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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.

31 August 2010

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

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

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

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

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

China Signpost 洞察中国™ #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

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

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 […]

21 August 2010

The Revolution in Military Affairs with Chinese Characteristics

Jacqueline Newmyer, “The Revolution in Military Affairs with Chinese Characteristics,” Journal of Strategic Studies, Vol. 33, No. 4 (August 2010), pp. 483-504.
ABSTRACT Chinese strategists believe the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) offers a ‘historic opportunity’ to alter the military balance with the United States. Having long downplayed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s capabilities and aims, […]

19 August 2010

PLA Expands Network of Military Reconnaissance Satellites

Russell Hsiao, “PLA Expands Network of Military Reconnaissance Satellites,” Jamestown Foundation China Brief, Vol. 10, No. 17 (19 August 2010).
On August 9, China launched the remote sensing satellite Yaogan-10 (military designation: Jianbing) into orbit from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. … This event marks the sixth Chinese launch this year via the CZ-4C Chang Zheng-4C […]

18 August 2010

U.S. Department of Defense: China Must Successfully Integrate ASBM with C4ISR to Achieve “Operational and Effective System”

DOD Background Briefing on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China
U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
Presenter: Senior Defense Official, 16 August 2010
SR. DEFENSE OFFICIAL NO. 1: “…the PLA is also developing the capability to attack at long ranges military forces that might deploy or […]

18 August 2010

Background Briefing on U.S. Department of Defense Report on China’s Military

DOD Background Briefing on Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China
U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
Presenter: Senior Defense Official, 16 August 2010
MODERATOR:  All right.  Just as a reminder, I saw many of you many this morning, and indicated that, you know, the China Military […]

18 August 2010

China Goes to Sea Praised by Malcolm Murfett in International Journal of Maritime History

Malcolm H. Murfett, National University of Singapore, review of Andrew S. Erickson, Lyle J. Goldstein, and Carnes Lord, eds., China Goes to Sea: Maritime Transformation in Comparative Historical Perspective (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2009); International Journal of Maritime History, Vol. 22, No. 1 (June 2010), pp. 384-86.
…an excellent book of two distinct halves! … […]

17 August 2010

Key Quotes from 2010 U.S. Department of Defense Report on China’s Military

Navy
“The PLA Navy has the largest force of principal combatants, submarines, and amphibious warfare ships in Asia.” (p. 2)
“Construction of a new PLA Navy base on Hainan Island is essentially complete. The base is large enough to accommodate a mix of attack and ballistic missile submarines and advanced surface combatants. The base, which has underground […]

17 August 2010

ASBM-Relevant Content from 2010 U.S. Department of Defense Report on China’s Military

“Augmented by direct acquisition of foreign weapons and technology, [defense industry] reforms have enabled China to develop and produce advanced weapon systems that incorporate mid-1990s technology in many areas, and some systems—particularly ballistic missiles—that rival any in the world today.” (p. 43)
“Production trends and resource allocation appear to favor missile and space systems….” (p. 44).
“China […]

17 August 2010

China Signpost 洞察中国™ #2–Looking After China’s Own: Pressure to Protect PRC Citizens Working Overseas Likely to Rise

Andrew S. Erickson and Gabriel B. Collins, “Looking After China’s Own: Pressure to Protect PRC Citizens Working Overseas Likely to Rise,” China Signpost 洞察中国™ 2 (17 August 2010).
China Signpost 洞察中国™–“Clear, high-impact China analysis.”©
Numerous Chinese citizens are entering Africa and other conflict-prone areas, both as employees of large corporations and as individual entrepreneurs in pursuit of […]

16 August 2010

U.S. Department of Defense Releases 2010 Report on China’s Military

Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China
2010
A Report to Congress Pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010
Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2010
A Report to Congress Pursuant to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010
Executive Summary

Over the past 30 years, China has […]

09 August 2010

Observing a Systems Approach to Naval Power

Galrahn, “Observing a Systems Approach to Naval Power,” Information Dissemination, 9 August 2010.
… The US Navy won’t say it, for whatever reason, but China is how they measure themselves. In a perfect world, the US Navy wouldn’t need to measure itself against any single nation – but with everything driven by budgets rather than strategy […]

03 August 2010

Mark Stokes and Tiffany Ma: “Second Artillery Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile [ASBM] Brigade Facilities Under Construction in Guangdong?”

Mark Stokes and Tiffany Ma, “Second Artillery Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile Brigade Facilities Under Construction in Guangdong?” AsiaEye—The Official Blog of the Project 2049 Institute, 3 August 2010.
As the PRC’s Ministry of National Defense seems to be warming to the notion of discussing a possible withdrawal of missiles opposite Taiwan, the People’s Liberation Army’s primary strategic […]