China and Russia:Power and Partnership

Several scholars have been carefully analysing developments in the military postures of China and Russia,as well as the strategic interrelationship between the two states.
China's recent naval buildup is aimed at:
1.targeting the US fleet;
2.targeting US allies;
3.targeting US bases,
in the view of Thomas Karko,International Security Program Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.The US must invest in more standoff and penetrating weapons to meet this challenge,such as the LRSO,or long range standoff missile;and the LRS-B,or long range strategic bomber.It must invest a lot more in the fleet and missile defences against these Chinese threats as well,which are conventional threats.
As Admiral William Gortney noted,for the forseeable future,we are still going to need rockets to kill rockets.*
The Chinese are doing testing every three months.That will require a layered counter.Hardening,deception and dispersion are needed.We need to proliferate counters to these things and to alleviate the strain on our forces.US Navy and US Army stress is only going to get worse.
China-Russia ties are taking the form of arms sales,as well as exercises in the Pacific and the Mediterranean.It's a great concern to many Asian militaries.Both states appear dissatisfied with the status quo.Historically,dissatisfied states tend to clump together to work against the hegemons.Both Russian and Chinese leaders call for an end to US alliances in those areas,according to Zack Cooper,Japan Chair and Asian Security Issues-Fellow at CSIS.
Russia and China are employing hybrid warfare in Eastern Europe and the South China Sea.We are reaching an important inflexion point here if these ties continue to grow.For the first time,Chinese military equipment may be flowing toward Russia.China is trying to sell a frigate to Russia,observed Paul Schwartz,Russia Military&Security Senior Associate at CSIS.
China has produced about 80 catamaran small missile boats,complemented with air and submarine-launched missiles,to overwhelm US missile systems.In the far east,China and Russia can pretty quickly link up ship-to-ship.China and Russia joined together to limit US basing in Central Asia.They want to see US power limited and constrained.They share opposition to US ballistic missile defence.*
China opposes NATO expansion because they do not want to see US military influence get stronger,said Jeffery Mankoff,CSIS Russia&Eurasia Program Deputy Director&Fellow.*
Something else has to happen to drive China and Russia really closely together,added Paul Schwartz.China is still very closely integrated with the West.Some kind of shock in the Western Pacific;a Taiwan Strait dispute;a Senkaku Islands dispute,would have to happen.
The Japanese navy is more competent than the Chinese.It has better leadership skills and traditions.The Chinese coast guard is building a 10,000 tonne paramilitary coast guard ship.They will push and push until Japanese or US Navy ships show up.The Japanese have more than 40 highly capable destroyers and diesel electric submarines,while Vietnam is building up its navy with Russian technology.The Chinese still rely on conscripts,but are developing a mid-level cadre.
If China keeps building like they are,they are 15-20 years away from matching the US Navy.They are starting to deploy an aircraft carrier to learn from and plan to deploy three more with over-the-horizon targeting capability,the CSIS expert believes.

Columnist Assesses Ukraine Crisis

New York Times columnist Roger Cohen made several remarks at a panel discussion Wednesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington,DC on the topic of The Russian Intervention in Ukraine.It was moderated by former CBS News anchor Bob Schieffer and also included former US national security advisors Zbigniew Brezinski and Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft.
I'm not sure Vladimir Putin is a man who listens to concessions,Mr.Cohen said.Unless you respond to his strength with your own,you end up losing.We cannot take a veto from Moscow on whether free countries can join the EU.
Putin had the perception he could get away with this.There was a sense of a United States where the apposite word was "retrenchment."I think it's a matter of great concern when the US steps back from a red line at the last minute,as in the Syria chemical weapons matter.There is a sense of disunity and weakness that gave Putin a kind of green light.
President Putin is trying to recreate some sort of Russian imperium.While it's true there are "three Ukraines,"in the sense of Crimea,Eastern Ukraine and Western Ukraine,one Ukraine was recognised by Putin in 1994.This intervention is a game changer,a sea change.I think the situation is combustible,both within Ukraine and in the Baltic states.It was a 19 year-old kid that precipitated World War I.I think this is a far,far more dangerous situation than many people imagine.
I think what Putin has presented the West is,looking again at the transatlantic alliance;at defence budgets;at the notion that our attention should be elsewhere.President Obama is about to go to Europe.I think it's absolutely critical that this trip be well-prepared and a strong,united,vigourous statement about what has occurred be made,New York Times columnist Roger Cohen told the CSIS audience.*
President Obama will travel to a G7 developed nations summit in the Hague,Netherlands next week,but Vice President Joe Biden met with Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite in Vilnius Wednesday.He reiterated America's commitment to the security of the Baltic states and warned Russia of further consequences if it contiued on its "dark path."*
EU ministers are meeting in Brussels today,Thursday,to discuss further sactions on Russia.They may put higher ranking government officials and industry bigwigs on the sacnctions list.