China
China–Russia cooperation on missile attack early warning systems
Author: Alexander Korolev, UNSW
According to some recent analyses, a new China–Russia missile attack early warning system is nearing completion. It will be based on the Russian Tundra satellites and Voronezh modular ground-based radar stations set up in Chinese territory.
The system will provide advance information on potential incoming missiles’ trajectory, speed, time-to-target and other critical information necessary for an effective interception. The integration of China and Russia’s missile attack early warning systems is predicted to make China–Russia military integration and interdependence match the level of the advanced alliance relationships the United States has developed with countries such as France and the United Kingdom.
On 3 October 2019, during the 16th annual meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, Russia, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was helping China to build its missile attack early warning system. Putin added that, ‘I don’t think I will reveal a big secret here. It will become known anyway’, but also acknowledged that this ‘will fundamentally enhance the defence capability of China because currently only the United States and Russia have such a system’.
Subsequently, China and Russia were reported to have signed contracts worth US$60 million to develop software for the new system. Sergei Boev, the chief designer of the missile attack early warning system and the General Director of the Russian Vimpel Interstate Corporation involved in the software project, later stated that cooperation with China in this area was ‘ongoing’ and that ‘we cannot provide more details since it has to do with confidential agreements’.
Cooperation between China and Russia in the area of strategic arms is not a ‘big secret’ but an outcome of the consistent and incremental consolidation of China–Russia strategic alignment since the end of the Cold War. In the area of missile attack early warning systems, cooperation can be traced back to at least May 2016, when China and Russia launched a new joint regular military exercise, Aerospace Security, which took place in the Central Research Institution of the Russian Armed Forces and became the first China–Russa computer-simulated missile defence drill.
The second joint drills of this type, Aerospace Security 2017, happened in Beijing in December 2017. According to China’s National Defense Ministry, these drills were meant to bolster bilateral cooperation and secure strategic balance in the Asia Pacific. The main task was ‘to work out joint planning of combat operations when organising air missile defences, operation and mutual fire support’.
The third such drill, Aerospace Security 2019, took place in Russia in 2019 with the main tasks being responding to potential ballistic and cruise missile strikes over the two countries’ territories. In this context, the announcement that Russia was helping China to build a missile attack early warning system is an indication of China–Russia long-term strategic cooperation entering a new, more advanced, but entirely expected stage.
Nevertheless, Russia sharing missile attack early warning capabilities with China is significant from both military–technical and geopolitical standpoints. It enhances China’s defence capabilities immensely because China obtains a powerful tool to protect itself from a hypothetical disarming first strike from the United States. Moreover, it opens avenues for the integration of China and Russia’s early warning systems. When warning stations in Russia and China are merged into a single complex, this increases the speed with which the two countries can be warned of and intercept a potential missile attack.
According to a retired deputy commander of Russia’s air force, Alexander Luzan, Russia will also benefit from such a merger because the creation of a unified information space and data exchange with Chinese radars will mean that ‘the security of our country [Russia] from the east will be better ensured’. Some Moscow-based defence analysts argue that integration of the two countries’ early warning systems facilitates further convergence of Russia and China’s defence strategies — resulting in the formation of a common defence policy.
Equally significant are the geopolitical implications. Strategic arms — and specifically missile attack early warning systems — are the most critical and sensitive aspect of any country’s defence capabilities. China and Russia extending their cooperation into this area is a…
China
Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
Chinese social media influencers have recently claimed that prominent Chinese-born Australian journalist Vicky Xu had posted a message saying she planned to return to China.
There is no evidence for this. The source did not provide evidence to support the claim, and Xu herself later confirmed to AFCL that she has no such plans.
Currently working as an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI, Xu has previously written for both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, and The New York Times.
A Chinese language netizen on X initially claimed on March 31 that the changing geopolitical relations between Sydney and Beijing had caused Xu to become an expendable asset and that she had posted a message expressing a strong desire to return to China. An illegible, blurred photo of the supposed message accompanied the post.
This claim was retweeted by a widely followed influencer on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo one day later, who additionally commented that Xu was a “traitor” who had been abandoned by Australian media.
Following the publication of an ASPI article in 2021 which exposed forced labor conditions in Xinjiang co-authored by Xu, the journalist was labeled “morally bankrupt” and “anti-China” by the Chinese state owned media outlet Global Times and subjected to an influx of threatening messages and digital abuse, eventually forcing her to temporarily close several of her social media accounts.
AFCL found that neither Xu’s active X nor LinkedIn account has any mention of her supposed return to China, and received the following response from Xu herself about the rumor:
“I can confirm that I don’t have plans to go back to China. I think if I do go back I’ll most definitely be detained or imprisoned – so the only career I’ll be having is probably going to be prison labor or something like that, which wouldn’t be ideal.”
Neither a keyword search nor reverse image search on the photo attached to the original X post turned up any text from Xu supporting the netizens’ claims.
Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Malcolm Foster.
Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
Read the rest of this article here >>> Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
China
Guide for Foreign Residents: Obtaining a Certificate of No Criminal Record in China
Foreign residents in China can request a criminal record check from their local security bureau. This certificate may be required for visa applications or job opportunities. Requirements and procedures vary by city. In Shanghai, foreigners must have lived there for 180 days with a valid visa to obtain the certificate.
Foreign residents living in China can request a criminal record check from the local security bureau in the city in which they have lived for at least 180 days. Certificates of no criminal record may be required for people leaving China, or those who are starting a new position in China and applying for a new visa or residence permit. Taking Shanghai as an example, we outline the requirements for obtaining a China criminal record check.
Securing a Certificate of No Criminal Record, often referred to as a criminal record or criminal background check, is a crucial step for various employment opportunities, as well as visa applications and residency permits in China. Nevertheless, navigating the process can be a daunting task due to bureaucratic procedures and language barriers.
In this article, we use Shanghai as an example to explore the essential information and steps required to successfully obtain a no-criminal record check. Requirements and procedures may differ in other cities and counties in China.
Note that foreigners who are not currently living in China and need a criminal record check to apply for a Chinese visa must obtain the certificate from their country of residence or nationality, and have it notarized by a Chinese embassy or consulate in that country.
Foreigners who have a valid residence permit and have lived in Shanghai for at least 180 days can request a criminal record check in the city. This means that the applicant will also need to currently have a work, study, or other form of visa or stay permit that allows them to live in China long-term.
If a foreigner has lived in another part of China and is planning to or has recently moved to Shanghai, they will need to request a criminal record check in the place where they previously spent at least 180 days.
There are two steps to obtaining a criminal record certificate in Shanghai: requesting the criminal record check from the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and getting the resulting Certificate of No Criminal Record notarized by an authorized notary agency.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
China Unveils Plan to Upgrade Industrial Equipment
China unveiled a comprehensive action plan for upgrading industrial equipment, with a focus on driving technological innovation and economic growth. The plan, released on April 9, 2024, aims to enhance competitiveness and sustainability within the manufacturing sector through extensive investment and regulatory support.
China announced an ambitious action plan for industrial equipment upgrading, which aims to drive technological innovation and economic growth through extensive investment and regulatory support.
On April 9, 2024, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and six other departments jointly released a notice introducing the Implementation Plan for Promoting Equipment Renewal in the Industrial Sector (hereafter referred to as the “action plan”).
Finalized earlier on March 23, 2024, this comprehensive action plan addresses critical issues related to technological innovation and economic development. It reflects China’s proactive stance in enhancing competitiveness and sustainability within its manufacturing sector. The initiative underscores the recognition of industrial equipment upgrading as a top policy priority.
The scope of China’s action plan to upgrade industrial equipment in manufacturing, is extensive, covering various aspects such as:
In line with China’s ambitious goals for industrial modernization and sustainable development, the action plan outlines several key objectives aimed at driving substantial advancements in the industrial sector by 2027.
These objectives encompass a wide range of areas, from increasing investment to enhancing digitalization and promoting innovation, including:
The objectives and key actions proposed in the action plan are summarized below.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
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- China Unveils Plan to Upgrade Industrial Equipment
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