A new way to understand China...

Andrew S. Erickson China's rapid development is reshaping the world in all dimensions. Chinese language open sources offer insights into these critical trends. While such materials are increasing constantly in number, diversity, and sophistication, only a fraction is available in English. The analyses available here, many based on sources not previously considered outside China, are designed to help bridge that gap--and thereby increase understanding of the most dynamic great power in the international system today.

01 September 2010 ~ 0 Comments

China Signpost© 洞察中国 #2 “Looking After China’s Own” Quoted by C. Raja Mohan in Indian Express/Yahoo India

C. Raja Mohan, “Citizens Abroad,” Indian Express/Yahoo India, 1 September 2010.
The killing of eight Hong Kong tourists in the Philippines last week has generated both grief and outrage. The incident has also helped sharpen an ongoing policy debate within the Chinese security establishment on how Beijing should protect its citizens and assets in foreign lands. [...]

31 August 2010 ~ 2 Comments

Chinese Hospital Ship “Peace Ark” Sets Sail for Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, Africa to Provide Medical Assistance, Exchange

China’s purpose-built hospital ship, the 10,000-ton Type 920 Daishandao (岱山岛号) Anwei/Peace Ark (AHH 866), has just set out on the first of what will reportedly be annual international deployments to conduct humanitarian operations in the Middle East and Africa.
Peace Ark left the port of Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province on 31 August 2010 with a crew of [...]

31 August 2010 ~ 1 Comment

China Works Harder to Protect its Citizens Overseas

“China Works Harder to Protect its Citizens Overseas,” China Daily, 30 August 2010.
China is showing its determination and efforts to protect its citizens overseas while dealing with the case of the killings of Hong Kong tourists in Manila, said an article in the Wall Street Journal on Aug 25. …
Andrew Erickson, an associate professor in [...]

29 August 2010 ~ 0 Comments

PLA Carrier-Killer Missile Nearly Ready, Says U.S.

Greg Torode, “PLA Carrier-Killer Missile Nearly Ready, Says U.S.,” South China Morning Post, 28 August 2010.
China’s anti-ship ballistic missile – a long-feared weapon known as the “carrier killer” – is close to operational, according to a senior US military official.
The commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral Robert Willard, made the remark in Tokyo this [...]

25 August 2010 ~ 1 Comment

Asahi Shimbun Quotes Adm. Willard: China’s Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile is Nearly Operational

Yoichi Kato, “China’s Anti-Ship Missile is Nearly Operational,” Asahi Shimbun, 26 August 2010.
A ballistic missile under development in China for the purpose of deterring and attacking U.S. aircraft carriers in the western Pacific is close to becoming operational, according to Adm. Robert Willard, commander of U.S. Pacific Command.
Willard provided the assessment in a [24 August] round [...]

25 August 2010 ~ 0 Comments

PACOM Commander: China’s ASBM “has undergone repeated tests… very close to being operational.”

Admiral Robert F. Willard, Commander, U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM), made the following statement to Japanese media in Tokyo on 24 August 2010:
“To our knowledge, [China’s anti-ship ballistic missile/ASBM] has undergone repeated tests and it is probably very close to being operational.”
Click here for the latest analysis and sources on Chinese ASBM development.

25 August 2010 ~ 15 Comments

China Testing Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM); U.S. Preparing Accordingly–Updated With Latest Analysis & Sources

First posted 28 March 2010, now updated with additional analysis and sources:
CURRENT STATUS:
Open source data offer significant evidence that China has prioritized and is proceeding rapidly with anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) development. A variety of Chinese sources have stated a desire to demonstrate the ability to threaten carrier strike groups (CSGs). There are a number [...]

25 August 2010 ~ 0 Comments

China Signpost #2 Quoted in Wall Street Journal Blog

Jason Dean, “Manila Response Shows Pressure on Beijing,” China Real Time Report, Wall Street Journal, 25 August 2010.
China’s state media continued Wednesday to give big play to the killings of Hong Kong tourists in Manila, in particular trumpeting the official response from Beijing. …
Andrew Erickson, an associate professor in the Strategic Research Department at the [...]

23 August 2010 ~ 0 Comments

This Space Intentionally Left Blank: The Limits of Chinese Military Power

Dwayne A. Day, “This Space Intentionally Left Blank: The Limits of Chinese Military Power,” The Space Review, 23 August 2010.
… This past week the DoD released its annual report Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China. This is a new name for the report, which previously was called Military Power of the [...]

23 August 2010 ~ 0 Comments

China’s ‘Antiaccess’ Ballistic Missiles and U.S. Active Defense

Marshall Hoyler, “China’s ‘Antiaccess’ Ballistic Missiles and U.S. Active Defense,” Naval War College Review, Vol. 63, No. 4 (Autumn 2010), pp. 84-104.
Relations between Taiwan and China have improved recently. At the same time, U.S.-Japanese relations have worsened, partly as the result of disagreements over Futenma Marine Air Station on Okinawa. As a result, the prospects [...]