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Chinese Authorities Expand
Military Power
Zeng Chunliang
Central
News Agency
Thursday November 15, 2007
TAIPEI—According to the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC)
of Taiwan's Executive Yuan 1 , between April and May of this year,
the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) twice passed
through the waters between the islands of Kkinawa and Miyako,
through the East China Sea, to arrive in the South China Sea of
the Eastern Pacific.
Some experts believe that China now has the military capacity
to control the waters of the first chain of islands as its inland
sea, and that China's next goal will be to construct an oceangoing
navy, aimed at the second chain of islands and the entire western
Pacific.
PLA Show of Strength
The MAC official information showed that during the recent visit
to mainland China of Admiral Timothy Keating, the commander of
the U.S. Pacific Command, a Chinese military proposal was made
to him to divide up the Pacific Ocean into U.S. and Chinese spheres
of influence: control of the eastern Pacific region is to be given
to the United States, while China would control the western Pacific.
Although the proposal was refused later by General Paul V. Hester,
commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, the Chinese authorities'
military expansion was clearly exposed.
(Article continues below)
The MAC said that in addition to the attempt to show its strength,
China has actively engaged in strengthening its projected military
capability: The strategic missile, "Dongfeng-25" (DF-25),
of the PLA's Second Artillery Forces was recently made public
on the Internet. The DF-25 is one of the PLA's most advanced second-generation
strategic missiles. The second-generation strategic missiles include
the DF-21, DF-25, DF-31, DF-41 and Great Wave-2. All of these
intercontinental-range ballistic missiles can be launched by a
mobile launcher, can carry nuclear warheads and are accurate.
Moreover, their survival rate is high.
Nuclear Threat Beyond Taiwan
The DF-25 is the most advanced medium-range surface-to-surface
Chinese strategic missile and PLA troops have recently been trained
in its use. It has the effective range of 3,200 kilometers (almost
2000 miles). This missile can reach most of Asia, including the
U.S. military base on Guam, from the Chinese mainland. The DF-25
uses the high-energy solid rocket booster, and can carry three
guided nuclear warheads. It is the world's only medium-range missile
capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads.
The DF-21 has been upgraded, equipped with advanced guided missile
warheads. These will be the first anti-ship ballistic missiles
built by the Chinese military with the capability of attacking
U.S. aircraft carriers in the Pacific.
The MAC pointed out that the projected Chinese air force capability
has been restricted for a long time due to the lack of large aircraft.
To overcome this problem, on February 26 of this year, the Chinese
State Council approved, in principle, a long-term scientific and
technological plan to develop large aircraft. The State Council
set up a large aircraft shareholding company to kick it off. This
large aircraft program includes both military and commercial aircrafts.
The military project is said to be located in Xi'an, while the
commercial project was established in Shanghai.
According to the MAC analysis, since China is relatively weak
in engines, avionics and composite materials, the key question
is whether the Beijing regime is willing to take a high degree
of risk and make a long-term investment in the development of
these large airplanes.
Note: [1] The president is both leader of Taiwan and commander
in chief of its armed forces. The president has authority over
the five administrative branches (Yuan): Executive, Legislative,
Control, Judicial, and Examination. The president appoints the
premier, the head of the executive Yuan. The Executive Yuan is
comprised of the premier and the cabinet members who are responsible
for policy and administration.
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