- China and Pakistan have concluded two major military
agreements that are raising new concerns about the transfer of missile
and nuclear technology from China, according to U.S. officials.
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- Representatives of both countries signed a memorandum
of understanding on military cooperation and collaboration in the area
of defense production. The new agreements also include a secret defense
pact covering weapons transfers from China to Pakistan, said U.S. officials
familiar with classified reports on the accords.
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- The two agreements were described by U.S. officials as
a defense cooperation pact and a defense production pact. The MOU was
signed at the Pakistani Defense Ministry on March 12 by Deputy Chief of
General Staff General Xiong Guangkai.
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- China has been a major supplier of arms and technology
to Pakistan for decades. Pakistan s nuclear weapons are based on a Chinese
design and its armed forces rely heavily on Chinese equipment. China recently
delivered the first of a large number of F-8 interceptor jets for the Pakistani
air force.
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- The Bush administration imposed economic sanctions on
China and Pakistan in September following the transfer of Chinese ballistic
missile goods to Islamabad. The transfers were traced by U.S. intelligence
agencies and included overland transfers that were shipped from Western
China to Pakistan. The shipments included ballistic missile material for
Pakistan's Shaheen 1 and Shaheen 2 missile systems.
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- The transfers violated Beijing's November 2000 pledge
not to transfer any missile components or expertise that could be used
for nuclear systems. Both Shaheen missiles are nuclear-capable.
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- China-Pakistan military cooperation has been extensive.
A Chinese military delegation visited Pakistan in August 2000 to inspect
defense facilities and another delegation discussed expanding military
cooperation. The new defense agreements are being carried out because
of the new strategic situation in the region, according to Pakistani
sources.
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- Another key indicator of the new defense relationship
is China s construction of a major port facility on the western Pakistani
port of Gwadar. God willing, the construction of this project will be
an antidote against the American poison being spread in this region, said
one Pakistani official.
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- American firm buys German sub maker in deal expected
to benefit Taiwan.
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- An American company has purchased a German shipyard that
manufactures diesel submarines and the acquisition is expected to help
the Bush administration in its efforts to procure eight diesel electric
submarines for Taiwan.
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- A U.S. company has purchased a majority stake in a German
shipyard that manufactures the submarine. One Equity Partners, the private
equity arm of Bank One Corporation of the United States, on March 12 purchased
a 75-percent share of stake of German shipyard Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft
(HDW). HDW is the builder of the German 209-class submarine favored by
the Taiwan navy.
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- Germany's government stated last year that it would not
permit the sale of German 209 submarines to Taiwan because it would upset
Berlin's ties to Beijing.
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- President Bush announced last year that the United States
would sell diesel submarines as well as Kidd-class guided missile destroyers
to Taiwan under the terms of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which allows
the United States to sell defensive weapons to Taiwan to create a military
balance across the Taiwan Strait.
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- The arms sales were prompted by deployment of 350 short-range
Chinese missiles on the coast opposite Taiwan. The U.S. Navy set up a Team
Diesel Submarines in September to find ways to produce the submarines for
Taiwan.
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- The Navy is said to be resisting U.S. production of new
diesel submarines because it would take federal money from U.S. nuclear-powered
submarines. Diesel submarines can be produced at one-fourth the cost of
new $1 billion Virginia-class attack submarine.
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- Harrier Jump Jets.
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- Meanwhile, a Taiwan newspaper reported earlier this month
that Taiwan plans to lease up to 30 Marine Corps AV-8B Sea Harrier jump
jets to bolster it air power. The Harriers are vertical take-off and landing
jets and would increase the Taiwan military s capability to defend against
a Chinese attack, the United Daily News reported.
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- The paper said the Taiwanese are looking into leasing
30 Harriers and eventually could acquire up to 100 jets. The first the
30 AV-8Bs Harriers would be based at Chingchuankang air base, located in
central Taiwan. The airbase was built by the United States in the 1960s
and once housed U.S. B-52 and U.S. tactical nuclear weapons.
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- Geostrategy-Direct www.geostrategy-direct.com, March
26, 2002 Copyright © 2002 East West Services. All rights reserved.
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