China "Secret" Military Buildup, Part 1

[coolieno99]

Part 1 of 2

Commercial photos show Chinese nuke buildup
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
February 16, 2006


Commercial satellite photos made public recently provide a new look at China's nuclear forces and bases images that include the first view of a secret underwater submarine tunnel. A Pentagon official said the photograph of the tunnel entrance reveals for the first time a key element of China's hidden military buildup. Similar but more detailed intelligence photos of the entrance are highly classified within the U.S. government, the official said. "The Chinese have a whole network of secret facilities that the U.S. government understands but cannot make public," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "This is the first public revelation of China's secret buildup." The photographs, taken from 2000 to 2004, show China's Xia-class ballistic missile submarine docked at the Jianggezhuang base, located on the Yellow Sea in Shandong province. Nuclear warheads for the submarine's 12 JL-1 missiles are thought to be stored inside an underwater tunnel that was photographed about 450 meters to the northwest of the submarine. The high-resolution satellite photo shows a waterway leading to a ground-covered facility. Other photographs show additional underground military facilities, including the Feidong air base in Anhui province with a runway built into a nearby hill. The photographs were obtained by the nonprofit groups Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Federation of American Scientists. The photos first appeared Friday in the winter edition of the quarterly newsletter Imaging Notes. The photographs are sharp enough to identify objects on the ground about 3 feet in size. Such digital images were once the exclusive domain of U.S. technical intelligence agencies, but in recent years, commercial companies have deployed equally capable space-based cameras. Disclosure of the underground bases supports analyses of Pentagon and intelligence officials who say China is engaged in a secret military buildup that threatens U.S. interests, while stating publicly that its forces pose no threat. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said during a trip to China in October that Beijing was sending "mixed signals" by building up forces in secret and without explaining their purpose. Adm. Gary Roughead, commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet, said he did not consider China "a threat." But he also said in a speech Tuesday that China's purpose behind its rapid military buildup is not fully known. "That's a little unclear," he said, noting that "increased transparency" is needed from China. The photographs included several shots of Chinese H-6 strategic bombers and related aerial refueling tankers at Dangyang airfield in Hubei province. Also, 70 nuclear-capable Qian-5 aircraft were photographed parked at an airfield in Jianqiao, Zhejiang province, on the East China Sea coast.


Part 2 of 2

Commercial photos show Chinese nuke buildup
By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
February 16, 2006


The Pentagon's four-year strategy report made public earlier this month stated that China is emerging as a power with "the greatest potential to compete militarily with the United States." The report stated that Beijing is investing heavily in "strategic arsenal and capabilities to project power beyond its borders." The report did not provide specifics. U.S. officials said, however, that the secrecy of the Chinese buildup has fueled a debate within the U.S. government over the threat posed by that country. U.S. intelligence agencies recently produced a National Intelligence Estimate, or major interagency analysis, that concluded China is using strategic deception to fool the United States and other nations about its goals and programs, including its military buildup. Pentagon officials have asked China to allow visits to underground facilities such as the submarine tunnel and a command center in Beijing, but either the requests were denied or the existence of the sites was denied. "The Chinese have denied having any underground submarine facilities," the Pentagon official said, noting that the satellite photos indicate that China has misled the United States. Underground submarine sites are one of 10 major types of facilities hidden by the Chinese military, U.S. officials said. The others include nuclear missile storage facilities, other weapons plants, command centers and political leadership offices.
In 2004, China revealed the first of a new class of submarines. The development of the Yuan-class submarines was kept secret through the use of an underground factory in south-central China, the officials said. Since 2002, Beijing has deployed 14 submarines. And it is working on a new ballistic-missile submarine, known as the Jin class, and two new Shang-class attack submarines. According to a classified Defense Intelligence Agency assessment, China's nuclear forces include about 45 long-range missiles, 12 submarine-launched missiles and about 100 short-range missiles each with a single warhead. By 2020, China's arsenal will include up to 220 long-range missiles, up to 44 submarine-launched missiles and up to 200 short-range missiles, the DIA report stated. Richard Fisher, a China military analyst at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that in addition to the northern submarine base, China also has a major submarine base at Yulin, on Hainan island in the South China Sea. The southern base gives Chinese missile submarines easier access to firing areas than the Yellow Sea base, which is more vulnerable to attacks from U.S. anti-submarine warfare systems.

[FreeAsia2000]

Here's the photo !

http://images.washtimes.com/photos/full/20060216-124912-1290.jpg

[Typhoon]

In this business, Bill Gertz of Washington Times is well known for his exaggeration of Chinese military capability. You know how exaggerated he is just by the title of his news report "Commercial photos shows Chinese NUKE buildup". He is associated with some Korean church and his religion belief probably is to hate Chinese. Bill Gertz's news reports have been intended to be read by US congressmen or senators in Washington DC, not by any person with common sense in military knowledge. You have to watch out what comes out from his mouth.

Chinese has the underground submarine base since mid-70's as described in the book "China's Strategic Seapower" by John Lewis and Xue Litai. German had underground submarine base even before WWII.

http://www.nukestrat.com/china/subcave.htm

http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20060216-020211-7960r.htm

http://cisac.stanford.edu/publications/chinas_strategic_seapower_the_politics_of_force_mo dernization_in_the_nuclear_age/

From the book "China's Strategic Seapower" by John Lewis and Xue Litai, page 123:

"In preparation for the 09 deployments, the navy added base construction to its seeming endless list of requirements. In February 1966, Mao, ever concerned to protect the country’s defenses from air raids, urged the navy to “build more shelters” for its ships in man-made caves. “In building [such] shelters you do not have to adopt underwater operations,” he wrote. “You can begin by digging a vertical shaft just like the miners do. Then dig through the rock horizontally to let seawater in. After that, add a hardened cover over the shaft.” At this, the navy embarked on a search for a place where the nation “shelter its submarines.”

About two years later, Mao approved the navy’s choice of an inlet neat Qingdao. And ordered the building to commence. The navy immediately transferred several engineering regiments to work on the project’s first phase, and they proceded to remove 810,000 cubic meters of rock and to pour 200,000 cubic meters of concrete. The gigantic sea cave completed, construction crews then installed 17,000 pieces of equipment and laid 220 km altogether of pipeline, much of it related to maintaining nuclear power plants. By the mid-1970s, the concealed base was camoflauged and hardened against attack and made ready to receive the first nuclear boat, nulcear boat No. 401. In 1975, the navy authorized the North China Sea Fleet to form the Nuclear Submarine Flotilla.

The base comprises multiple shelters, each of which has a number of facilities to load and unload nuclear fuel rods, move supplies,
monitor the performance of various subsystems, repair breakdowns, and conduct magnetization. The cavernous shelter where the boats are docked is as high as a 12-story building. Large-sized cranes in this shelter can load or off-load the JL-1 missiles. Partially protected against nuclear or chemical attack as well as conventional air raids, the shelters can maintain communication and independent operations under combat conditions. The base commander can conduct effective command and control of his submarine for extended periods even when cut off from all outside support."


Enjoy! :nana:

[KYli]

Bill Gertz of Washington Times is known for his exaggeration of chinese military capability. He probably tried to recycle old new, so he could make a profit out of it(Good Business:D ). Bill Gertz only good at informations gather from US intellingent. Everything else is just information he picked up from internt or just make use of recycle old news. You had to pity him for his hard work of making up more china threat thoery:p .

[FreeAsia2000]

Bill Gertz of Washington Times is known for his exaggeration of chinese military capability. He probably tried to recycle old new, so he could make a profit out of it(Good Business:D ). Bill Gertz only good at informations gather from US intellingent. Everything else is just information he picked up from internt or just make use of recycle old news. You had to pity him for his hard work of making up more china threat thoery:p .

That isn't it.

Why now ?

[AssassinsMace]

It's very Sun Tzu what China shows and not shows to the world. The problem is Americans fall for it all the time. Just because China "hides" its military, it doesn't really mean they have more than officially stated. It could be China is giving the illusion it has more than it states which would serve the purpose of deterring potential adversaries.

Really... What's the big deal that China has an underground submarine base! The article even says it can only hold one or two subs. Sounds like someone's been watching too many James Bond movies.

[KYli]

That isn't it.

Why now ?

I don't see there are any different from what Bill Gertz did before. Maybe he just got a slow week. He wanted to back up the pentagon's report about china potential to compete with US. He needed to further justified the urgency china threat to US. Or he saw the USN planing full sclae excersise in pacific was the indication for warning to China, that China should not do anything to challege US in Asia or in anywhere(include middle east or Iran). These were all speculation, but nothing concretes were known. We all knew one thing Bill Gertz hate China, and he worked closely with groups of people who had many agendas.

[Roger604]

In 2004, China revealed the first of a new class of submarines. The development of the Yuan-class submarines was kept secret through the use of an underground factory in south-central China, the officials said. Since 2002, Beijing has deployed 14 submarines. And it is working on a new ballistic-missile submarine, known as the Jin class, and two new Shang-class attack submarines. According to a classified Defense Intelligence Agency assessment, China's nuclear forces include about 45 long-range missiles, 12 submarine-launched missiles and about 100 short-range missiles each with a single warhead. By 2020, China's arsenal will include up to 220 long-range missiles, up to 44 submarine-launched missiles and up to 200 short-range missiles, the DIA report stated. Richard Fisher, a China military analyst at the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said that in addition to the northern submarine base, China also has a major submarine base at Yulin, on Hainan island in the South China Sea. The southern base gives Chinese missile submarines easier access to firing areas than the Yellow Sea base, which is more vulnerable to attacks from U.S. anti-submarine warfare systems.


Whoa! The Type 094 is called the Jin-class?! And the Type 093 is called the Shang class?!

Cool :china: I hope they don't start running out of ancient kingdoms / dynasties

[renmin]

I really don't see a issue here. What does a hidden sub base got to deal with a build up? A hidden sub base, who doesnt have one? I DONT GET IT.

[IDonT]

Whoa! The Type 094 is called the Jin-class?! And the Type 093 is called the Shang class?!

Cool :china: I hope they don't start running out of ancient kingdoms / dynasties


There is still the kingdoms of the Warring states period... There are at least half a dozen names there.

[KYli]

I am always curious why they never used Qing or Tang, but I am not worry they will run out of name soon. There still are dozens of dynasty name.

[Typhoon]

Probably there still not too many people know what is behind Bill Gertz, Washington Times and Korean Unification Church. It is very interesting and hard to believe. But it is of great entertainment value, too.

Washington Times is a small newspaper and the Korean cult leader Sun Myung Moon is its founder and owner. Reverend Moon is the leader of "Unification Church", a cult originated from South Korea.

Reverend Moon has crowned himself as "Messiah" on Capital Hill to save the world. In order to save the world, the main task of this Unification Church is to extinguish all other evil religions, plus the Communism, from the face of the earth.

Bill Gertz, a person with just high school diploma, was hired by Moon at Washington Times as the "sword of darkness" to save the world.

In a sermon at Unification Church on December 10, 2000, Washington Times founder and owner, Sun Myung Moon, described Bill Gertz as playing a special role in working towards a time when "the world will follow me (i.e. "Messiah Moon")". During the sermon Reverend Moon said:

"America is the most powerful country in the world. But its powerful leaders listen to the Washington Times. A statement from the Times can affect them dramatically. The government of other nations also listen to the Washington Times. Who at the Washington Times is having the biggest impact? Bill Gertz. How old is he? He is young. He only graduated from high school, joined the Washington Times and became famous."

If Pentagon wants to "leak" out some information that is so ridiculous and no newspaper wants to take it, then it is the tme to talk to Bill Gertz. Bill will put any garbage out, plus the extra spin, on Washington Times.

Journalist John Gorenfeld has tracked the activities of Sun Myung Moon. In 2004, John Gorenfeld was featured on ABC News Tonight With Peter Jennings and made the front of the Washington Post after exposing a secret crowning ceremony for a cult leader Moon held on Capitol Hill. He's been on a bunch of radio shows, including NPR's "All Things Considered" and "On the Media," "The Al Franken Show," the CBC's "As It Happens," and many others.

http://www.iapprovethismessiah.com/

http://iapprovethismessiah.com/2004/10/bill-gertz-and-sword-of-darkness.html

http://www.gorenfeld.net/

Anyway, be alert if you see "Bill Gertz" and/or "Washington Time".

[FreeAsia2000]

"America is the most powerful country in the world. But its powerful leaders listen to the Washington Times. A statement from the Times can affect them dramatically. The government of other nations also listen to the Washington Times. Who at the Washington Times is having the biggest impact? Bill Gertz. How old is he? He is young. He only graduated from high school, joined the Washington Times and became famous."



Errm I remember this joke from a while back about american newspapers and who reads them..anyway the wall street journal is read by the elite in america...the NYT is read by wannabe elites..

[ordinary dude]

Ok, so if some civilian company take some satellite photos of the US coast, then the world would freak that the US is "secretly" building up forces. This is just some lame newspaper trying to get more circulation and score some brownie points with the hawks in DC.

[Andrew]

As for my part, I think it's likely that China is heavily reinforcing certain areas of its military complex, notably its nuclear forces.

The international situation has deteriorated considerably since the end of the Cold War. To a large extent, US foreign policy is aimed at containing rising China. The Chinese leadership is aware of this and must react in some way.

Does sticking to merely 200+ something nuclear weapons and 30 nuclear missiles targeted against the US make sense? Does it make sense to modernise your general military infrastructure, meticulously upgrade your ships and aircraft over decades if in an emergency, the US could relatively easily put large sections of this infrastructure/forces out of action by using (low-yield) nukes? I don't think so. That's why I am pretty convinced that China is rapidly seeking nuclear parity with the US.

China possesses the ability to build long range missiles, it is able to produce the nuclear fissile material for the warheads and is has the workforce to build the mobile launchers and dig the tunnels. Its proficiency in this very delimited area is comparatively much higher than in the construction of submarines or fighter aircraft. It would be foolish if China didn't take advantage of this in the general political climate.

[Su-34]

As for my part, I think it's likely that China is heavily reinforcing certain areas of its military complex, notably its nuclear forces.

The international situation has deteriorated considerably since the end of the Cold War. To a large extent, US foreign policy is aimed at containing rising China. The Chinese leadership is aware of this and must react in some way.

Does sticking to merely 200+ something nuclear weapons and 30 nuclear missiles targeted against the US make sense? Does it make sense to modernise your general military infrastructure, meticulously upgrade your ships and aircraft over decades if in an emergency, the US could relatively easily put large sections of this infrastructure/forces out of action by using (low-yield) nukes? I don't think so. That's why I am pretty convinced that China is rapidly seeking nuclear parity with the US.

China possesses the ability to build long range missiles, it is able to produce the nuclear fissile material for the warheads and is has the workforce to build the mobile launchers and dig the tunnels. Its proficiency in this very delimited area is comparatively much higher than in the construction of submarines or fighter aircraft. It would be foolish if China didn't take advantage of this in the general political climate.

Andrew, i agree with you. PLA's missile forces are very small. I hope PLA Second Artillery has 500 ICBMs, each with MIRVs capable of striking all of USA by 2015!:china:

[Andrew]

Andrew, i agree with you. PLA's missile forces are very small. I hope PLA Second Artillery has 500 ICBMs, each with MIRVs capable of striking all of USA by 2015!:china:

By establishing a comprehensive umbrella of nuclear and conventionally armed long range ICBMs, China's posture of deterrence would be much more menacing. The reverse side of the medal is China's increased ability to offer other (regional) powers and allies a certain degree of protection.

I think that with regards to Taiwan such a strategy is perhaps already under way. The density of (cruise-)missiles in the area is steadily being increased and the cost of intervention rises. Building more long range ICBMs would mean that, albeit to a lesser extent, this idea could be implemented on a global scale. To a certain degree, conventionally armed ICBMs targeted against bases might be able provide flexibility, I don't know.

This is especially important as building large carrier groups, a fleet of bombers, strike and air-to-air refuelling aircraft, expanding the Chinese "Marine Corps" is an extremely complicated process which will take perhaps 30-40 years' time until parity is reached with the USA. To be sure, these tools offer a vastly greater field of application and flexibility but, besides taking a long time to develop them, they are very costly to maintain.

By that time, global oil reserves will have been severely depleted. The US economy will have surely gone through many a turbulence and the nerve of its government will be stretched to the breaking point. If China does not have a more credible nuclear deterrent by that time, I see the real possibility of the US quickly resorting to nukes in case of an emergency. Making Chinese military dependent on Russia's nuclear backing would seem dangerous to me in the long run.

With kind regards
Andrew

[tomazy]

whay should china revile its secret basis ti USA?? just hov meny USA secret basis have bin revild to china?

[Troika]

As for my part, I think it's likely that China is heavily reinforcing certain areas of its military complex, notably its nuclear forces.

The international situation has deteriorated considerably since the end of the Cold War. To a large extent, US foreign policy is aimed at containing rising China. The Chinese leadership is aware of this and must react in some way.

Does sticking to merely 200+ something nuclear weapons and 30 nuclear missiles targeted against the US make sense? Does it make sense to modernise your general military infrastructure, meticulously upgrade your ships and aircraft over decades if in an emergency, the US could relatively easily put large sections of this infrastructure/forces out of action by using (low-yield) nukes? I don't think so. That's why I am pretty convinced that China is rapidly seeking nuclear parity with the US.

China possesses the ability to build long range missiles, it is able to produce the nuclear fissile material for the warheads and is has the workforce to build the mobile launchers and dig the tunnels. Its proficiency in this very delimited area is comparatively much higher than in the construction of submarines or fighter aircraft. It would be foolish if China didn't take advantage of this in the general political climate.

It makes fair bit of sense on a few conditions:
1) ALL of countervalue force, must survive to second strike positions.
2) China does not itself initiate nuclear attacks

1 is unknown, frankly. America has good satellites and many precision weapons, but China is large and have many mountains. 2 is quite easy since China has no first use policy, and it is manifestly not in their interest to use first, so very likely not.

Why? Because then any American nuclear attack on China (and for to destroy large portions of Chinese industry, you need hundred of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are not nearly as powerful as people think - a 'complete destruction' radius of three kilometres would be nice for the relatively low yield American warheads) would have to be pre-emptive and against population centres, and then China would be justified to retaliate in kind. Perhaps ten, perhaps fifteen, American cities will be have their hearts ripped out, with millions of casualties (we are assuming that China's counter forces survive remember), and all of this for an unprovoked massive attack on civilian populations. Just doesn't make political sense.