P. Kamennov
Reference
China is the third largest country in the world, according to area it is second only to Russia and the United States.
By share irrigated lands China is in second place in the world, India is in first place, the USA is in third, Russia is only in 12th. However, there is little land suitable for agricultural use in China; China ranks only 77th in the percentage ranking arable land to the total area, while India is in 7th place (48.8% of its land is arable), the USA is in 60th place, and Russia ranks 128th (7.17% of land is arable), rapidly approaching the most hopeless in this regard is the Sahara.
China is among 13 countries experiencing shortages water resources in per capita terms. China's indicator is one fourth of the world average, and according to it the country ranks 109th. 70–80% of the country's water resources are used for irrigation, with an efficiency ratio of only 30%.
Population density in China it is relatively small - 76th position in the ranking (Monaco is in the lead, India is in 30th place, the USA is in 172nd, Russia is in 213th, and Australia closes the list).
According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) forecasts, China, which is currently the most populous country, is 1 billion 321 million 851 thousand 888 people - will remain so until 2050, when, according to experts, it will be overtaken by India, whose projected population will be 1572055000 people against the estimated 1462058000 Chinese. The United States is in third place in this ranking, and Pakistan is in fourth place. Russia today occupies tenth place in the population ranking, and by 2050, according to the forecast, it will drop to 17th position.
By indicator "average age of a country's resident" China ranks 53rd in the world rankings, and the average age of a Chinese person should be considered 33 years. India is much “younger”: the “average Indian” is only 24.8 years old (95th line in the ranking), the “average American” is 36 and a half years old (38th place), the “average Russian” is 38.2 years old ( 30th place).
In the ranking population growth rate China is in 142nd position - 0.61% growth per year (India is in 83rd position - 1.61% growth, the USA is in 129th place: 0.89%; Russia is in 213th place with a negative indicator : its population is decreasing at 0.48% per year).
By level reproduction China ranks 131st in the world, with 1.75 children for every Chinese woman. The most fertile country in the world is Mali, where there are more than seven babies per woman, Hong Kong is the least fertile (0.98), India and the United States are ahead of China in this indicator, Russia lags behind (1.39).
By level birth rate(at the rate of one birth per 1,000 people) China is in 157th place in the world (India is in 86th, USA is in 150th, Russia is in 175th). Most high level birth rate - in Niger.
By level mortality China, with its 128th place in the world ranking, is significantly more prosperous than Russia (22nd place) and the United States (99th place), but inferior to India, which is in 136th place. The highest death rate in the world is recorded in Swaziland, and the lowest in the United Arab Emirates. By level child mortality in infancy China ranks 101st out of 214 (the highest infant mortality rate is in Angola, the lowest in Singapore), India ranks 72nd, Russia 145th, and the USA 174th.
Life expectancy for the Chinese it is 72.88 years (for comparison: 68.59 years in India, 65.87 years in Russia and 78 years in the USA). China ranks 96th in the world life expectancy rankings. The absolute world champion in this indicator is Andorra, where life expectancy for men is 80.62 years, for women - 86.62 years.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Health, the most common causes of death for residents of Chinese cities are cancer (25.03%), stroke (22.06%), various heart diseases (16.91%), respiratory system diseases (13.26%), and injuries and poisoning (8.11%). For residents of rural areas, the situation looks somewhat different: 22.64% die from stroke, 20.98% from cancer, 17.08% from respiratory diseases, 13.79% from heart disease, 11.09% from poisoning and wounds.
In China smokes about 350 million people, thus, every third smoker on the planet is a resident of China.
People commit suicide every year in China suicide almost 300 thousand people.
China has the world's largest labor resources- 803 million 300 thousand people, ahead of India, the entire European Union, the USA and Russia in this indicator.
Gold and foreign exchange reserve China also exceeds the reserves of all other countries - 1 trillion 493 billion dollars. For comparison: Japan is in second place ($881 billion), Russia is in third ($470 billion). The USA occupies 21st position (65 billion$890 million)
China is the seventh largest in the world in terms of size budget revenues, and by volume budget spending (640 billion 600 million dollars and 634 billion 600 million dollars), second only to the USA, Japan, Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy and significantly ahead of Russia and India.
At the same time, in the ranking GDP per capita, which is headed by Luxembourg ($80 thousand 800) and in the top ten of which the USA barely makes it (9th position, $46 thousand), China occupies only 111th place ($5 thousand 300). Russia occupies 67th place in this ranking ($14,700), and the Republic of Congo is in last 152nd place with $300.
According to the director of the China Center for Economic Research at Peking University, Lin Yifu, by 2030, China's per capita GDP will be half that of the United States, and the volume of Chinese GDP will be two and a half times greater than that of the United States.
IN Global Competitiveness Index, published by the World Economic Forum on the basis of a comprehensive study of the economic, political and social situation in 131 countries, China ranked 14th in 2007–2008 (USA in first place, India in 48th, Russia in 58th).
According to the Beijing Statistics Bureau, average annual salary residents Chinese capital is $5,670. At the same time, 43% of Beijing residents receive more than this amount, and 57% - less.
The gap between the incomes of rich and poor in China as a whole it is 11.8 times, between urban and rural residents - 6 times, between coastal and western regions - 3.2 times. According to official data, the richest 10% of Chinese residents own up to half of all property and financial assets of the population in cities, while the poorest 10% account for only 1.4%.
According to official statistics, the country do not have enough food and clothing 21.48 million peasants.
As follows from a report by Merrill Lynch, at the end of 2006 there were 345 thousand millionaires in China (persons with a capital of over $1 million, excluding the value of real estate). The capital of 4,935 of them exceeds $30 million.
According to www.forbes.com, of the ten largest billionaires of mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan), five made a fortune in real estate transactions. Number one on this list is Yang Huiyuan, whose fortune is estimated at $7.4 billion.
Regarding development dynamics, China ranks 6th in the world in terms of real GDP growth(11.4% per year). Azerbaijan is in first place (31%), India is in 16th place (8.5%), Russia is in 25th (7.4%).
By industrial production growth rate China ranks 6th in the world (Russia - 17th, India - 18th).
Wherein by purchasing power parity China is in 3rd place after the EU countries (together) and the United States. India is in 6th place, Russia is in 9th.
According to the Department of Foreign Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China, accumulated over six years, from 2002 to 2007, Chinese investments abroad amounted to $59.7 billion (annual growth - 60%). The Chinese have created more than 12 thousand joint ventures in 172 countries and regions of the world.
According to such an indicator as market value of publicly traded shares, China is in 4th place ($2 trillion 426 billion) after the USA, Japan and Great Britain.
At the end of 2007, there were 286.2 thousand enterprises in China with foreign capital, 4.14% more than in 2006. The volume of actually used investments in them amounted to 2.11 trillion dollars. Including, real estate enterprises with foreign capital participation - 14,700, banks - 18; enterprises created through mergers and acquisitions - 21,800.
There are over 4.3 million registered in China small and medium enterprises, which produce 58.5% of the country's GDP.
China is fourth in the world importer($917 billion 400 million in 2008) and the second largest exporter(after Germany) - this year export earnings amounted to 1 trillion 221 billion dollars.
China is the second largest in the world electricity consumption(USA in first place, Russia in 5th, India in 8th) and third in its production(The USA has the first position, Russia has the 5th position, India has the 6th position).
By volume of oil consumed- 7 million barrels per day - China is third in the world (for comparison, Russia is 5th with 2 million 916 thousand barrels per day), and oil production sixth (Russia is in second place, after Saudi Arabia) and fourth in the list of world oil importers.
In 2007 China produced 276 tons gold, surpassing South Africa (272 tons), which held the world leadership for more than a hundred years.
In 2007, Chinese companies completed construction and contracting works abroad in the amount of $40.6 billion (+35.5%), signed new contracts worth $77.6 billion (+17.6%).
China accounts for 70% of world production watch industry and only 10% of the industry's global profits.
China ranks third in the world, after the USA and Russia, in terms of length of railways, fourth place - by length automotive(India is in first place in the world ranking, Russia is in 10th place), 16th place in the world in terms of number airports .
Telephone lines China's are the longest in the world. By number of owners mobile phones China also ranks first - 461 million 100 thousand Chinese use mobile phones (the United States is second, India is third, Russia is fourth). According to WPP Corporation, the Chinese mobile operator China Mobile entered the top ten most expensive brands in the world($41.2 billion). It ranked fifth between Coca-Cola and Marlboro.
China ranks second after the United States in the world in terms of the number of Internet users (162 million people). India is in 5th place, Russia is in 13th (25 million people). In total, there are approximately 1 billion 19 million Internet users in the world.
LiteracyThe population in China is extremely high. China's 50th place in the world ranking means that 90.9% of Chinese are literate.
According to the Arton company, in 2007 the volume of Chinese art market amounted to 23.7 billion yuan. This is the third place in the world after the USA and Great Britain. According to the same company, out of the 35 most “expensive” contemporary artists, 15 are Chinese.
In China scientific activity employs 38.5 million people (first place in the world), of which 10.93 million are engaged in original research (second place). By volume expenses China ranks sixth in the world for scientific research.
Chinese records. In 2007, in China, as part of the implementation of the policy landscaping the country planted trees on an area of 5.2 million hectares (more than 2 billion trees). In 2008, it is planned to plant 2.5 billion trees on an area of 5.3 million hectares. Currently, in China, forests occupy 18.21% of the country's area. The goal of the greening policy is to increase the forest area to 20% of the territory by 2010.
Every year for a full course training 6 thousand Chinese citizens go to US universities, and 60 thousand go to graduate school in American universities.
Chinese,the most widespread in the world by the number of speakers, it has become the third most common language in Canada after English and French: the Chinese make up 3.3% of the country's population (1 million 34 thousand people).
In 64 countries and regions of the world, China has opened 210 Confucius Institutes, whose main task is to popularize the Chinese language.
By 2010, 1,200 will be opened in China new museums. There are now 2,300 of them in the country. 500 of them have recently had their entrance fees waived.
Every year, residents of China throw away 15 million refrigerators, 10 million air conditioners, 18 million washing machines, 35 million televisions and 30 million computers.
China firmly holds the lead in the world ranking of the most polluted cities world, behind only Cairo, Delhi and Calcutta, they occupy the next 11 positions out of 20.
What are the Chinese worried about? According to a public opinion poll published in the Xiaokang magazine, among the socio-economic issues, Chinese residents are most concerned state of medical care(73,16%), rising consumer prices(68.87%), growth real estate prices(65,63%), income gap rich and poor (62.52%), corruption(62.12%), state environment (59.25%), system state social security (57,35%), food safety(52.13%), questions employment(48.36%), state public safety(45,62%).
As for the Asia-Pacific region (APR), the factors of instability there are the incompleteness of the peace process on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the Taiwan problem.
Within China, the country's leadership is concerned about the expansion of the activities on the territory of the PRC and beyond its borders of the terrorist organization "East Turkestan", the goal of which is to create Xinqiang-Uyghur autonomous region, as well as the adjacent regions of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan of the independent Islamic state. In recent years, China has also faced the problem of piracy along the sea routes in the South China Sea. Up to 80% of imported oil necessary for the normal functioning of the Chinese economy is transported to China along these routes. Along with this, Beijing is concerned about the intensification of Tibetan separatists. They, according to the Chinese leadership, receive support from the outside and cause serious damage to social stability in the country, which forces them to suppress their actions by force.
Based on an analysis of the revolutionary changes taking place in the world in the military sphere, the Chinese military-political leadership views the future war as coordinated actions of heterogeneous forces, combined with the widespread use of high-precision weapons. Military operations in it are linked with the operations of special forces, psychological operations, and “information warfare.” Fighting are conducted in a multidimensional space, including land, sea, air, space and the electronic environment, simultaneously to the entire depth of the conflict zone. The boundaries between the front and rear in such a war become blurred, the pace of combat operations, compared to previous wars, increases, and their duration decreases. The main means of supporting combat operations are reconnaissance and command and control systems for troops and weapons, including space-based elements.
In accordance with these ideas, China is accelerating the modernization of its armed forces. The emphasis is on informatization and computerization of troops and navy, strengthening the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces as a whole by increasing the efficiency of interaction between the branches of the armed forces and combat arms.
China entered the 21st century with a developed armed forces structure and a system of military command and control bodies. The country's armed forces consist of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the People's Armed Police and the People's Militia. The PLA includes strategic missile forces, ground forces (ground forces), air force and navy with a total number of 2.3 million people, plus a reserve (ground forces) - 800 thousand. Police formations (1.5 million people) are entrusted with the functions of ensuring internal security and public order. In peacetime, the people's militia performs tasks to maintain public order, and in wartime, it performs defensive tasks and various supporting functions. The most militarily prepared part of the people's militia is the organized reserve of the PLA.
In accordance with the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, the leadership of the Armed Forces is exercised by a state body - the Central Military Council (CMC) of the People's Republic of China. A feature of the highest military administration of the PRC is a high degree of centralization: the Central Military Commission of the PRC and the Military Council of the CPC Central Committee include the same people. This is actually a single structure that manages the armed forces along party and state lines; both of these bodies are headed by the same person - Chinese President Hu Jintao.
The Central Military Commission carries out its functions through its constituent structures: the General Staff of the PLA, the Main Political Directorate, the Main Directorate of Logistics and the Main Directorate of Armaments. As for the Ministry of Defense, it implements the guidelines of the country's military-political leadership on technical support for the construction of the armed forces, their recruitment, planning, distribution and expenditure of the military budget, and maintains interstate military relations. The Ministry of Industry and Informatization, formed in March 2008, is directly involved in issues of defense science, technology and industry, in which a corresponding department has been created.
Armed forces
The territory of China is divided into seven military regions (Shenyang, Beijing, Lanzhou, Jinan, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Chengdu), 28 provincial military regions and 4 separate garrisons. The commands of the military regions play the role of commands in the theater of operations (theater of operations) and have subordinate one or more combined arms armies, formations and units various types Armed Forces, logistics support units, as well as provincial-level commands (or commands of individual garrisons).
The PLA has all the components inherent in a modern army, including strategic nuclear forces, but in terms of the level of training of command personnel, information technology, technical equipment and mobility, it continues to lag behind the armed forces of militarily developed countries.
Strategic nuclear forces are directly subordinate to the Central Military Council of the People's Republic of China and include ground, air and sea components - a total of 113 carriers. The basis of the nuclear forces is the strategic missile forces, which are armed with 81 ground-based missile launchers (PU), including 46 ICBM launchers (some of them are the new mobile solid-fuel ICBMs "Dongfeng-31" (CSS-9) with a monoblock warhead and range 8000 km). The strategic aviation includes 20 obsolete Hun-6 (H-6) carrier aircraft. The naval component includes one nuclear-powered missile submarine with 12 Julan-1 (JL-1) missile launchers. Construction of several Project 094 boats is underway, equipped with Julan-2 (JL-2) missiles with a range of 8000 km.
PLA Ground Forces (56 combined arms field force divisions, including 9 tank, 24 motorized infantry, 3 airborne) - the most numerous branch of the Chinese armed forces. As a result of modernization, the level of their mechanization has increased significantly in recent years: the number of motorized infantry divisions has increased by 17 units and the number of infantry divisions has decreased by the same amount. At the same time, it should be noted that the weapons fleet of this type of aircraft is mainly represented by outdated models; The exception is the formations and units that are part of the PLA mobile forces.
PLA Air Force include bomber, fighter, transport and reconnaissance aircraft, air defense forces and means. This is about 2,600 combat aircraft, including 200 bombers, 1,200 fighter-bombers, 1,180 air defense fighters; approximately 700 anti-aircraft missile launchers, including 128 launchers of the S-300 PMU, S-300 PMU1 and S-300 PMU2 anti-aircraft missile systems purchased from Russia.
In the past, the Air Force performed a limited range of missions - mainly protecting China's air borders and, to a lesser extent, supporting ground forces. Currently, the PLA command is actively engaged in the formation of a more flexible and modern air force that has offensive potential and is capable of taking part in joint tactical operations, including airborne operations. The Air Force is equipped with interceptor fighters and long-range strike aircraft, airborne and space-based early warning systems. Old aircraft types, such as Jian-7 (J-7) and Jian-8 (J-8), are being modernized, and new equipment is being adopted: Su-27, Su-30, Jian-11 fighters. (J-11), Il-76 transport aircraft, Hun-6 (N-6) tanker aircraft, air-to-ground cruise missiles. Fourth generation fighter aircraft already make up about 15% of China's fighter aircraft fleet. Bomber aircraft are equipped with air-to-ground cruise missiles.
The Air Force includes air defense forces and means, including fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile and radio technical forces. Air defense provides air defense for the most important areas and facilities, most of which are located in the central and eastern (coastal) provinces. In recent years, air defense forces and means have been replenished with Chinese-made (including licensed) Jian-10 and Jian-11 fighters, as well as Russian Su-27 and S-300 PMU-2 anti-aircraft missile systems (in total, China should receive 28 divisions of these complexes, 12 of which have already been delivered).
Chinese naval forces consist of three fleets - Northern (the main naval base of Qingdao), Eastern (Dinghai) and Southern (Zhanjiang).
The Navy has 134 warships of the main classes, including 58 submarines and 28 destroyers equipped with missile weapons; naval aviation combat aircraft - about 800; There are three amphibious infantry divisions and two marine brigades.
In the mid-1980s, the Chinese Navy moved from a "coastal defense" strategy to a "coastal defense" strategy, which includes the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea, among others. The change in strategy required updating the ship's composition (in particular, four Sovremenny-class destroyers, 12 diesel-electric submarines and other equipment and weapons were purchased from Russia). As a result, the capabilities of the main forces have increased significantly, which cannot be said about the support means: the Navy still does not have a sufficiently powerful anti-submarine defense, and surface ships are vulnerable to attacks from aircraft and anti-ship missiles.
The most combat-ready component of the Chinese military is PLA mobile forces, intended for action in local wars along the perimeter of the state border, as well as to support police forces in operations to ensure internal security and public order. The PLA's mobile forces have enhanced maneuverability and firepower and consist of rapid reaction forces and rapid deployment forces.
IN rapid reaction forces, the total number of which is more than 285 thousand people, includes the airborne corps, six infantry divisions, special forces battalions of district subordination, and naval marines. These forces, according to the Chinese army press, "are capable of airdropping anywhere in China no later than ten hours after receiving the order"; transfer time railway can range from one to four days; transfer by sea is possible. Rapid Deployment Force serve as the second operational echelon and are designed to build up rapid reaction forces. They have heavy weapons and are transported to the designated area, mainly by rail, in 2–7 days. Currently, they include two combined arms armies.
At the end of 2006, China adopted a program to modernize its national defense and armed forces, designed for the period until the middle of the 21st century. It has three stages: until 2010 - the creation of fundamental foundations for transformations, until 2020 - achieving general progress in the main areas of modernization, until 2050 - achieving mainly the strategic goal of creating informatized armed forces.
Issues & Studies / By Institute of International Relations, Taipei., 2007. P. 346–350.
Illustration copyright Reuters Image caption Beijing's new military strategy once again raises questions about possible confrontation in the region and beyond
Mikhail Smotryaev: Is it possible to consider the White Paper [referring to the military doctrine of the PRC] as an element of a long-term strategy that neighbors should also notice? Who is this signal primarily intended for?
Alexander Gabuev: The release of the White Paper is addressed to our neighbors in ASEAN, the United States, and Japan. Both in the text itself and in the presentation, which took place at the Department of Defense, the United States and Japan were named for the first time as countries that would destabilize China's strategic environment, and whose actions could lead to the creation of threats, in addition to those countries with which China has a territorial conflict.
The Chinese chose an excellent time. This weekend's conference, the most high-profile security policy forum in East Asia, is taking place in Singapore, and its theme is now firmly in place. Attention will be drawn to what the Chinese delegation has to say.
M.S.: US Secretary of State John Kerry was in China last week. Met with different people, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is not the first time to say that there is enough space in the Pacific Ocean for two great powers - China and the United States. As a result of this visit, there were quite a lot of analytical materials that examined the question of whether China was offering the United States another bipolar world and how to approach it. Two weeks after talking about “dividing the planet,” it is strange for the United States and its allies, primarily Japan, to stage a demonstration of military power. I don’t think that the US reconnaissance plane that flew into space over the disputed islands in the South China Sea, which the Chinese asked not to send there, but which they still did not touch, served as a reason for this.
A.G.: Documents of this order are published once a year, so this document was developed throughout Last year and summarized the vision of how China wants to position its military presence in the region. I am sure that the text was verified several months ago, before all the latest incidents that were already on the horizon, and it was clear that everything was heading towards an increase in the conflict potential of tension, when any mistake could lead to a collision with consequences that are not yet very clear. I don't think Xi Jinping suggested that John Kerry divide the world.
When Barack Obama came to the White House, his advisers had a "Big Three" concept. It was first expressed by political scientist Zbigniew Brzezinski, and he was supported by Henry Kissinger [US Secretary of State from 1973 to 1977]. The point was that China and the United States needed to set up a global condominium. The Chinese rejected this theory because it meant playing by American rules, and China does not intend to do this. This is a very dangerous conflict - misunderstanding between the parties.
For China, the issue of sovereignty in the South China Sea is one of the key issues. They drove themselves into this trap, instilling in the population the idea that this is a very important issue and now they cannot retreat. For the United States, this is an important issue, but a secondary one; it can be sacrificed. But it is a fact that the American military presence should guarantee the security of their partners. Both the Philippines and Japan are in this region, and this could lead to unpredictable outcomes in US policy.
M.S.: Which the Americans don’t really like, because they usually dictate the rules of the game to their allies in foreign policy matters. What are the prospects for this tension to move into another phase? A couple of years ago, the text “How the United States lost the naval war to China in 2025” was published; I don’t remember the author. At that time, the prospects for such a development of events seemed utopian, even taking into account that the number of Chinese armed forces exceeds 2.5 million people. What is the potential conflict development situations?
A.G.: Both sides understand the undesirability of the conflict. In it, of course, the United States will be the dominant force, but the economic costs for both countries will be unacceptable and destructive. First of all, for China. The Chinese leadership understands this very well, which is why for the last year and a half we have been observing China’s tactics of light pressure on the United States and its allies.
Tension is growing because these are quite provocative steps, and there is no reaction from the United States. Therefore, there is a high probability of accidental incidents here. The Americans are sending ships to go through the areas where the Chinese are operating. The Chinese are also taking some action in response. Some commander decides to open fire, killing ten people on each side. So, what is next? This is the most dangerous option that I am currently considering.
M.S.: A scenario of this kind, even an artillery duel between ships, is unlikely to lead to a full-scale military confrontation. But there is one peculiarity. Chinese and foreign, and domestic politics traditionally formulated, if not for centuries, then for a long time. It can be said with a high degree of confidence that the new Chinese government in five to ten years will continue and develop this approach.
There are elections in the United States next year, there will be a new president, and if it is a Republican, the situation may change radically. Even Obama said that the Pacific region is now a priority in American foreign policy. Republicans can take this to a whole new level.
A.G.: I think there is no strategic response, no consensus on China policy in US policy. Previously, only the United States was the maritime superpower in the region, but now the situation is changing. There is no doubt that with the large-scale investments that China is currently making, in 20 years the countries' capabilities will, in principle, be equal. There is no strategic answer to what extent China should be allowed to expand its interpretation of its vital interests. China's military dominance in the Western Pacific - or an opportunity for China to block US actions? Is it normal or not?
There are people who say that China is a huge country with a huge population, they may have their own interests, let’s negotiate with them, while others say that this cannot be allowed, that the United States should be a guarantor of stability, and, as soon as any then countries have opportunities to disrupt the status quo, this must be stopped. There are supporters of both positions in all scientific organizations and in all bureaucratic departments of the United States, including the American Carnegie Center. The strategic response will only be formulated in the coming years, and China will build up its capabilities to completely change the picture. This is a feature of the American system. In Russia, we too often tend to overestimate the competence of Americans in the field of strategic planning.
M.S.: Here the Chinese, of course, have an advantage developed over thousands of years. But the countries' military spending is not yet comparable. This year, China's military budget will be only a third of America's. Another thing is that Chinese military spending is difficult to accurately calculate. In addition, Chinese spending has been growing for the fifth or sixth year, while American spending has remained more or less at the same level.
The lack of trust between China and India is a consequence of the Sino-Indian border war of 1962. At the center of the dispute is the so-called McMahon Line, an imprecise, winding border drawn in 1914 by British colonial authorities and representatives of the local Tibetan government. The Chinese central government refuses to recognize this line. In the fall of 1962, things came to an armed conflict. China inflicted a humiliating and crushing defeat on India during the conflict. After this, China became India's No. 1 enemy. At the end of the 80s. the tendency to restore good neighborly relations between the two countries could not erase the echoes of these sad events from the memory of Indians and Chinese
ty, and today the key directions of Chinese policy in South Asia and the Asia-Pacific region continue to attract the close attention of Indian analysts.
Over the past 30 years, China has made great strides in its development and economic growth, which has provided the Chinese people with a higher standard of living and raised China's international profile. These advances in economic development, coupled with advances in science and technology, have also enabled China to undertake a comprehensive transformation of its military. The pace and scope of China's military modernization has increased significantly over the past decade, allowing China's military to develop its capabilities and thus help raise its international public perception, as well as bolster China's choice to use military force to achieve diplomatic gains or resolve contentious issues in for your benefit.
India's leaders and defense planners are wary of how China is modernizing its military and expanding its military advantage over India. For some in India, confronting China matters more than long-time enemy Pakistan. However, following the change in the global political climate, China intends to improve relations with India and does not consider it an adversary. Accordingly, the main goals of modernizing the Chinese army are not confrontation with India; China is building up its military power in order to respond to other serious challenges.
On April 16, 2013, China published the white paper “China's National Defense 2013.” The White Paper for the first time declassified the size and structure of the Chinese army, but also - in fact for the first time - named the main sources of threats that worry the Chinese military-political leadership.
First among them are “certain countries” that, as the document says, “strengthen military alliances in the Asia-Pacific region, expand their military presence and often escalate the situation.” It is not difficult to guess who Chinese strategists have in mind if the United States has set itself the goal of relocating 60% of its naval forces to the Asia-Pacific region by 2020, and recently announced the creation of a missile defense system along the perimeter of China’s eastern borders, supposedly intended exclusively to fend off “north -Korean threat."
In addition, the text of the White Paper states: “Individual neighboring countries are resorting to actions that complicate and aggravate the situation, and Japan is provoking incidents around the issue of the Diaoyu Islands.” Thus, neighboring countries having territorial disputes in the East China Sea and South China Sea with China are the second most important
challenge to China's security. In third place are threats from the “three forces of evil” - terrorism, extremism and separatism.
To understand American policy in the Asia-Pacific region, it is necessary to view it through the prism of the priorities of President Barack Obama’s global strategy. They are as follows:
maintaining American dominance by maintaining a balance of power in the world that is favorable to the United States;
preventing the emergence of an equal rival state or coalition of powers that could upset the existing balance of power in any region important to the United States.
Since the regulation of security policy in November 2011, the Obama government has always considered the weapons of its allies in the Asia-Pacific region to be the center of gravity. At that time, Obama announced that he intended to shift the center of gravity to the Asia-Pacific region. The so-called “centre of gravity in Asia” are the armed forces deployed by the United States in the Asia-Pacific regions in order to contain China’s growing economic and military influence and maintain its predominant status in this region. Obama's November 2011 promise is seen as a challenge to China, which Americans believe is striving to become a major power in the region.
The report notes: “Based on the long-term view, the relocation of US security strategy to the Asia-Pacific region certainly requires increased air and sea forces, and all this requires the integration and support of aerospace technology. Given the long range, air forces are required, including fighters, refueling tankers, transporters, information platforms, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as unmanned reconnaissance system, bomber and providing the capability for long-range missile operations.” The United States has already deployed 24 V-22 Osprey combat tiltrotor aircraft in Japan. Fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighters are also often sent to Okinawa for temporary deployment. In principle, American military planning is already considering the scenario of a violent clash with China as possible and is preparing for it.
Attempts to solve the Taiwan problem are also leading China into conflict with the United States. The leadership of the People's Republic of China has repeatedly stated that China does not allow the declaration of independence of the island of Taiwan. The Taiwanese leadership, relying on the support of the United States, is responding by modernizing its own armed forces in order to counteract mainland China. In March 1996, US President Bill Clinton sent two aircraft carriers to the Taiwan Strait as a response to Chinese PLA military exercises in the immediate vicinity of Taiwan.
After the election of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou in March 2008, tensions between the parties subsided somewhat, but for many years the possibility of conflict with Taiwan due to US military intervention continues to be the most pressing military problem for the PLA. Because of the potential for conflict, China will continue to modernize its military as long as the country's leadership believes that the loss of Taiwan could seriously undermine the regime's political legitimacy and power in the country. In addition, the PLA is trying to counter, contain, or even deny any attempts to provide American support to Taiwan in the event of an armed conflict.
To achieve this goal, the Chinese army has developed the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile. The DF-21D is the world's first and only anti-ship ballistic missile, and the first weapon system capable of engaging moving carrier strike groups at long range using land-based mobile launchers. 1 It could significantly increase China’s ability to counter maritime operations, in particular, preventing the entry of American aircraft carriers into the Taiwan Strait. China's deployment of the DF-21D has raised serious concerns in US military circles. Thus, in August 2010, The Washington Times published the opinion of analysts that the DF-21D is capable of penetrating the defenses of the best aircraft carriers and that it became the first threat to the global dominance of the US Navy since cold war. 2 Beijing fears for energy security. According to experts, the total oil reserves in the South China Sea can reach 213 billion barrels, which is inferior to the explored resources of only two states - Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, surpassing Russia's. 3 In the depths of the East China Sea there are deposits of 1.5 billion m3 of natural gas and up to 100 billion barrels of oil. China's growing energy needs are forcing it to strengthen its position on controversial issues with its neighbors (Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam). Washington, which is trying to maintain its supremacy in the region, is pushing these countries into confrontation with Beijing. Because of this in Lately A number of territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea are escalating.
China and Japan consider their rights in the East China Sea indisputable. Japan insists on drawing the boundaries of special economic zones equidistant from the coastline of each interested country, while China claims a continental shelf extending beyond
the limits of the border equidistant from the coast to the Okinawa Trench. China and Japan also continue to dispute ownership of the nearby Diaoyu Islands (Japanese name: Senkaku). However, both sides say the contentious issue should not undermine their relationship.
East Asian economic integration is intensifying. The heads of government of China, Japan and South Korea entered into a trilateral investment agreement in May 2012, which should become the foundation of the China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area. The new trade bloc will serve as a counterweight to the European Union and the North American Free Trade Area (NAFTA). By seeking the creation of an East Asian free trade area, China, according to analysts, is seeking to strengthen its weight in the world system, weakening the influence of the United States. It is noteworthy that the United States this moment they are also trying to lure Japan into their own economic bloc - the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), aimed at containing China. Japan and China have also switched to national currencies in bilateral trade, jeopardizing US interests in this very important region. The rapprochement between China and Japan is not in favor of the United States.
On August 15, 2012, a group of Chinese activists landed on the disputed Diaoyu Island (Senkaku), who arrived there on a fishing schooner from Hong Kong. They planted the Chinese flag on the islands, but were detained by Japanese police. Most activists are Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who advocate for Hong Kong independence and have close ties to the United States. This event sharply worsened Sino-Japanese relations. On September 10, 2012, Japanese Minister of State for the Financial System Tadahiro Matsushita was found dead at his home. Tadahiro Matsushita played a very important role in the integration of the Sino-Japanese economy, he advocated the creation of the “China-Japan-South Korea Free Trade Area”. His death is a great loss for the implementation of a single free trade area in East Asia. The next day, September 11, the Japanese government announced the "nationalization" of the disputed Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands. Japan's actions led to massive anti-Japanese protests in China.
Previously, the Diaoyu (Senkaku) Islands were actually under Japanese control, but after the Japanese government "nationalized" the disputed islands, China began conducting regular patrols of the waters in the Diaoyu (Senkaku) area. China and Japan, even realizing the detrimental nature of the complications in relations, have found themselves in a vicious circle, where any decision on this archipelago will mean a loss of face for either both or one party to the conflict. Both China and Japan can go all the way, unleashing an armed conflict in the Pacific region.
The Chinese Navy has a significant quantitative superiority over the Japanese Navy, especially in submarine and light forces. The Japanese have a qualitative advantage. However, if Japan's military does not have air superiority in a potential conflict, then its navy will not be able to play a decisive role in the war. In general, the PLA has at least five times more combat aircraft than the Japanese Air Force, and in all individual components (strike vehicles, heavy fighters, light fighters), the superiority is also on the side of China. Moreover, in terms of quality, modern heavy fighters of the Su-27/Su-30/[-11/[-16 family are not inferior to the F-15 aircraft, and the light Chinese J-10 are not inferior to the Japanese F-2. An additional advantage for China is provided by the presence of hundreds, if not thousands of MRBMs and OTR of various types, and now also sea, air and ground-based cruise missiles. With their help, many stationary targets on Japanese territory, primarily military-industrial complex facilities, can be hit. The country rising sun there are no ballistic or cruise missiles.
However, “if America intervenes in the conflict on Japan’s side, then the Japanese will obviously have the upper hand,” noted Alexander Khramchikhin, head of the analytical department at the Institute of Political and Military Analysis 4 . Former minister US Defense R. Gates said at a press conference that the United States does not take any position on the issue of ownership of the islands, but they are protected by the Mutual Security Treaty between the United States and Japan. Numerous American military bases are located in Japan. Now China will be obliged to respond to the naked threat contained in the US-Japanese interpretation of their treaty.
After relations with China became more tense due to territorial disputes, the Philippines began to build up its military power and seek closer cooperation with Washington. The Philippines has asked the United States to supply patrol aircraft, ships and radars to protect disputed territories from China. The two countries have already held joint military exercises in the South China Sea several times. Some of the exercises will take place near territory over which the Philippines disputes with China. According to Dmitry Mosyakov, an expert at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Manila is not negotiating with Washington to return US Marines to the Philippines.
The South China Sea plays an important role in the security issues of East and Southeast Asia. The PRC claims sovereignty over the Paracel Islands (Xisha) and the Spratly Islands (Nansha), claims disputed in whole or in part by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.should become a weapon of intimidation against China. 5 China has already criticized the Philippines for escalating the conflict and warned against any external intervention.
In recent years, Vietnam has sharply increased its purchases of submarines and fighter jets. While strengthening its armed forces, it simultaneously seeks to establish close military ties with the United States, viewing American patronage as insurance against an escalation of the territorial conflict with China. Vietnamese and US military personnel communicate on a regular basis. The US 7th Fleet and the Vietnamese Navy often conduct joint exercises. The Vietnamese Navy command has expressed interest in purchasing up to six P-3 Orion UUV aircraft from the US Navy in order to provide the ability to patrol the 3,500-km coastline and the exclusive economic zone with an area of 1,396,299 sq. km. It is most likely that the P-3 version “C” aircraft, which are the most modern and in the best condition, will be selected for delivery to Vietnam. Vietnam is interested in the urgent delivery of aircraft due to the complicated situation in the region and the strengthening of China's naval power.
The US is also using the issues of "Tibet independence" and "Xinjiang independence" to interfere in China's internal affairs. The intervention of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in the Tibetan issue and its participation in inspiring actions in support of the so-called. “Tibetan independence” began a long time ago, after the British invaded Tibet. In December 1957, the CIA parachuted into Tibet two US-trained Tibetan rebels. In June 1958, the rebels created the Chusi Gangdruk army of about four thousand people, led by Andzhutsang Gonpo-Zhaschi. In addition to dropping weapons by parachute, the CIA also transported large quantities of weapons and ammunition through India overland. Then the Chusi Gangdruk army organized an armed rebellion in Tibet. The CIA provided financial resources and training support to the Tibetan separatists. Most agents sent to carry out subversive activities in the homeland are trained by CIA employees. 6 High-ranking officials and politicians of Western countries, primarily the United States, often organize a meeting with the Dalai Lama, whom the Chinese government considers the leader of the movement for “Tibet independence.”
Led by Rebiya Qadir, the World Uyghur Congress (hereinafter referred to as WUC) accepted funding from the US National Endowment for Democracy, which came primarily from the United States Congress. "VUK" and other organizations are malicious instigators
promoters and instigators of the July 5th incident in the capital of Xinjiang, which led to serious violent crimes and acts of vandalism. And such a threatening scale of anti-Chinese separatist activities by Kadir and “VUK” is explained by the open support of some Western countries and their various “Funds”. In 2005, Kadir went to the United States, she established the “International Uyghur Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy” in the United States and became the president of the “Uyghur Association of the United States.” According to The Wall Street Journal, the Uyghur Association of the United States received $215,000 in funding each year from the National Endowment for Democracy. 7 At the end of the 20th - beginning of the 21st centuries. a watershed has clearly emerged among the Chinese military. If during the Cold War the military of both countries considered the USSR as a common enemy, then after its end the younger generation of Chinese military switched to the United States. This generation has been raised on anti-Americanism and believes that the United States is obstructing China's development and constantly challenging China's core interests. According to Chinese experts, a possible confrontation with the United States and its allies was the focus of Chinese national security strategy and justified the doctrine of deterring US military intervention. Against the backdrop of the geopolitical confrontation between China and the United States, Beijing is trying to reduce conflicts with India and improve bilateral relations.
MOSCOW, May 27 – RIA Novosti. China's new military doctrine demonstrates a huge increase in its military ambitions, especially in the naval sphere, and is also combined with the country's rapid economic development, writes The Washington Post.
China, in its White Paper, talks about the concept of “active defense,” although it emphasizes that it remains guided by the principles of international security cooperation and peaceful development. However, everything indicates that the state intends to become a strong naval power. The country's air force will prepare not only for defensive, but also offensive operations, the publication writes. WP recalls that the Pentagon previously noted that China has begun production of ballistic missiles that will be able to deter opponents, including the United States, from potential regional conflicts.
Sivkov on the military doctrine of the PRC: a new target for ballistic missiles - USAThe renewal of the tasks facing the Chinese missile forces and artillery indicates serious intentions to develop a group of intercontinental ballistic missiles, which will make the US Chinese strategic nuclear forces a new target, the President of the Academy believes geopolitical problems Konstantin Sivkov.China's new military doctrine is of extreme concern to the United States. The White Paper indicates that China is seeking to “gradually achieve hegemony in the region,” says Patrick Cronin, senior director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Washington Center for a New American Security.
Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesman Yang Yujun, presenting the doctrine, said that "external forces" are seeking to tarnish the reputation of the country's armed forces and create an atmosphere of heightened tension.
"We cannot rule out the possibility that this is aimed at creating pretexts for planned actions by some countries. This is not a new technique, it has been used many times in the past," The Financial Times quoted Yang Yujun as saying.
Washington is openly dissatisfied with the policy of the Chinese authorities to strengthen their presence in the disputed region and does not hide their readiness to take retaliatory measures. As US Assistant Secretary of Defense David Sher said at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Washington is “assessing the military implications of territorial claims (from China) and preparing appropriate responses.”
The PRC still has disagreements regarding demarcation in the South China Sea with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines. In other regions, similar difficulties also affect China's relations with Japan and South Korea. The United States urges the parties to reach an agreement with each other, avoiding tensions, but at the same time seeks to strengthen its own strategic alliance with countries disputed with China.