Robust military-to-military cooperation with other countries deepens; Indian DSSC delegation visits China: Chinese defence officials visit DPRK, Singapore and Papua New Guinea; Eighth Sino-Thai Defence and Security Consultation held;
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Whatsapp
  • Linkedin
  • Print

    • In continuing with its robust military-to-military ties with other countries, PLA senior officers met with many military delegations during the week. These included a delegation led by Lt. Gen. H.P.S. Klair, president of Defense Services Staff College of India, who met with Chen Yong, assistant to chief of general staff, PLA on October 19 in Beijing. Chen told the India delegation that the gradual increase of exchanges between the two militaries was an evidence of the fact that relations between China and India had developed smoothly in recent years.1

    A PLA delegation led by Gao Wusheng, deputy political commissar of Nanjing Military Region visited Pyongyang and met with Pak Jae-gyong, vice minister of People's Armed Forces of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on October 20.

    The Chief of General Staff of PLA Chen Bingde met with Singaporean Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong on October 23 in Singapore. Goh pointed out to Chen that both countries had cooperated well in economic and social areas as well as in people-to-people communication, and that the bilateral defense and military collaborations had also made new progress.2 Before going to Singapore, Chen Bingde visited Papua New Guinea (PNG) at the invitation of Commodore Peter Ilau, commander of Defense Force of PNG. Chen also met with Bob Dadae, PNG defense minister and Prime Minister Somare.3

    The eighth Sino-Thai defense and security consultation took place in Beijing. The Chinese side was represented by Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the PLA Ma Xiaotian and the Thai delegation by defense Permanent Secretary Gen. Apichart Penkitti.4 The Thai official also met with Chinese defence minister Liang Guanglie who told him that both countries need to expand and deepen bilateral strategic cooperation and make joint efforts for mutual benefit and common development. 5

    Guo Boxiong, vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission met with Kabul Berdiev, defense minister of Uzbekistan on October 23 in Beijing and expressed Chinese willingness to further its friendly military cooperation with the country.6

    PLA exercises ‘Airborne Maneuver 2009’ began on October 18. Majority of airborne troops and equipment of the Chinese airborne forces participated in this exercise, other than those aviation forces and troops which were participating in the just concluded ‘Vanguard 2009’ exercises. ‘Airborne Maneuver 2009’ was “the largest trans-theater comprehensive campaign maneuver exercise in the history of the Chinese airborne force.”7 Meanwhile, another air-and-land joint exercise, ‘Vanguard 2009A,’ ended on October 22. The exercises were viewed by military cadets and observers from more than 70 countries at the Queshan Combined Tactics Training Base of the Jinan Military Area Command of the PLA.8

    The Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated in an interview on October 22 that the Chinese naval escort taskforce was working in close cooperation with navies of other countries to strengthen patrol and escort capabilities in the area of the Indian Ocean where a Chinese ship was hijacked in the recent past.9

    Reports noted that the Xi’an Satellite Control Center has completed the construction of a in-orbit spacecraft diagnosis and maintenance centre which will enable the centre to carry out real-time tracking for several types of spacecraft simultaneously and manage nearly 100 in-orbit satellites for a long term. This is expected to greatly enhance the centre’s capability to manage in-orbit spacecraft and mal-function handling.10

    The Second Artillery Engineering College (SAEC) of the PLA, famous for being knows as the ‘officers’ cradle of missile troops,’ celebrated its 50th anniversary on October 12. Over the past 5 decades, the SAEC has produced nearly “30,000 graduates for the troops, of which more than 100 have become officers above corps level, 88 per cent current commanders, 75 per cent chiefs of staff and 90 per cent directors of equipment departments of the missile brigades of the Second Artillery Force.”11

    Xu Caihou, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the CPC and vice chairman of the CMC has called for strengthening minority nationality officer ranks and urged minority nationality officers to strive hard to make greater contributions to national defense and army building.12

    Top