China Trains Carrier Pilots

China has begun training the first 50 cadets for its projected carrier fleet, according to a 19 September 2008 The Indian Express article.

The article further states that the Kiev class carrier has been named the Shilang and is being fitted with a Chinese power plant. The article states that Indian sources believe the carrier will never be fully capable of combat operations, and will only be a training platform. US sources are reported to have said the PRC cannot have "an operational, domestically-produced aircraft carrier before 2015".

Other sources such as Naval-Technology.com indicate that the Varyag is considerably larger (Kuznetsov class, 58,500 ton compared to 40,400 ton)than the Kiev class. The larger Kuznetsovs can carry high performance aircraft such as the Sukhoi SU-27 instead of the V/STOL YAK-38 used by the Kievs.

Aussies Contemplate F-35

A 28 April 2008 story from The Australian reports a confidential report to Australian Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon is expected to suggest the F-35 multi-role aircraft to replace a mix of F-18 Hornets and the aging F-111 attack bombers after 2010.

China is likely to become the predominant air power in Asia in the next 30 years.

U.S. Troops in Taiwan?

A 23 April 2008 Taipei Times article reports at least the suggestion that U.S. Marines might be stationed at the American Institute in Taiwan headquarters in Neihu, Taipei City.

U.S. military forces have been absent from Taiwan since 1979.

Chinese Electric Cars

Electric and hybrid cars are difficult to sell in China, according to a 21 April 2008 Wall Street Journal story. The problem is the high prices of the environmentally friendly cars. The Toyota Prius, which sells for about $21,000 in the U.S., sells for almost double that amount in China.

Singapore Opposes Taiwan Independence

A 25 December 2007 article from the Straits Times reports that Singapore officially opposes Taiwan's attempt to gain UN recognition as an independent country. Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has used the United States' stance as proof that the international community does not support recognizing Taiwan as an independent country.

Pictures from the Moon

On 26 November 2007, China released pictures from its lunar probe Chang'e I, according to The Washington Post. There are claims that the PRC plans a manned space station and manned lunar landing by 2020.

Taiwan Pushes for UN Membership

The United States is reacting with displeasure to continued efforts by Taiwan to gain membership into the United Nations. The Republic of China lost its UN seat to the People's Republic of China in 1971. Efforts to regain a seat in the body since that time under the name Taiwan have been blocked by the PRC.

18 U.S. Republican congressmen and 1 Democrat introduced a bill to the House Foreign Affairs Committee on 8 November 2007 that supported Taiwan's UN ambitions.

Probe Enters Lunar Orbit

According to the Associated Press, China said its lunar satellite Chang'e 1 entered an orbit 125 miles from the moon 7 November 2007. Chang'e 1 is scheduled to remain in lunar orbit for a year.

In related news, China will be opening its space program to private funding.

Gates in China

Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in China 4 November 2007. According to the NY Times, he is expected to discuss Chinese ties to Iran, a US to China telephone hotline, and the recent PRC ASAT test.

PRC Gets Hacked Back

Fox News reported on 4 September 2007 that Chinese hackers had penetrated a noncritical US DoD site in June. No direct link to the PRC could be proven, but the claim was that the technology was sophisticated enough to implicate a state sponsor.

The Financial Times claimed in a 3 September 2007 story that Defense Secretary Robert Gates' office was targeted. FT also reported another Pentagon source claimed the exact source of the attack was known.

The Taipei Times reported on 1 November 2007 that the Chinese Global Times complained that Lee Fang-Jung, purportedly an agent of the Taiwanese, had carried out recent hacking attacks against the PRC.

Fuel Prices Rise

Bloomberg reported that Chinese fuel prices rose by up to ten percent on 1 November 2007. Chinese fuel prices have been regulated, which has led to a third-quarter loss by Sinopec (China Petroleum).

Chinese fuel retailers can sell from eight percent above to eight percent below state-mandated levels. China is the world's second-largest energy market.

China at the Top

President Hu Chintao was reappointed as chairman by the Communist Party Central Committee on Monday 22 October 2007.

Annual Report to Congress

Military Power of the People's Republic of China, 2007.

US Investigates Chinese Helicopter Engines

Canadian-made engines have been used in China's first domestically developed attack helicopter, according to a 23 October 2007 Reuters story. The PT6 engine was developed over 40 years ago. United Technologies Corp in Canada said that the engines were sold to be used on the civilian version of the aircraft, with a Chinese version to be used in the military helicopters. The Chinese claimed delays in developing their own engine caused the Canadian-built units to be used.