Market Report, "China Defence & Security Report Q1 2013", Published

New Defense research report from Business Monitor International is now available from Fast Market Research

by Bill Thompson

(WireNews+Co) - Boston, MA - 02 February 2013

The China Defence and Security Report examines the country's strategic position in Asia and the wider world. It provides an overview of the contemporary geopolitical challenges facing the country, and the challenges it may face in the future.

The report examines the trends occurring in the country's current and future defence procurement, and the order of battle across its armed forces. The intention is to provide a clear and concise discussion of these issues. The report's general conclusion is that China remains firmly on its long-established course of military modernisation, in spite of the friction that this modernisation path is causing.

Domestically, China faces some uncertainty as a new generation of top leaders begins to take over in November, and as the country faces up to the 'normalisation' of its economic growth rate. The security implications of these changes cannot be foreseen.

View Full Report Details and Table of Contents (http://www.fastmr.com/prod/529314_china_defence_security_report_q1_2013.aspx?afid=201) (http://www.fastmr.com/prod/529314_china_defence_security_report_q1_2013.aspx?afid=201)

Regionally, territorial disputes continue to hamper China's relations with its neighbours. Beijing's relationship with Japan hit a recent low in Q3 as the dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands flared up, leading to mass anti-Japanese protests across China. These undoubtedly took place with the Chinese government's tacit approval. However, they may have damaged China's commercial ties with Japan, and may also have emboldened hawkish politicians in Tokyo. Indeed, former prime minister Shinzo Abe now appears likely to regain the premiership in 2013, and he promises to take a much tougher line on China than the current administration.

Disputes with other countries in the region, notably the Philippines, cooled somewhat in Q3, though there is the impression that sufficient damage has already been done to China's image in Southeast Asia. Despite having hoped to reduce the US's influence in the region by reassuring its neighbours that China's intentions were benign, the US military's role in the Asia-Pacific is growing stronger than ever, willingly assisted by Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and others.

Over the last quarter, BMI has revised the following forecasts/views:

- China introduced a range of new military capabilities in Q3. These included the commissioning of its first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning; the launching of the PLA Navy's first Type 052D destroyer; the unveiling of a new type of stealth fighter, the J-21; the emergence of a ship-based land attack cruise missile; and the test-firing of a new type of nuclear-capable ICBM equipped with multiple warheads.
- The implications of China's territorial disputes with Japan, South Korea and various Southeast Asian countries are discussed in detail.
- General Liang Guanglie became China's first defence minister in nearly a decade to visit India in September, as China seeks to improve its relations with its neighbour.

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