I. The Big Story: CMC Decrees and Measures
Tightening Security:
China has tightened the confidentiality rules for overseas cooperation and arms fairs as the PLA steps up exchanges with foreign counterparts. President Xi Jinping signed a decree last week to improve confidentiality for important military events, exchanges and arms fairs abroad. Increased confidentiality was a part of revised law that would come into effect from March 1, 2020.
Since the Xi Jinping military reforms in late 2015, the PLA’s engagement with the foreign armies has spiked. Xi in 2015 promised the UN that China would deploy 8,000 peacekeeping troops. That same year, NPC passed a revised national security law that expanded the PLA’s peacekeeping responsibilities, international rescue operations and escort missions. One reason for more bilateral and multilateral exercises and training is to overcome the so-called PLA’s “Peace disease” which “the PLA is suffering from 1979” and make it more combat-ready for the future.
Under the revised law, people who disclose information the PLA’s political department considers “confidential,” will face punishment. “If it’s just a minor offence they might only receive an internal disciplinary penalty, but it could mean being sent to military court if they are seen as traitors for leaking something ‘confidential’,” reports Minnie Chan in SCMP. The revised law will also include details on how to keep military information confidential when using the internet and intelligent electronic devices, she reports.
New Rules for Cyber Security Risks:
Xi’s confidentiality decree also urges the PLA to re-introspect the cybersecurity risks amid the expanded strategic gaming between the US and China. Most cyber-attacks against the Chinese networks in 2018 came from the US, according to a report by China's National Computer Network Emergency Response Technical Team published in June 2019. “The US government and relevant departments have engaged in large-scale, organised and indiscriminate cyber theft, tapping and surveillance of foreign governments, businesses and individuals. It has been collecting nearly five billion mobile phone call records across the globe on a daily basis, eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cell phone conversations for more than a decade, controlling over 3 million Chinese computers and implanting Trojan Horse in more than 3,600 Chinese websites on an annual basis,” said Geng Shuang, Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Monday. Calling the US a hypocrite and an empire of hackers, Geng added, “It is a tawdry trick that while doing so, it keeps playing a victim of cyber-attack.”
This comes a week after the indictment of four PLA service members by the US Justice Department for allegedly hacking individual data.
Overseas Martyrs Memorial Protection:
The Chinese Department of Retired Military Affairs, State Council, CMC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Political Work Department jointly issued “Administrative Measures for the Protection of Memorial Facilities for Martyrs Abroad.”
The measures have a total of 20 articles that make specific provisions on the general requirements for the protection and management of overseas martyrs' memorial. The management system and mechanisms, the content of protection methods and related responsibilities are also discussed in these measures. There are approximately 180 Chinese overseas martyrs memorial facilities distributed in 27 countries, and there are about 110,000 martyrs buried there.
II. Developing Stories
PLA and the Virus
The Ministry of Veterans Affair and the Political Work Department jointly issued a notice for honouring the military personnel who died in the fight against the novel coronavirus. The notice required that the assessment should be carried out based on the Regulations on honouring martyrs. “Non-military personnel participating in epidemic prevention and control shall be assessed by the respective provincial government where the dispatched unit is located. Service members and civilian employees of the army shall be assessed by relevant military departments in accordance with relevant regulations,” read the notice.
In the meanwhile, the PLA’s fight against the novel coronavirus continues, as the recent numbers indicate over 75,000 confirmed cases and 2,239 deaths. Two more hospitals under the control of military medics have been put to use this week with the capacity of 860 and 700 beds, respectively. A group of 2600 military medics reinforcement were sent to Wuhan this week. The total strength of military medics in the region is around 4000 personnel.
The PLAN website reports that the Shandong, China’s first domestically made aircraft carrier, now has stepped-up the security procedure before boarding and de-boarding. This is to cut the possible transmission of the novel virus. The crew will step-up the hygiene regulations and get each and every corner of the ship disinfected. Backstory: Reportedly, a part of the crew was in some of the worst-hit areas during the spring break. However, there have not been any cases of the infection yet. Similarly, Beijing has also put quarantine measures in the military regions. For instance, 12 military officers at the Central Theatre command overlooking Beijing, Tianjin, Shaanxi, Henan, Hebei and Hubei, which includes Wuhan, are responsible for isolation management. (Read the full story for their tasks, it’s interesting).
The PLAAF efforts to fight the outbreak has been praised repeatedly in China. In the fourth series of supply missions that the PLAAF undertook this week, it deployed a total of eight transport aircraft, namely three Y-20s, one Il-76 and three Y-9s. These aircraft left their bases across China on Monday morning, arriving in Shenyang, Zhanjiang, Lanzhou, Datong, Chengdu, Shanghai and Xinjiang to load personnel and supplies, before taking off again to arrive at Wuhan's Tianhe International Airport. The PLA AF had previously dispatched three Il-76s to Wuhan on January 24, and eight Il-76s on February 2, with 11 transport aircraft consisting of Y-20s, Il-76s and Y-9s arriving on February 13.
But the real dark horse in this race is the PLA JLSF. Since the outbreak, JLSF played the role of the bridge for funding military and land support. Hospitals in Wuhan and largely Hubei have relied on JLSF for financial settlement and fund management. The JLSF has also opened temporarily dedicated sub-accounts for Taikang Tongji Hospital and Hubei Maternal, and Child Health Hospital Guanggu District to implement unified account fund management and centralised payment. It has coordinated with businesses nearby banks to provide emergency financial services, and funds for hospital operation and epidemic prevention. Besides, it has worked jointly with the PLA AF and ground forces for supply, logistics and delivery.
In other news related to the outbreak, Global Times reports that 20 police personnel have died while fighting the disease. Since the outbreak, many of them are deployed in the traffic-intensive areas and checkpoints to stop the spreading of infection.
Also Read: Naval Aviation University launches online teaching mode for non-secret courses
Karachi-bound Ship with Missiles
India’s customs officials have intercepted a Karachi (Pakistan) bound ship in Gujarat. The ship was Hong Kong flagged and carrying goods used in launching ballistic missiles. The ship was halted at Kandla port in Gujarat on 3 February. It is currently under intense investigation. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) engaged in the investigation of the ship, will send another team of nuclear scientists to investigate the autoclave. The ship sailed from the Jiangyin port on the Yangtze River in China’s Jiangsu province to Qasim port in Karachi. On the way, it was stopped at Kandla port by India’s customs department.
Opinion: Ending Philippines-US military pact will affect South China Sea disputes
III. Military Hardware
Struggling to Keep-up with Production Schedule: Arms Companies
The Chinese arms enterprises are struggling to keep up with the production schedule since the outbreak of novel coronavirus. This has taken a toll on its modernization drive, which has speed-up since Xi Jinping’s military reforms. Its Shaanxi Aircraft Industry (Group) Corporation Ltd, Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co Ltd and Shenyang Aircraft Company Limited, all subsidiaries of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) have resumed limited operations. Similarly, Dalian and Jiangnan Shipyard, which are known for the construction of aircraft carrier and cruisers, and Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding group responsible for the Type 075 amphibious ships have resumed limited operations due to the scare of the virus.
You could read a column by Jayadeva Ranade in the Hindustan Times on how modernization is stalled due to the outbreak of the virus.
Upgraded Z-10 Helicopters
The PLA unveiled its latest Z-10 helicopters with featuring exhaust openings that face upwards instead of outwards, reports Global Times. The upgrade indicates stronger engines for the helicopter. Earlier, the export version of the Z-10, the Z-10ME, also featured this design but was not intended for domestic service. Most recently, China developed advanced Z-20 helicopters which were featured in the 2019 National military day parade.
IV. Research Paper
IISS’s annual publication, The Military Balance, was released last week. The document assesses military capabilities and defence economics of 171 countries every year.
Some important observations this year:
- This year witnessed 4 per cent real-terms growth in the world’s defence spending.
- China and the US’s growth in defence spending increased by 6.6 per cent.
- China and Russia appeared to be in the process of deploying the hypersonic glide vehicles and hypersonic cruise-missiles by early 2020s.
- China is continuing to boost its amphibious warfare capabilities.
- Notable Observation: India made progress by establishing its tri-service defence agency.
Some Statistics:
Defence Statistics US China India
Defence Spending $686.6 billion $181.1 billion $ 60.5 billion
ICBM Launchers 400 98 Not given
Bomber Aircraft 157 211 Not given
SSBN 14 4 1
Active Personnel 13,79,800 20,35,000 14,42,900
Main Battle Tanks 2,836 5,850 3,565
Attack Subs 53 54 16
Aircraft Carriers 11 1 1
Cruisers/destroyers/Frigates 110 83 26
Fighter/ground attack aircraft 3,311 1,976 720
Heavy UAVs 495 26 13
More such statistics in the 2020 edition of the Military Balance.
V. Emerging Technologies and PLA
Kartik Bommakanti of the Observer Research Foundation (India), published an occasional paper on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Chinese military and its implications for India. He underlines the journey of the Chinese armed forces, which aims to be informatised and intelligentised. In this process, he highlights the role of China’s civil-military through universities and private companies. He also highlights the financing techniques adopted by China for AI integration. This, according to him, would majorly impact the activities of the PLA SSF, PLA, and PAP’s activities in Xinjiang. For more on this and its impact on India, read the full paper.
VII. Drills, Training and Exercises
PLAN Training in the Far Seas
The PLAN warship fleet from China’s Southern Theater Command recently conducted an air defence exercise in the Pacific Ocean. The fleet featured a destroyer, missile frigate, electronic surveillance ship and replenishment ship. The training was held in an undisclosed location in the Pacific Ocean. “Using missiles and the close-in weapons, China successfully intercepted multiple waves of incoming drones,” claimed the article.
Chinese naval missile guided destroyer also conducted a real combat ship training exercise in the eastern waters of the Gulf of Aden.
VIII. News Update
China launched Four New Technology Experiment Satellites
China sent four new technology experiment satellites into planned orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Southwest China's Sichuan province this week. The satellites, launched by a Long March-2D carrier rocket will be mainly used for the new Earth-observation technology experiment. The carrier rocket and two of the satellites were developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, and the other two satellites were developed by the Harbin Institute of Technology and the DFH Satellite Co. Ltd respectively. Thursday's launch was the 326th mission of the Long March rocket series.
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