U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Post

China Defense Chief Mystery Adds to Leadership Turbulence Xi Jinping recently called for ‘unity’ in China’s military Li Shangfu was last seen in public on Aug. 29 in Beijing By Bloomberg News September 15, 2023 at 5:06 AM GMT+5:30 Updated on September 15, 2023 at 11:16 PM GMT+5:30 A mystery surrounding the status of China’s defense minister is raising questions about turbulence within President Xi Jinping’s new line-up of loyalist leaders less than a year into his third term. Li Shangfu hasn’t been seen in public for more than two weeks, with a steady trickle of reports suggesting China’s fourth-most senior military figure is the latest top Communist Party official to be abruptly ousted from the upper echelons of Xi’s ranks.

Positions of Russia, China coincide, this helps develop military ties — defense official According to Zhang Youxia, Beijing and Msocow have a good tradition of mutual participation in large and important multilateral events held on the territories of China and Russia The positions of China and Russia in the military sphere always coincide, which helps develop bilateral relations in the military sphere, Vice Chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Zhang Youxia said during talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu in Beijing. "We already have a good tradition of mutual participation in large and important multilateral events held on the territories of China and Russia," Zhang Youxia said at the beginning of the talks held on the sidelines of the 10th Xiangshan Security Forum in China. "Comrade Minister, you are a great friend of the Chinese people and the Chinese armed forces," Zhang Youxia noted, addressing the Russian defense minister. The Chinese defense official recalled that his first meeting with Shoigu took place in 2012. "Since then, we have met many times. Today is our 10th meeting. I can say that during this time our proposals, our drafts always coincide. And it is very pleasant to note that our agreements contribute very much to the development of our bilateral relations in the military sphere," he pointed out. #business #finance #financialservices

That's correct. I thought the same thing when I saw it. Our desire to look like the adults, reach out, and keep dialogue open is used by our adversaries to send PR signals that the targeted populations will surely understand. There is also precedent in Chinese history for having the leader of a tributary state meet outside his own walls with a messenger from the Imperial Court to make it clear that there was an imbalance in the relationship. Ancient history matters, especially to states with long memories. Edit: something to consider is that the PRC Minister of Defense position was created in part to officially be the counterpart of foreign ministers of defense, because the State-Party-Military organization of the PRC does not lend itself well to foreign systems. So in terms of protocol, it is correct to say "Secretary Austin met his counterpart." In terms of actual responsibility, duties, and prestige it is not. And believe me, the PRC is well aware that it is sending foreign defense ministers to meet with someone several steps down on the hierarchy within their own system.

An interesting read on the DoD's outlook on the rapid advancements in China and the need for innovation in the defense industry: "Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen H. Hicks warned back in May that the Defense Department's propensity to innovate will be vital to deterring future conflict and maintaining the U.S. military's strategic edge going forward. That strategic advantage, Hicks said, has come under increasing pressure given the rapid advance of China, the U.S.'s "pacing military challenge," which shows no sign of letting up. "And because time and our competitors are not standing still, we cannot stand still, either," she said. "The [People's Republic of China] is a generational challenge; while it will change over time, it isn't going anywhere." "So, we're in a persistent competition for advantage," she said. "But we must respond with confidence and urgency, not react with pessimism and panic." Innovation, she said, remains a "critical tool" for meeting the challenge." To read more, click here: https://loom.ly/lNGYIws #usfederalsolutions #management #ITconsulting #business #strategicplanning #government #dataanalytics #hubzonecertified #defenseindustry #defensedepartment #secretaryofdefense #goforward #rapidadvance #innovation

Retired U.S. military general: China's military is very powerful and concerns about their technological leadership are not overblown. Former U.S. armed forces general and chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, recently accepted an interview with the British newspaper "Financial Times," talking about U.S.-China relations. Milley said Beijing has built a "very strong" military, although it has not yet surpassed the United States in terms of technology, but concerns about China's advantage "are not excessive." He also said that maintaining a strong military deterrent for the U.S. military is essential to avoid wars with powerful countries such as China and Russia. According to Milley, the key to avoiding a war with a power like China or Russia is to maintain a strong military, which is crucial for deterrence. Admiral Samuel Paparo - appointed by U.S. President Biden to assume command of the U.S. Indo-Pacific theater- warned that despite the extremely high cost of military action against Taiwan, China could act at any time and the U.S. must remain vigilant: "We don't have a vacation from now until they do, and we need to be ready next week, next month and for decades to come." He also speculated that Beijing realizes it must act "quickly and ruthlessly" against Taiwan to present the world with a "fait accompli." Paparo added that Beijing is closely watching the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and will "redouble its military capability to implement its strategic, operational and tactical warnings and to act as quickly as possible." Read more on #ExtremaRatio https://lnkd.in/db5c8EdT

Allied Special Operations Forces Command (#SOFCOM): 2.000+ #SOF aus 12 Nationen üben während #NATO Steadfast Defender den SOF Part in Exercise Trojan Footprint u.a. in Bulgarien, Georgien, Deutschland, Griechenland, Nordmazedonien und Rumänien. #EUCOM: "Forces from Albania, Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States will participate in Exercise Trojan Footprint March 4-15 at locations in Bulgaria, Georgia, Germany, Greece, North Macedonia and Romania. Approximately 900 U.S. service members will be among the about 2,000 total participants." SOFEX #TrojanFootprint ist die größte Special Operations Forces Übung der NATO bzw. SOCEUR und dem Pentagon. "Exercise Trojan Footprint 24 is also part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Large Scale Global Exercise 24, which is an all-domain exercise series that executes a range of joint multinational military activities and operations. LSGE 24 is designed to demonstrate the robust global presence of NATO Allies and partners, as well as the cohesion of our enduring global partnerships." #SOCEUR  https://lnkd.in/ezCqdscf

To follow up on our PLA as Organization v3.0 Conference last month, Exovera released the official conference report, synthesizing invaluable insights from leading experts on China's military evolution. This report summarizes key findings from distinguished researchers and thought leaders across the PLA-watching community, who contributed original analysis on organizational reforms within the People's Liberation Army since 2016. Findings will be included in an updated reference manual that is scheduled to be available by the end of the year. The conference report touches on XI Jinping's goals for PLA reorganization and assesses progress towards those objectives. Key topics include: - Advancements in "jointness" and persistent challenges. - Critical developments in personnel and talent acquisition. - Continuous structural changes enhancing XI's control over the armed forces. The upcoming reference manual will provide a deeper dive into the PLA's transformation, providing crucial intelligence for government, industry, and academic professionals tracking China's military capabilities. Click here to access the full Conference Report: https://lnkd.in/eQ3pMmg6 #ChinaMilitary #PLAReforms #DefenseIntelligence #PLA

“Multi-Domain Operations is NATO’s strategic priority, a game changer for our strategic advantage. We’re transitioning from joint to multi-domain with a bold vision captured in a ground-breaking concept. NATO Allied Command Transformation is leading the team, ensuring our future fight depends on this vital work.” - stressed Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Philippe Lavigne at the annual #NATO Multi-Domain Operations Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. The theme of this year’s conference was “The Role of Nations in Building a Multi-Domain Operations enabled Alliance”. Sessions emphasized the importance of embracing a cultural change within NATO in order to fully exploit the benefits of such an interconnected approach. Military decision-makers must orchestrate the utility, availability and access of capabilities across operational domains to achieve targeted results. This necessitates a shift in mindset and a commitment to education and training to ensure that all Alliance military staff can think, understand and operate in a multi-domain environment. Read more here:

NATO MDO is a huge transformation within the whole of the Alliance. The NATO Command and Control Centre of Excellence supports NATO in this with its subject matter expertise: • with the first implications of the new MDO concept for the NATO Command Structure as part of the development of the cross domain command concept • with the elements of change for future operational headquarters: —> fast changes in technology that provide seamless connectivity —> the use of AI in support of all phases of the C2 cycle —> security implications of the need to share data —> cooperation and synchronisation beyond NATO with civil society, partner nations, industry etc. to come to converging effects. Find out more at C2COE.org #NATO #MDO

In 2024, the United States has reaffirmed its status as the world’s most powerful and influential country. This declaration is supported by the annual rankings published by CEOWORLD magazine, which assesses nations based on a variety of factors including political stability, economic influence, defense budget, weaponry, global alliances, soft power, and military strength. The U.S. continues to lead with the strongest military and economic power globally, while also exerting significant cultural impact through its entertainment industry. The rankings place the United States ahead of other major powers such as China, Russia, and India. #TrendingPakistan #US #GlobalInfluence #MilitaryStrength #EconomicLeadership #MostPowerful