China Defence Ministry launches a website

BEIJING – China’s normally secretive Defence Ministry on Thursday launched a website (www.mod.gov.cn), in a new bid to allay overseas criticism over its military transparency and the build-up of its armed forces.

The site, which also has an English edition (eng.mod.gov.cn/), has been long mooted, and comes at a time when China has been ramping up [...]

China to pre-recruit college grads into military to ease job situation

BEIJING,  – Chinese officials said Wednesday that starting this year, the country would for the first time begin to pre-recruit university graduates into military service, in an effort to ease the increasingly tough employment situation amid an economic slowdown.

People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers take part in a war game as part of a show for [...]

China to recruit 120,000 college graduates to join the army

BEIJING,  – The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China will recruit more than 120,000 college graduates this year, a military source said on Sunday.  According to a website run by the Ministry of Education to help college graduates find jobs, it is the first time the PLA has recruited college graduates on such a large [...]

China addresses better protection of military facilities

BEIJING, May 17– The Chinese government and military authorities jointly issued a circular Sunday to better deal with civilian/military development issues.

Soldiers from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) 6th Armored Division, carrying the Chinese type 97 semi-auto machine guns, march at their military base, on the outskirts of Beijing, March 31, 2009 (AP)
The military and local [...]

World must pressure China over Tiananmen: dissidents

BEIJING, May 8, 2009  — Dissident victims of China’s crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests have called for world pressure on Beijing to reverse the official verdict on the incident as its 20th anniversary is approaching.

Beijing City is Tian’anmen Square (Xinhua)
Failure to stand up to a rising China over the “atrocity” of June 4, [...]

China rebuffs Australian worries over military

BEIJING, May 5, 2009  – China Tuesday sought to rebuff Australian concerns about Beijing’s military build-up, saying it was committed to peaceful development. Canberra’s Defence White Paper said China must be more open about its military expansion or risk alarming neighbours, warning security jitters caused by a more capable China would extend far beyond Taiwan, [...]

Japan Prime Minister : North Korea’s threat ‘not constructive’

BEIJING, Apr 30, 2009 — Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said on Thursday that North Korea’s threat to conduct a nuclear test was “not constructive” and urged the resumption of six-party disarmament talks.

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso delivers a speech at a press conference in Beijing on April 30, 2009 (Getty Images)
The visiting Japanese premier [...]

Chinese lawmakers to discuss law on military mobilization

BEIJING, April 20 — China’s top legislators met in Beijing Monday to discuss how and when the country’s military should be mobilized in times of war or emergency.

Paramilitary policemen take part in an anti-terrorism drill at a military base in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. April 16, 2009 (Reuters)
The draft law of national defense [...]

China to develop sophisticated marine weapon systems

BEIJING, April 17– Large surface combat ships, supersonic cruise aircraft, high-speed intelligent torpedoes … These are a few sophisticated marine weapons China plans to build.

India’s Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta (L) shakes hands with Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Chief Wu Shengli during Wu’s ceremonial reception in New Delhi November 3, 2008 [...]

Brief history of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy

BEIJING, April 15 — More than 40 naval vessels will join a grand international fleet on April 23 in a display to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

A helicopter that will join the Chinese Navy’s first oversea operation flies over a port in Sanya, southern China’s Hainan [...]