a period of time, a final settlement of the question of United States arms sales to Taiwan, which is an issue rooted in history, the two governments will make every effort to adopt measures and create conditions conducive to the thorough settlement of this issue.
I fully expect ECFA to happen in some form well before 2012 the year of Beijing's Communist Party congress and Taiwan's next presidential election. And once it does come to pass it will be high time for the US federal government to honor its commitment in the Sino-US joint communique of 17 August 1982 and end arms sales to Taiwan. The recent bruhaha on both sides of the Straits over the discovery of a Chinese blogger that the Obama administration is possibly pushing United Technologies sale of Blackhawk helicopters to Taipei is a perfect example of how 27 years later the US continues to fan flames in the region.
The 1982 communique says:
6. Having in mind the foregoing statements of both sides, the United States Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term policy of arms sales to Taiwan, that its arms sales to Taiwan will not exceed, either in qualitative or in quantitative terms, the level of those supplied in recent years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and China, and that it intends to reduce gradually its sales of arms to Taiwan, leading over a period of time to a final resolution. In so stating, the United States acknowledges China's consistent position regarding the thorough settlement of this issue.
7. In order to bring about, over a period of time, a final settlement of the question of United States arms sales to Taiwan, which is an issue rooted in history, the two governments will make every effort to adopt measures and create conditions conducive to the thorough settlement of this issue.
Labels: foreign investment, free trade, military-industrial complex, reunification, taiwan
November 09, 2009
Chinese Fighter Jets to Have Stealth Capability
Dressed in a crisp but drab army green Mao jacket, Chinese President Hu Jintao observed the 60th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Air Force on Sunday. Hu called for a new era in Chinese fighter jet technology. He Weirong, Lieutenant General of the PLA Air Force said on Chinese television the air force would have stealth capability within 8 to 10 years. China continues to develop the J-10 its indegenous fighter jet that is considered similar but inferior to the American F-16. China exports the J-10 and has a joint venture with Pakistan to build an updated version, the J-10B. Even with new capabilities Chinese fighter planes are well behind the USA and Russia. Only the USA has a so-called fifth generation fighter in service, the F22 Raptor, produced for the Pentagon by perennial military-industrial-complex suppliers Lockheed-Martin and Boeing. The USA is further ahead with developing the F-22 Lightning II while Russia is placing its hopes on the T-50 tactical fighter....
Labels: aircraft, high-tech, military-industrial complex, technology
October 26, 2009
China Will "Never Seek Hegemony"
Ahead of a top-level military-to-military summit this week in Washington, DC, Vice Chairman of Beijing's Central Military Commission Xu Caihou said the Chinese military "will never seek hegemony" and emphasized the age-old line of China's rulers that China seeks only to repel attacks with a military on defense only not offense. Xu made the remarks at a Center For Strategic and International Studies confab in Washington. Xu is on a 10 day tour and will meet with his counterpart Defense Secretary Robert Gates and visit several USA military installations....
Labels: foreign relations, military, military-industrial complex, pentagon
July 08, 2009
Big Muddy
Is the Obama surge in Afghanistan drawing in Chinese troops? Over the past few weeks a series of interconnected events have severely impacted the security of China’s western borders.
Just three short weeks ago the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit at Yekaterinburg, Russia, got press for a collective thumbing of the nose at the US dollar. The gathering gave the appearance of defying American hegemony not only in Central Asia but globally.
But a week later the Kyrgyzstan parliament and president unanimously gave the USA continued control of an air base to support the expanding AF-PAK conflict. The following day (June 23, 2009) Kyrgyzstan battled militants allied to the Taliban on its own turf. Later that week in the run up to President Obama’s surge in Afghanistan - an increase of 21,000 troops under the new commander in Afghanistan USA Gen. Stan McChrystal - special envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke spoke of “spillover” and the commander of NATO in Europe said they could not stop militants from moving into Central Asia as a result of the surge.
Underway now in the surge is “Operation Khanjar” which aims to push the Taliban out of the Helmand and Kandahar regions of Afghanistan. As soon as it began uprisings occurred throughout the region from Ingushetia to Chechnya to Xinjiang and beyond, even as far flung as Bangladesh.
The riots in Urumqi, capital of China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, appear to be economic not unlike last year’s brief tumult in Lhasa, Tibet. Numerous videos and photos capture only gang violence by young men and boys overturning private cars and buses and looting Chinese owned liquor stores (do Uyghurs drink?), tobacco shops, and restaurants, and the random killing of people on the street. Mobs are easily bought. The riots bear the hallmarks of classic PSYOP operations at worst or political interference at best. The predictable response from Beijing is a de facto martial law with troops and security forces in the area on alert. Perhaps this was the intent all along.
As recently as 2007, the SCO held massive war games in a show of cooperative power. But today, according to the group’s UN charter the SCO is focused primarily on all things business and “making joint efforts to maintain and ensure peace, security and stability in the region” is not a top priority.
There has been no coordinated reaction to the events of the last few weeks by the SCO let alone any collaboration on a military response. The SCO has to date failed to answer the NATO/USA challenge.
What remains now is how far will Obama’s war in Afghanistan go in pushing out “the bad guys” into Central Asia and whether it will result in the USA once again fighting a proxy war along China’s borders. Is America in the Big Muddy again?
Labels: defense, GWOT, military-industrial complex
June 24, 2009
Reunification Watch: Washington, Beijing Meet on Taiwan Arms
In separate meetings in Washington and Beijing, US and Chinese officials discussed future arms sales to Taiwan with the Obama administration saying it is "very supportive of a lessening of tensions across the strait." At issue is the near decade old arms package including F-16s and diesel submarines.
Is this a sign that the Obama administration is open to allowing for peaceful resolution between Beijing and Taipei - the intent of the Shanghai Communique - rather than an escalating arms race courtesy the Reagan era Taiwan Relations Act which is just a cover for Congressional pork to military industrial conglomerates such as Lockheed-Martin, manufacturer of the F-16 jet fighter?....
Labels: military-industrial complex, reunification, taiwan
December 31, 2008
Hamas Using Chinese Missiles?
So says Israeli General Benr-David according to an Internet source. The allegation is that Chinese rockets developed but not put into production by Sichuan Aerospace have somehow fallen into the hands of Hamas insurgents in the Gaza Strip...
Labels: global security, military-industrial complex, missiles
December 23, 2008
China Supership Redux
This post is bumped up since the NY Times is now blathering that " If China does decide to build the carrier, it will no doubt increase tensions with the United States, Taiwan and Japan, among other governments," etc.first posted Nov. 17, 2008
At present the only aircraft carriers in China are old Soviet ships docked in ShenZhen and Tianjin as tourist attractions. But news that a loose-lipped Chinese defense official told foreign reporters that China may build an aircraft carrier of its own someday has some sources buzzing.
Not since the rumours of a mysterious Chinese "supership" in 2001 has there been so much hot air about the looming threat of China's navy. Of course the idea that a single Chinese aircraft carrier perhaps appearing sometime in the next decade could compromise the USA's 11 aircraft carrier battle groups is absurd.
But consider this: the USA military-industrial complex is very concerned about its prospects under President Obama. A China threat scare could help ensure that the new Democratic Party controlled Congress doesn't try to touch the $1 trillion spent each and every year by Washington on defense spending.
Labels: military, military-industrial complex, pentagon
November 06, 2008
AVIC I & II In Massive Merger of Aerospace Industry
The long anticipated consolidation and reorganization of China's aerospace industries is underway with a huge merger of the AVIC I and AVIC II conglomerates. The new single AVIC will be a temporary holding company with several big entities that most likely will each be spun off as independent public companies. The new AVIC is interested in a foreign acquisition possibly a European maker of small to medium size jet planes and AVIC may issue shares. The new AVIC consists of:
Transport Aircraft Corp.
Indepenent supplier expected to compete with Airbus and Boeing for production of Chinese large jets by CACC (COMAC) - see below.
Will own non-defense AVIC assets in Xi'An, Chengdu, Shenyang
"Defense Division"
All military related assets and production centers.
Assigned defense assets in Chengdu, Shenyang, Xi'An, and the military businesses of the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group.
AVICopter
Helicopter makers in Harbin, Changhe and Jingdezhen and other locations.
Aviation Engine Industry Corp.
Containing engine makers and research centers located in Liming, Xi'An, Chengdu, Zhuzhou, and China Gas Turbine of Jiangyou, Sichuan.
General Aviation Company
Production centers at Guizhou and Shijiazhuang of medium size planes.
Aviation Systems Company
Made up of dozens of prototype factories and research institutes across China including those located in Xi'An, Shanghai, and Nanjing.
Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (CACC)
Will become largely independent and rebranded COMAC.
The company will be the Chinese brand challenger to Boeing and Airbus.
And COMAC just got its first big order - 25 Chinese made ARJ21 jets - from GE.
Watch these businesses in the near to medium future. This is big new competition from China in an industry considered a "first world" prerogative.
Labels: aerospace, aircraft, avic, globalization, jet planes, military-industrial complex
April 03, 2008
"Classic Espionage" (Updated April 3, 2008)
UPDATE: Chi Mak was sentenced to over 24 years in prison even though the documents Mak took and passed to unnamed Chinese operatives were unclassified. "Mak's attorney, Ronald O. Kaye, said his client was a scapegoat for other U.S. intelligence failures and a 'symbol of the government's cold war against the Chinese.'"
UPDATE (April 1, 2008): Pentagon weapons analyst Gregg William Bergersen plead guilty to one count of criminal information conspiracy yesterday in US District Court. Last week Chinese born Chi Mak, a retired 65 year old engineer, plead guilty in California. No other details are available. These are unusually swift trials and convictions. Beijing's Foreign Ministry denies any knowledge of these conspiracies. The FBI, Navy, and Air Force investigators behind these espionage cases have not shown any evidence that any information was actually procured or received by the Chinese government.
Previous posts:
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Liu Jianchao had this to say in a press briefing on Thursay (Feb. 14):
"Q: Not long ago, the US alleged that they had arrested four Chinese spies. Do you have any response? What is China's position on the espionage issue?First post (February 11, 2008):
A: We have taken note of the report. The so-called accusation against China on the issue of espionage is utterly groundless and out of ulterior motives. We urge the US to abandon its Cold War mentality and put end to the groundless accusations and do more to contribute to mutual trust and friendship between our two peoples."
What do the following have in common? The FBI, Boeing, the Pentagon, upcoming elections in Taiwan and the United States, the Space Shuttle, and the US Air Force's unhappiness with its share of the near $1 trillion USA defense budget?
They are "all the elements of a classic espionage operation" Kenneth L. Wainstein, USA Assistant Attorney General for National Security gushed in a release first reported by the chief purveyor of anonymous Pentagon secrets Bill Gertz in his Washington Times column and picked up by the Associated Press today.
There are actually two separate stories in the "operation" according to today's Justice Department announcement of espionage arrests. First the New Orleans - Pentagon connection centered on the efforts of Tai Shen Kuo to buy information on Taiwan arms sales from a Pentagon analyst. Mr. Tai is described in an AP report as a "furniture salesman" but someone with the same name is listed on the Internet as the CEO of Houma, Louisiana, based G T L International, a business services consultancy. There are a lot of GTL companies found on the Internet ranging from shadowy conglomerates of "The Global Group" based in Mumbai, India, to carriers in France.
The other witch hunt is against a Chinese native 72 year old retired Rockwell International (now part of Boeing) employee. Shades of Wen Ho Lee?
The first spy ring, if true, is entirely the result of US Government actions. Beijing would not need to counter American technology transfers to Taiwan if Washington would abide by the 1982 joint communique on ending arms sales to Taiwan.
It will be interesting to see the impact of this latest Chinese spy scandal on the elections in Taiwan on March 22 and the campaigns of USA presidential contenders Obama, Clinton, and McCain. I believe it is the first sign of a China bait and bash that will come to dominate the "news" cycle for the rest of the year with peaks next month, August, and October.
Labels: boeing, china, defense, espionage, military-industrial complex, pentagon, spy, taiwan
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