China, Russia Flaunt Forces in Joint Military Maneuvers

Los Angeles Times ^ | August 16, 2005 | Mark Magnier and Kim Murphy

[twinself]

BEIJING -- As they prepare to join forces for their largest military exercise in modern history, China and Russia have billed this week's maneuvers as a cooperative fight against terrorism. But they're also sending a message to Washington, analysts say: Don't push the two former Cold War adversaries too far.

The eight-day exercise, which is set to begin Thursday, will be the most extensive since Beijing and Moscow fought together against U.S.-led forces during the Korean War half a century ago. Originally billed as a modest exercise when proposed last year, it has grown in scope to include nearly 10,000 troops using a range of sophisticated weapons systems.

"I can't help but think it's intended as a bit of a poke in the eye at the U.S., a way of [China] saying, 'We do have good relations with Russia,'." said Eric McVadon, a retired U.S. admiral and Asia-Pacific director at the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis in Washington.

Moscow and Beijing said in their respective announcements this month that their Peace Mission 2005 exercise will kick off in the Russian Far East port of Vladivostok but will take place largely in and around China's Shandong peninsula, and is aimed at countering terrorism, extremism and separatism.

"Part of the exercise is beach landing and sea-air deployment, which has nothing to do with fighting terrorism," said Ni Lexiong, a military expert teaching at Shanghai Normal University. "Generally, it's being held because of the long-term U.S. aggressive military stance toward China and Russia."

Even as the Bush administration expresses growing concern about China's military buildup, Beijing and Moscow have bridled at America's recent moves in their backyard.

[Cindy]

Note: Dropping this url here for archival purposes.
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1437369/posts
"US TOLD TO LEAVE CENTRAL ASIA [Russia & China demand "deadline."]"
SBS (AU) ^ | 06JUL05 | SBS
Posted on 07/05/2005 11:49:21 PM PDT by familyop

[Cindy]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20050817-122515-2218r.htm

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Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday checked out a supersonic strategic bomber in Moscow. The bomber was headed for a training mission. (AP)
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"War games seen as 'message'"
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
August 17, 2005

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "A joint Chinese and Russian military exercise set to begin tomorrow is meant as a political signal to the United States, in addition to helping Moscow showcase its weapons for sale to China, U.S. defense and intelligence officials said yesterday.
"For the Chinese and the Russians, this is a message to the United States," one U.S. official said. "They want to see our bases in Central Asia and presence in Asia cut back."
The fact that the United States was not invited to observe the war games is a sign of the anti-U.S. nature of the exercises, said several officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Defense officials from India, Iran, Pakistan and Mongolia will be present in China to observe the exercises."

ARTICLE SNIPPET #2: "Meanwhile, U.S. military and civilian intelligence agencies are stepping up monitoring activities in the western Pacific, defense officials said."

[Petey139]

"Some Chinese websites suggest that Moscow sold Beijing SU-27 fighters on the condition that they remain south of the Yangtze River, a sizable distance from the Russian border."

Okay now something happening. The Russian won't want the Chinese near their borders with fighter, Unless the conspiracy goes deeper.

[twinself]

Those who fear Chinese dominance over far-east Russia in a longer turn (15-20 years) are quite correct in my opinion. And weapons once sold Chinese may turn right against the salesmen.

[Cindy]

Russian Propaganda and a Discussion of Nerves (My Title):
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1465711/posts

[Cindy]

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=\ForeignBureaus\archive\200508\FOR20050818b.html

"Russia Test-Fires ICBM Across Northern Asia"
By Sergei Blagov
CNSNews.com Correspondent
August 18, 2005

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Moscow (CNSNews.com) - A Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile during an exercise Wednesday, reportedly hitting a target area in the far-eastern Kamchatka peninsula, some 7,000 kilometers to the east.

The RSM-54 Sineva ballistic missile was launched by the Yekaterinburg submarine, during wargames involving the Northern Fleet and the Air Force's long-range division, the fleet headquarters reported.

Another submarine was reportedly on standby in case the first launch failed. During a similar exercise in February 2004, the Novomoskovsk nuclear submarine failed to launch a Sineva.

A second missile was then launched, but it was destroyed in flight after veering off course. That unsuccessful exercise, like this week's one, was observed by President Vladimir Putin.

August is a busy time for the Russian military, with a number of major exercises during the month.

Others include the first joint exercises with China, beginning on Thursday, and joint maneuvers in Uzbekistan with Uzbek armed forces, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in Moscow."

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://www.satp.org
http://www.saag.org
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http://www.saag.org/papers16/paper1514.html


Paper no. 1514
22. 08. 2005

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "RUSSIA – CHINA JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE SENDS POLITICAL SIGNALS: An Analysis

by Dr Subhash Kapila

Introductory Observations

Russia and China commenced their first-ever joint military exercise on August 18, 2005. The exercise will last for a week with the locations first in the Vladivostok region of Russia ’s Far East and then shifting to Shandong Peninsula in Eastern China .

Russia’s and China’s decision to hold a joint military exercise involving all three services of their armed forces seems to emerge from a deliberate and well thought out strategy to send politico-strategic signals to the United States. In fact it would be more truer to say that this exercise is more of sending political signals to the United States in terms of American policies in East Asia and Central Asia .

This paper attempts to de-cipher the political signals that under-lie the Russia-China joint military exercise under way. But first a look at the military scope of this exercise and the stated official positions of Russia and China on this exercise."

[Jeff Head]