Latest news with #NationalDefenseMinistry
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
China's Great Wall & Egypt's Pyramids
BANGKOK, Thailand -- It's a long way from China's Great Wall to Egypt's pyramids, but for the first time Chinese and Egyptian warplanes are conducting a joint military exercise above the Nile River, extending Beijing's reach into the African continent. Chinese fighter jets, Airborne Early Warning and Control planes, aerial refueling tankers, and helicopter gunships have been roaring across the sky alongside Egyptian Air Force warplanes, after taking off from Egypt's Wadi Abu Rish Air Base in the desert. The China-Egypt Eagles of Civilization 2025 joint air force exercise began on April 19 and ends in early May, and is expected to strengthen Beijing's links with Africa's strongest military and a strategic U.S. ally. China maintains an East African naval base in Djibouti on the Red Sea. Cairo, hoping to diversify, is now welcoming Beijing's interest and possible Chinese weapons sales. "This will help enhance technical and tactical capabilities of the two air forces, and deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries," China's National Defense Ministry spokesman Snr. Col. Zhang Xiaogang told a news conference on April 24. "The joint training will run until early May. The Chinese PLAAF [People's Liberation Army Air Force] aircraft will train in collaboration with assets of the Egyptian Air Force. "This will help enhance technical and tactical capabilities of the two air forces and deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries," Snr. Col. Zhang said. The air combat exercises include Chinese mid-air refueling with a Y-20U aerial tanker, air support, battlefield search and rescue, and a Kong Jing-500 Airborne Warning and Control System. Beijing also sent China's stealthy J-10 Fighter Jets, known by NATO as Firebirds, prized for dogfighting maneuverability, precision strikes, and ability to be configured with air-to-air and air-to-ground bombs, anti-radiation missiles, and a 23mm cannon, reports said quoting the China 3 Army Telegram channel. Egypt filled the sky with MiG-29M/M2 Fulcrum multi-role fighters and other aircraft from the base which is about 60 miles west of the Gulf of Suez -- about 4,500 miles from Beijing. "The [Chinese] air unit has adopted a mixed force formation that combines air transfer and aerial transportation, which ensured full deployment of all personnel and equipment,' according to China's CCTV. "It has been suggested that China can use the exercise to train against relatively modern MiG-29s, a type that remains a primary fighter for the Indian Air Force and Navy," said The War Zone, a Florida-based military website. "The Egyptian MiG-29M/M2 share many similarities with the Indian Air Force & Indian Navy's MiG-29UPG & MiG-29K such as the same avionics suite," it said. China and India fought a brief war in 1962 which New Delhi lost, resulting in seized Himalayan mountain territory by both sides. "With the real possibility of drastic [U.S.] foreign aid cuts to beneficiaries like Egypt, Cairo could see Beijing as an alternative to Washington's largesse and resulting attached strings," The War Zone said. "Significant US military aid to Egypt has been frozen and unfrozen in recent years, as successive U.S. administrations weigh human rights concerns against Cairo's ability to assist in different geopolitical crises," reported Breaking Defense, an New York-based online military site. "It is China that is building Egypt's new capital city, intended to be an international gem in beauty, architecture, wealth, and grandeur," Israeli former intelligence officer and expert on Egypt, Lt. Col. (Res.) Eli Dekel told Maariv news. China is "also building at least two very important, large ports in Egypt, in Abu Qir. China has a lot of involvement, so I'm not surprised they are conducting this exercise," Lt. Col. Dekel said, according to the Jerusalem Post. Abu Qir Peninsula and Bay are on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, northeast from Alexandria, valued for its natural gas production and sheltered waters. Richard S. Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based American foreign correspondent reporting from Asia since 1978, and winner of Columbia University's Foreign Correspondents' Award. Excerpts from his two new nonfiction books, "Rituals. Killers. Wars. & Sex. -- Tibet, India, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka & New York" and "Apocalyptic Tribes, Smugglers & Freaks" are available at
Asia Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Asia Times
China muscling in on US Egyptian ally
It's a long way from China's Great Wall to Egypt's pyramids, but for the first time, Chinese and Egyptian warplanes are conducting a joint military exercise above the Nile River, extending Beijing's reach into the African continent. Chinese fighter jets, Airborne Early Warning and Control planes, aerial refueling tankers and helicopter gunships have been roaring across the sky alongside Egyptian Air Force warplanes after taking off from Egypt's Wadi Abu Rish Air Base in the desert. The China-Egypt Eagles of Civilization 2025 joint air force exercise began on April 19 and ends in early May, and is expected to strengthen Beijing's links with the African continent's strongest military and a long-time strategic US ally. China maintains an East African naval base in Djibouti on the Red Sea. Cairo, hoping to diversify its strategic relations, is now welcoming Beijing's interest and possible Chinese weapons sales. 'This will help enhance technical and tactical capabilities of the two air forces, and deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries,' China's National Defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang told a news conference on April 24. 'The joint training will run until early May. The Chinese PLAAF [People's Liberation Army Air Force] aircraft will train in collaboration with assets of the Egyptian Air Force. 'This will help enhance technical and tactical capabilities of the two air forces and deepen substantive cooperation between the Chinese and Egyptian militaries,' Zhang said. The air combat exercises include Chinese mid-air refueling with a Y-20U aerial tanker, air support, battlefield search and rescue, and a Kong Jing-500 Airborne Warning and Control System. Beijing also sent China's stealthy J-10 fighter jets, known by NATO as Firebirds, prized for dogfighting maneuverability, precision strikes and ability to be configured with air-to-air and air-to-ground bombs, anti-radiation missiles and a 23mm cannon, reports said quoting the China 3 Army Telegram channel. Egypt filled the sky with MiG-29M/M2 Fulcrum multi-role fighters and other aircraft from the base, which is about 37.3 kilometers (60 miles) west of the Gulf of Suez and about 2,800 kilometers (4,500 miles) from Beijing. 'The [Chinese] air unit has adopted a mixed force formation that combines air transfer and aerial transportation, which ensured full deployment of all personnel and equipment,' according to China's CCTV. 'It has been suggested that China can use the exercise to train against relatively modern MiG-29s, a type that remains a primary fighter for the Indian Air Force and Navy,' said The War Zone, a Florida-based military website. 'The Egyptian MiG-29M/M2 share many similarities with the Indian Air Force & Indian Navy's MiG-29UPG & MiG-29K such as the same avionics suite,' it said. 'With the real possibility of drastic [US] foreign aid cuts to beneficiaries like Egypt, Cairo could see Beijing as an alternative to Washington's largesse and resulting attached strings,' The War Zone said. 'Significant US military aid to Egypt has been frozen and unfrozen in recent years, as successive US administrations weigh human rights concerns against Cairo's ability to assist in different geopolitical crises,' reported Breaking Defense, a New York-based online military site. 'It is China that is building Egypt's new capital city, intended to be an international gem in beauty, architecture, wealth, and grandeur,' Israeli former intelligence officer and expert on Egypt, Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) Eli Dekel told Maariv news. China is 'also building at least two very important, large ports in Egypt, in Abu Qir. China has a lot of involvement, so I'm not surprised they are conducting this exercise,' Dekel said, according to the Jerusalem Post. Abu Qir Peninsula and Bay are on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, northeast of Alexandria, and valued for its natural gas production and sheltered waters. Richard S Ehrlich is a Bangkok-based American foreign correspondent reporting from Asia since 1978, and winner of Columbia University's Foreign Correspondents' Award. Excerpts from his two new nonfiction books, 'Rituals. Killers. Wars. & Sex. — Tibet, India, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka & New York' and 'Apocalyptic Tribes, Smugglers & Freaks' are available here.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Organizers of Taiwan marathon apologize over trophies shaped like a Chinese machine gun
HONG KONG — Organizers of a military-linked marathon in southern Taiwan have apologized after handing out trophies in the shape of a Chinese machine gun, which drew backlash as the Beijing-claimed island comes under growing pressure from China. The prizes from the Fengshan Marathon near the major city of Kaohsiung were strongly criticized over the weekend because of their close resemblance to the QBZ-95, a Chinese-developed assault rifle used by the People's Liberation Army of China. China sees the self-governing democracy of Taiwan as a breakaway province and has not ruled out using force to achieve its unification goal. The ruling Chinese Communist Party, which came to power in 1949, has never controlled Taiwan, which rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. The trophies were gun-themed because the route ran through multiple military facilities affiliated with Taiwan's National Defense Ministry. Hsu Chih-chieh, a legislator from Taiwan's governing Democratic Progressive Party whose office co-hosted the race, said it was an 'oversight' of the organizers to model the trophies after a nondomestic military firearm. 'We have requested an immediate recall and apologize for the inconvenience,' Hsu said in a Facebook post Sunday. 'Future events will be handled with greater caution.' The Kaohsiung City Fengshan Jogging Association, another organizer of the event, also issued an apology but said the trophy design choice was made with 'aesthetics in mind.' 'Given the association of the military with rifles, we opted for a rifle-shaped trophy instead of a traditional one, with no other special intention behind,' the association said in a statement on Facebook. The association said it has already contacted the manufacturer and will 'proactively' reach out to the award recipients to offer to replace their trophies. 'We also urge individuals with ulterior motives to refrain from spreading unfounded accusations and labeling the event,' it added. The National Defense Ministry said it had agreed to provide access to the facilities. 'When supporting similar events in the future, we will proactively remind the organizers to pay attention to related matters to avoid similar incidents from happening again,' it said in a statement. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment Monday. In recent years, Taiwan has come under growing military and other pressure from China, which sends warplanes and naval vessels toward the island almost daily. On Monday, the National Defense Ministry said it had detected 26 Chinese military planes around Taiwan since 6:40 a.m., including 20 that crossed the median line that had previously served as an unofficial buffer in the Taiwan Strait. Last month, the Chinese military carried out a 'joint combat readiness patrol' about 40 nautical miles off Taiwan that included live-fire drills, which the island criticized as provocative and dangerous. China says its military actions are 'necessary, legitimate and just measures' to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. 'They are a resolute response to external forces' deliberate indulgence and support of 'Taiwan independence' activities,' Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Monday at a regular briefing in Beijing. Mao also said the United States, which has no official relations with Taiwan but is the island's most important international backer, had 'taken a series of misguided actions on the Taiwan issue,' including by amending a State Department website last month to remove the phrase 'we do not support Taiwan independence.' China also responded angrily last week to a joint statement by top diplomats from the Group of Seven nations, which includes the U.S., that condemned 'coercion' against Taiwan and omitted the typical reference to G7 members' 'one China' policies, under which they recognize Beijing as the only legitimate government of China. The G7 statements 'ignore facts and China's solemn position, grossly interfere in China's internal affairs, and blatantly smear China,' a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Canada said in a statement Friday. Last week, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te called China a 'foreign hostile force' and proposed 17 countermeasures against what he called Beijing's influence campaign, including strict review of applications by Chinese nationals to visit and live in Taiwan, and the reinstatement of military courts. In response, China — which considers Lai a separatist and has rebuffed his offer of talks — called Lai a 'destroyer of cross-strait peace' and 'creator of crises in the Taiwan Strait.' 'We warn the Lai Ching-te administration sternly: Those who play with fire will get burned,' Chen Binhua, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said Thursday. 'Anyone who engages in 'Taiwan independence' separatism will end up shattered to pieces.' This article was originally published on
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Number of people injured after fighter jets accidentally drop bombs rises to 29, South Korea says
SEOUL, South Korea — The number of people injured when South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped bombs on a civilian area has increased to 29 from 15, the National Defense Ministry said Friday. Those injured include 15 civilians and 14 military personnel, the ministry said. Seven civilians and two soldiers remain hospitalized, including two civilians classified as seriously injured, while 20 other people have been treated and discharged, it said. The accident occurred Thursday during military training in Pocheon, a northeastern city of about 140,000 people near the heavily fortified border with North Korea. U.S. and South Korean forces were conducting a live-fire drill in preparation for Freedom Shield, an annual U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise that is set to get underway Monday. A total of eight 500-pound MK-82 bombs were 'abnormally released' by two South Korean air force KF-16s, landing outside the designated firing range. While the Freedom Shield exercise is going ahead as planned, Col. Ryan Donald, spokesperson for U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), said Friday that the U.S. and South Korean militaries had agreed to pause all live-fire training until further notice. USFK said earlier that no U.S. Air Force aircraft participated in the exercise. South Korea, a U.S. treaty ally, hosts almost 30,000 U.S. service members. The Freedom Shield exercise, which runs for 10 days from March 10, is designed to strengthen the alliance's combined defense posture in the face of growing threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. North Korea criticized the Freedom Shield exercise Friday, saying it would worsen the situation on the Korean Peninsula and violate its "sovereignty, security and interests.' 'If the U.S. continues to renew its record of military muscle-flexing, we will have no option but to renew our record of displaying strategic deterrent,' the state-run KCNA news agency said in a commentary. Stella Kim reported from Seoul, and Julia Zhong reported from Hong Kong. This article was originally published on
Shafaq News
29-01-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Turkish forces "neutralize" 14 PKK/YPG militants in northern Syria
Shafaq News/ Turkish military forces have "neutralized" 14 PKK/YPG militants in northern Syria, Turkiye's National Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. 'The terrorists were targeted in the Operation Peace Spring zone,' the ministry said in a statement on X. Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to indicate that the individuals were either killed, wounded, or captured. Turkiye has carried out a series of cross-border operations in northern Syria since 2016, including Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, and Peace Spring, targeting PKK/YPG positions. The PKK is designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the United States, and the European Union.
