China's Hu calls for powerful, combat-ready navy with "blue water" capability

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/China_s_Hu_calls_for_powerful_combat_ready_navy.html?siteSect=143&sid=7386825&cKey=1167277072000

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese president and commander-in-chief Hu Jintao urged the building of a powerful navy that is prepared "at any time" for military struggle, state media reported on Thursday.

At a meeting of delegates to a Communist Party meeting of the navy on Wednesday, Hu said China, whose military build-up has been a source of friction with the United States, was a major maritime country whose naval capability must be improved.

"We should strive to build a powerful navy that adapts to the needs of our military's historical mission in this new century and at this new stage," he said in comments splashed on the front pages of the party mouthpiece People's Daily and the People's Liberation Army Daily. "We should make sound preparations for military struggles and ensure that the forces can effectively carry out missions at any time," said Hu, pictured in green military garb for the occasion.

China's naval expansion includes a growing submarine fleet and new ships with "blue water" capability, fuelling fears in the United States that its military could alter the balance of power in Asia with consequences for Taiwan.

[wakeme2008]

1. China builds up it Military thanks to all you

Walmart Shoppers... :grr:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

4. It ain't just Wal-Mart.

I'd suggest you have a look at the "Made in" labels on all of the electrical or electronic gadgets in your home and tell me how many of them were made in China. I'd be astonished if it's less than 50%.

[fishnfla]

11. Yeah but, if there navy is the same quality as the dreck they sell to WM

better have lots of lil' tiny screwdrivers and AA batteries

[LynnTheDem]

2. They're not stupid.

They know exactly what's going on re bushCabal & "the crazies" neocons.

[necso]

3. It's worth noting that China

has diesel-electric subs (or so I "understand").

These can be very quiet and difficult to detect, especially by passive sonar.

With the advances in battery (etc) technology, battery-electric operation has significantly improved potential.

[Kagemusha]

6. Your understanding is correct.

Diesel-electric tech has come a long way in recent years - and by that I suppose I mean, the last two decades - but it's been a very er, pun not intended, a quiet revolution because these subs haven't exactly been sinking anything. They have clear limitations in terms of operating time, obviously, but... they're stealthy daggers and could do some real damage to a blue-water navy someday. Iran has a tiny handful but I wouldn't expect much of them. Then again they might surprise me. It's just that a US-Iran conflict would be on the US' terms so it's more likely such subs would get caught and sunk than if the subs initiated something.

Anyway, China certainly ought to look at a blue-water navy in terms of long-term ambitions but.. there's a giant gap in saying that and actually getting there. Also, such an effort would get on the US' nerves and sow the seeds for future conflict (see Germany's naval buildup before WWI, Japan's buildup before WWII...)

[undeterred]

5. Who's Hu?

Sorry.

[mainegreen]

10. Doesn't hurt that the premier is Wen.

*When's Hu getting here?
*No, no, no, Wen's Who? Huh? Wens who, that's who!
* ?????

And so forth.

[Supersedeas]

7. a military partically subsidized by the debt accumulated to built W's legacy

[Neshanic]

8. Our personal payday loan country has extra cash. We will sell them subs, I would venture a guess.

What is the protocol for naming subs. Can a sub be named after a retailer?

[Hubert Flottz]

9. I think they already make all the flags and tennis shoes on our...

ships.