The United States and China are warming up - at least symbolically - their military ties ahead of United States President Barack Obama's first official visit to China in mid-November. In late October, General Xu Caihou, the second-highest ranking officer in the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), started a long trip to the US. At the age of 66, Xu serves as vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), and as a member of the politburo of the Chinese Communist Party.
Xu visited a few US military bases as well as the US Naval Academy, and at the Pentagon he met with US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates for the second time. They met once before in Beijing during the first trip that Gates made to Asia as secretary of defense in 2007.
Among other things, after leaving Washington DC, Xu flew to the headquarters of the US Strategic Command (US STRATCOM) outside Omaha, Nebraska, on October 28, when he became the first PLA officer to enter that US military base. Air Force General Kevin Chilton, commander of US STRATCOM, held discussions with Xu and later hosted a dinner for him.
Abraham Denmark, director of the Asia-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security in Washington, DC described Xu's visit to US STRATCOM as possibly enabling a discussion between the US and China on space and cyber issues, in addition to nuclear issues. Because Major General Yin Fanglong, director of the political department of the Second Artillery Corps, which commands China's missile and nuclear forces, was also part of the delegation, nuclear strategy and policy-related issues may well have been on the agenda in Nebraska, too.
read more @ asia times
2. US fleet commander visits Chinese "Zhoushan" warship in Gulf of Aden
Scott Sanders (L), commander of the U.S. 151 Task Formation Fleet, shakes hands with Wang Zhiguo, commander of the Chinese third convoy fleet to the Gulf of Aden, on China's "Zhongshan" warship Nov. 1, 2009. Scott Sanders and his entourage paid a visit to "Zhongshan" warship at the invitation of Wang Zhiguo on Sunday local time. (Xinhua/Guo Gang)
see photo @ chinaview
3. China's PLA eyes future in space, air: air force commander
BEIJING, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- China will develop an air force with integrated capabilities for both offensive and defensive operations in space as well as in air, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force Commander Xu Qiliang said Sunday.
Calling militarization in the space and in air "a threat to the mankind," Xu said China must develop a strong force in the two arenas in order to face challenges of that threat.
"Only power could protect peace," the 59-year-old air force commander said in an interview with Xinhua, 10 days ahead of 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA air force.
Superiority in space and in air would mean, to a certain extent, superiority over the land and the oceans, Xu said.
"As the air force of a peace-loving country, we must forge our swords and shields in order to protect peace," he said.
read more @ chinaview
4. US Secretary of Energy Dr. Steven Chu
Dr. Steven Chu, distinguished scientist and co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics (1997), was appointed by President Obama as the 12th Secretary of Energy and sworn into office on January 21, 2009.
Dr. Chu has devoted his recent scientific career to the search for new solutions to our energy challenges and stopping global climate change – a mission he continues with even greater urgency as Secretary of Energy. He is charged with helping implement President Obama’s ambitious agenda to invest in alternative and renewable energy, end our addiction to foreign oil, address the global climate crisis and create millions of new jobs.
Prior to his appointment, Dr. Chu was director of DOE’s Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, and professor of Physics and Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California. He successfully applied the techniques he developed in atomic physics to molecular biology, and since 2004, motivated by his deep interest in climate change, he has recently led the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in pursuit of new alternative and renewable energies. Previously, he held positions at Stanford University and AT&T Bell Laboratories.
more @ Dept of Energyhttp://www.energy.gov/organization/dr_steven_chu.htm
5. amazing pictures, pollution in China
October 14, 2009, the 30th annual awards ceremony of the W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund took place at the Asia Society in New York City. Lu Guang (卢广) from People’s Republic of China won the $30,000 W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for his documentary project “Pollution in China."
see photos here
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