Latest news with #naval
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Brazil's Petrobras to commission 52 vessels by 2026-end in $5.1 billion investment
RIO DE JANEIRO, May 29 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil firm Petrobras ( opens new tab will commission 52 vessels by 2026, investing 29 billion reais ($5.12 billion), said Chief Executive Magda Chambriard during an event on Thursday alongside President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Without providing further details, Chambriard said the firm will ensure up to 65% in local content for the construction of the vessels, which would help boost Brazil's shipbuilding industry. ($1 = 5.6621 reais)
Al Arabiya
5 days ago
- General
- Al Arabiya
China flexes military muscle with East Asian naval activity: Sources
China has flexed its muscles this month by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters, according to security documents and officials, in moves that have unnerved regional capitals. Since early May, China deployed fleets larger than usual, including navy, coast guard and other ships near Taiwan, the southern Japanese islands and the East and South China Seas, according to three regional security officials and documents of regional military activities reviewed by Reuters. On May 21 and May 27, for instance, China deployed nearly 60 and more than 70 ships, respectively, around three-quarters of them naval, the documents show. These included guided-missile frigates, destroyers and coast guard boats. Beijing also dispatched two aircraft carrier groups, with the Shandong now in the busy waterway of the South China Sea and the Liaoning off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, the documents show. 'They are exerting pressure on the whole of the first island chain amid global geopolitical uncertainties,' said one security official. The reference is to waters stretching from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing the seas around China's coast. 'They are trying to reinforce their dominance,' the source said, adding that drills this month by the Liaoning, the oldest of China's three aircraft carriers, simulated attacks on foreign ships and aircraft around the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. There was an 'obvious' stepped-up Chinese naval presence this month, added a second source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as did the first, citing the sensitivity of the intelligence assessment. 'China clearly wants to show these are its home waters and it can operate when and where it wants,' the source said. China's defense ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Live fire drills Over the past two weeks China declared several live-fire drill areas off its coast, including last week one directly facing southwestern Taiwan. Last Wednesday, Chinese state television showed images of amphibious drills in the southern province of Fujian, across the strait from Taiwan, but did not give an exact location. This week, Japan has been tracking the Liaoning and its accompanying warships through the southern Japanese islands and into the Western Pacific. China seems to be trying to improve its capacity to operate far from the Chinese coast, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said. 'The Japanese government intends to keep a close eye on relevant movement and do its utmost in carrying out monitoring and surveillance activities,' he told reporters on Wednesday. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the ships' activities were in line with international law and practice and Japan should 'look at them objectively and rationally.' China has kept up its stand-off with the Philippines in the South China Sea, where its foreign ministry on Friday urged the Philippines to immediately stop 'infringement and provocation'. The Philippine Navy's spokesperson on South China Sea issues, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, told Reuters that China's 'illegal presence' in the maritime zones of Southeast Asian states 'has been disturbing the peace in the region and is contrary to pronouncements of its 'peaceful rise'.' The spike in Chinese military activity has also come as Taiwan President Lai Ching-te marked the anniversary this month of a year in office. China has staged three major rounds of war games since the inauguration of Lai, whom it calls a 'separatist'. On Wednesday, Taiwan's defense ministry said the Liaoning was off the island's southeast coast, adding that Taiwan would raise its combat preparedness in line with the threat level.
Reuters
5 days ago
- General
- Reuters
Exclusive: China flexes military muscle with East Asian naval activity, sources say
May 28 (Reuters) - China has flexed its muscles this month by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters, according to security documents and officials, in moves that have unnerved regional capitals. Since early May, China deployed fleets larger than usual, including navy, coast guard and other ships near Taiwan, the southern Japanese islands and the East and South China Seas, according to three regional security officials and documents of regional military activities reviewed by Reuters. On May 21 and May 27, for instance, China deployed nearly 60 and more than 70 ships, respectively, around three-quarters of them naval, the documents show. These included guided-missile frigates, destroyers and coast guard boats. Beijing also dispatched two aircraft carrier groups, with the Shandong now in the busy waterway of the South China Sea and the Liaoning off the southeastern coast of Taiwan, the documents show. "They are exerting pressure on the whole of the first island chain amid global geopolitical uncertainties," said one security official. The reference is to waters stretching from Japan through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing the seas around China's coast. "They are trying to reinforce their dominance," the source said, adding that drills this month by the Liaoning, the oldest of China's three aircraft carriers, simulated attacks on foreign ships and aircraft around the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea. There was an "obvious" stepped-up Chinese naval presence this month, added a second source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as did the first, citing the sensitivity of the intelligence assessment. "China clearly wants to show these are its home waters and it can operate when and where it wants," the source said. China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment. Over the past two weeks China declared several live-fire drill areas off its coast, including last week one directly facing southwestern Taiwan. Last Wednesday, Chinese state television showed images of amphibious drills in the southern province of Fujian, across the strait from Taiwan, but did not give an exact location. This week, Japan has been tracking the Liaoning and its accompanying warships through the southern Japanese islands and into the Western Pacific. China seems to be trying to improve its capacity to operate far from the Chinese coast, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said. "The Japanese government intends to keep a close eye on relevant movement and do its utmost in carrying out monitoring and surveillance activities," he told reporters on Wednesday. Speaking in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the ships' activities were in line with international law and practice and Japan should "look at them objectively and rationally". China has kept up its stand-off with the Philippines in the South China Sea, where its foreign ministry on Friday urged, opens new tab the Philippines to immediately stop "infringement and provocation". The Philippine Navy's spokesperson on South China Sea issues, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, told Reuters that China's "illegal presence" in the maritime zones of Southeast Asian states "has been disturbing the peace in the region and is contrary to pronouncements of its 'peaceful rise'." The spike in Chinese military activity has also come as Taiwan President Lai Ching-te marked, opens new tab the anniversary this month of a year in office. China has staged three major rounds of war games since the inauguration of Lai, whom it calls, opens new tab a "separatist". On Wednesday, Taiwan's defence ministry said the Liaoning was off the island's southeast coast, adding that Taiwan would raise its combat preparedness in line with the threat level.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Korea detains four officials over naval destroyer debacle
North Korean authorities have detained four officials after the launch of a naval destroyer ended in failure last week, its state media reported, in a debacle that the country's dictator Kim Jong-un said was caused by 'criminal negligence'. Kim, who attended the event on Wednesday in the northeastern port of Chongjin, was said to be furious after the launch of the pariah state's second naval destroyer was marred by an accident and lost its balance. Satellite imagery showed the vessel toppled over and draped in blue covers, with parts of the warship submerged. It is unusual for Pyongyang to acknowledge military-related setbacks and publicly punish officials over them, with analysts saying it reflects how serious Kim is about North Korea's naval modernisation. Soon after the embarrassing incident, Kim blamed military officials, scientists and shipyard operators for the botched launch, labelling it a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism'. The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that authorities detained Ri Hyong-son, vice director of the munitions industry department at the ruling Workers Party's Central Committee, who said it was 'greatly responsible' for the failed launch. Three other officials – the chief engineer, head of the hull construction workshop and deputy manager for administrative affairs – were also detained, it reported, while the shipyard manager was called in for questioning. Wednesday's incident followed the successful launch of North Korea's first naval destroyer last month, with Kim hailing its construction 'a breakthrough' in modernising North Korea's navy. State media reported that the ship – the country's most advanced – is designed to carry modern weapons including nuclear missiles. South Korean officials said the warship, named the Choe Hyon, was likely built with the aid of Russia. Kim has presented his efforts to develop Pyongyang's military capabilities as crucial in repelling perceived threats from the US and its regional allies. Despite publicly detaining officials and Kim's outraged reaction to last week's incident, North Korea denied the second destroyer suffered major damage and claimed on Friday that it would require 10 days to be repaired, though commentators said it was likely to be downplaying the damage. Korea Foundation Fellow at Chatham House's Asia-Pacific Programme Dr Edward Howell told Euronews that the high number of officials detained highlights that 'this is an extremely embarrassing incident from Kim Jong-un'. Howell, who is also a lecturer in International Relations at the University of Oxford, said that while the regime has at times admitted to making mistakes before, Kim's insistence that the destroyer could be repaired within 10 days was intended as a demonstration of the country's ability 'to rebound quickly'. 'Despite the embarrassing incident, North Korea has no intention of turning back on its naval or military modernisation," he said. "This is part and parcel of Kim Jong-un's desire for greater status and prestige.' The launch of the destroyer was significant due to its missile capabilities, he said, noting that like the Choe Hyon launched in April, it is equipped with systems able to launch surface-to-air and cruise missiles. 'This, for me, is very important because it highlights how these warships are part and parcel of not only modernising North Korea's navy, but also, what Kim Jong Un's ultimate goal is: for North Korea to be recognised as a de facto nuclear armed state," Howell said. 'North Korea has always wanted to be recognised as a de facto nuclear armed state, so it can try to convince the rest of the world, particularly the US, to conclude a peace treaty to end the Korean War." Howell added that this would be 'disastrous for regional security'. 'Because if North Korea signed a peace treaty with South Korea, the rationale for the 28,500 US troops in South Korea would go out the window," he explained. 'The nuclear ambitions are inextricably linked with Kim's desire for regime survival, but also to his desire for North Korea to be seen as an equal power, of equal status, to the United States," Howell said. "The development of these warships is intertwined with this nuclear recognition.'
Free Malaysia Today
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Serious accident at N. Korea's warship launch ceremony
Pyongyang unveiled another 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. (KCNA/EPA Images pic) SEOUL : A major accident occurred at a launch ceremony for a new North Korean naval destroyer, state media reported today, with leader Kim Jong Un saying the mishap was a 'criminal act'. At a ceremony to launch a new 5,000-tonne destroyer in the eastern port city of Chongjin yesterday 'a serious accident occurred', the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Blaming 'inexperienced command and operational carelessness' during the launch, which was being observed by Kim, KCNA said there was a mishap which left 'some sections of the warship's bottom crushed'. It said the accident managed to 'destroy the balance of the warship'. Kim watched the entire incident and declared it a 'criminal act caused by absolute carelessness', warning it 'could not be tolerated'. He said the 'irresponsible errors' of officials responsible would be 'dealt with at the plenary meeting of the party central committee to be convened next month.' Pyongyang unveiled another 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel named Choe Hyon last month. At the time, state media ran images of Kim attending a ceremony with his daughter Ju Ae, considered by many experts to be his likely successor. North Korea claimed the vessel was equipped with the 'most powerful weapons', and that it would 'enter into operation early next year'. Some analysts said the ship could be equipped with short-range tactical nuclear missiles – although North Korea has not proven it has the ability to miniaturise its nukes. The South Korean military has said the Choe Hyon could have been developed with Russian help – possibly in exchange for Pyongyang deploying thousands of troops to help Moscow fight Kyiv. Russia and North Korea recently announced that they had started building the first road bridge linking the two neighbours. North Korea also launched a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in violation of UN sanctions. Experts have long warned that the nuclear-armed North may be testing weapons for export to Russia for use against Ukraine. In March, Kim inspected a project to build a nuclear-powered submarine, asserting that 'radically' boosting the navy was a key part of Pyongyang's defensive strategy. Kim called at the time for the modernisation of the country's surface and underwater naval forces, including the development of warships. Pyongyang has previously claimed to be developing underwater nuclear attack drones, which could unleash a 'radioactive tsunami', but analysts have questioned whether it actually has such a weapon. Washington – Seoul's key security ally – has in recent years ramped up joint military exercises and increased the presence of strategic US assets, such as an aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered submarine, in the region to deter the North. Pyongyang has repeatedly declared itself an 'irreversible' nuclear weapons state and routinely denounces joint US-South Korea drills as rehearsals for invasion.
