1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 » Japanese PM backtracks on US base relocation Last Updated: Dec 28 2009 7:09AM Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama says relocating entirely a controversial US airbase from southern Japan to Guam is "unreasonable". Mr Hatoyama says it wouldn't be practical to shift the whole base from Okinawa to the US-controlled Pacific Ocean territory.   Burma To Buy Russian MiG Planes Last Updated: Dec 23 2009 7:29AM BBC News Russia has signed a contract to deliver 20 MiG-29 fighter planes to Burma, Russian media reports say.  The contract is worth 400m euros (£356m; $570m), sources close to the Russian arms firm Rosoboronexport say.  Many countries in the West have imposed sanctions against Burma, in response to its poor human rights record.  But the country's military rulers still receive many goods, including arms, from its neighbours China and India, as well as Russia.  The Kommersant newspaper said Russia had already given 12 MiGs to Burma in 2001.  In the 1990s, Burma bought Chinese military aircraft to the value of about $2bn, a source at Rosoboronexport told the Vedomosti business daily.   Malaysian airforce equipment worth millions of dollars stolen Last Updated: Dec 22 2009 7:34AM KUALA LUMPUR : Millions of dollars worth of Malaysian military equipment has been stolen for sale on the black market, a report said on Tuesday, after officials revealed two fighter jet engines had gone missing.  Attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail said two engines worth 29 million dollars had been taken from a military airbase.  The airforce reported the theft of the US-made Northrop F-5E jet engines in August last year.  Armed forces chief Azizan Ariffin said the theft was only the "tip of the iceberg" after an audit revealed millions of ringgit worth of equipment was missing, the New Straits Times reported.    One dead, five hurt in South Korea weapons test Last Updated: Dec 3 2009 6:42AM SEOUL: One person was killed and five injured in an explosion Thursday at a South Korean weapons test site, the defence ministry said. A spokesman said two of the five injured were seriously hurt by the blast, which happened when artillery shells were being tested. Yonhap news agency, which earlier reported about 60 casualties, said later one person was killed and five injured when shells for 155mm self-propelled guns were being tested. (cont)   Australia to buy 14 Joint Strike Fighters Last Updated: Nov 25 2009 6:25AM The Australian Federal government has given the go ahead to buy the first batch of next generation defence combat aircraft. The Defence Minister, John Faulkner says 14 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) costing around $AU3 billion will be delivered from 2014. The Government plans to buy 100 of the aircraft, which would be Australia's biggest defence purchase. Mr Faulkner says the JSF will make sure Australia maintains its strategic capability. "This decision was underpinned by an unprecedented level of analysis and evaluation by Australia, the United States and the seven international Joint Strike Fighter partners," he said. "Australia's air combat capability is of immense importance to our national security." (cont)   North Korea's Latest Missile Tests Reportedly Failed Last Updated: Oct 29 2009 7:14AM SEOUL : North Korea's short-range missile tests earlier this month were a failure with none of the five projectiles reaching its target, a report said Thursday. The North test-fired five KN-02 missiles with a range of 120 kilometers (75 miles) from mobile launchers off its east coast on October 12. Radio Free Asia, quoting an intelligence source, said four of the five missed the mark and one did not even launch properly.   Japan Testfires Missile Interceptor Off Hawaii Last Updated: Oct 28 2009 7:02AM TOKYO -- Japan has successfully test fired a missile interceptor off the coast of Hawaii in a joint exercise with the United States, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. The interceptor missile was launched from the Japanese ship Myoko, and was the third such test that Japan has carried out since 1998. Japan started to develop the weapons after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea sent a long-range missile over the nation in 1998.   China's Military Growth The 'Minimum Requirement', Says General Last Updated: Oct 27 2009 7:11AM WASHINGTON: A top Chinese general on Monday defended Beijing's rapid military modernization, including the development of advanced weapons that threaten US forces in the Pacific, as aimed at meeting its minimum defense requirements. General Xu Caihou, vice chairman of China's military commission, sought to allay US suspicions over the growing might of the Asian superpower by insisting that Beijing harbored no expansionist ambitions and wanted collaborative international relations.   SKorea Could Swiftly Hit NKorea Nuke Bases, Says General Last Updated: Sep 24 2009 6:48AM South Korea could mount swift and precise attacks on North Korea's nuclear bases should war break out on the peninsula, Seoul's incoming top military officer said Thursday. General Lee Sang-Eui, named as next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Seoul had a list of major targets its forces would strike first should a conflict erupt.   Philippines To Review US Military Accord Last Updated: Sep 24 2009 6:44AM The Philippine government will review a 10-year-old military agreement with the United States after Filipino senators called for its renegotiation or termination because it allegedly violates the constitution, officials said Thursday. The review will cover issues raised by Senate Foreign Relations Committee head Miriam Defensor Santiago against the Visiting Forces Agreement, foreign affairs spokesman Ed Malaya said.   French ship builder eyes Asia naval defense market Last Updated: Sep 17 2009 6:52AM French warship builder DCNS said Thursday it's in talks with Asian navies to sell submarines, ships and other naval equipment as the region looks to boost defense spending to protect burgeoning economic interests. "Everybody in the area _ Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines _ is looking to upgrade their naval forces," said Eric Lassalle, managing director for DCNS's Asian unit. "It's not an arms race. They have to protect their investments." Lassalle declined to say which countries DCNS is in talks with or when deals may be announced. Asian countries, which have prospered from the surge in global trade over the last two decades, are seeking to safeguard shipping lanes, ports and assets such as offshore oil rigs from piracy and terrorism, Lassalle said in an interview.   US, Australia To Seek Military Exercises With China Last Updated: Sep 3 2009 6:20AM The United States and Australia will invite China to take part in three-way military exercises amid concerns arising from Beijing's military build-up, reports said Thursday. The top US military commander in Asia, Admiral Timothy Keating, believed joint exercises would improve relations between the nations and increase stability in the region, Fairfax newspapers reported.  The report said Keating and Australian Defence Force chief Angus Houston met this week and agreed to put the proposal to China "at the earliest opportunity." "We are anxious to engage with them," Keating told Fairfax. "We want to understand much better than we do now China's intentions." He said that China's public statements on its defence plans were "less than fulfilling" and urged China: "Don't stand in isolation in the Asia Pacific." Keating said the proposed exercises would start with small-scale naval and land activities, followed by personnel exchanges.   US, Australia To Seek Military Exercises With China Last Updated: Sep 3 2009 6:24AM The United States and Australia will invite China to take part in three-way military exercises amid concerns arising from Beijing's military build-up, reports said Thursday. The top US military commander in Asia, Admiral Timothy Keating, believed joint exercises would improve relations between the nations and increase stability in the region, Fairfax newspapers reported.  The report said Keating and Australian Defence Force chief Angus Houston met this week and agreed to put the proposal to China "at the earliest opportunity." "We are anxious to engage with them," Keating told Fairfax. "We want to understand much better than we do now China's intentions." He said that China's public statements on its defence plans were "less than fulfilling" and urged China: "Don't stand in isolation in the Asia Pacific." Keating said the proposed exercises would start with small-scale naval and land activities, followed by personnel exchanges.   China Forces Worth Watching: U.S. Admiral Last Updated: Sep 1 2009 6:30AM China Forces Worth Watching: US Admiral A US military commander says China's military build-up should be watched very carefully, but has stopped short of calling the emerging superpower a threat. The head of the US Pacific Command, which patrols the Pacific Ocean from California to China, has held talks in Australia with Defence Force Chief Angus Houston. Admiral Timothy Keating, whose command covers 51 per cent of the earth's surface, says the US is monitoring China's military build-up. "I would call them a country whose military development is worth watching very carefully," Admiral Keating told ABC Television on Tuesday night. "I would not call them a threat." The US had "repeatedly" asked China to "come out" and join them in a "very small scale" partnership. "There's plenty of room for all of us in the Asia-Pacific," Admiral Keating said.   Trials Begin On India Jets Order Last Updated: Aug 20 2009 6:27AM Six of the world's top fighter aircraft makers have begun trials in India to compete for a $10bn order. The Indian air force is planning to buy 126 new combat planes to replace its ageing Soviet-built aircraft in one of the world's most lucrative contracts. For the first time, the Americans are among the contenders. Senior air force pilots are carrying out test flights on two American-built F-18 Super Hornets, one of the world's most advanced combat planes. For 45 minutes the aircraft were put through tactical man oeuvres in a facility in the southern city of Bangalore earlier this week.   Pakistan Drone Attack 'Kills 10' Last Updated: Aug 11 2009 6:31AM At least 10 suspected militants have been killed in a strike by a US drone in north-west Pakistan, local intelligence officials say. The attack targeted an insurgents' camp in South Waziristan near the Afghan border, the officials said. The area is the stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader, Baitullah Mehsud, whose death in an earlier strike has not yet been confirmed.   Navy Ship Shoots Down Target Missile Launched From Kauai Last Updated: Jul 31 2009 6:22AM A Pearl Harbor-based destroyer today shot down a simulated short-range ballistic missile launched from Barking Sands on Kaua'i as part of the ongoing development of a U.S. missile defense system, according to the military. It was the 19th successful intercept out of 23 attempts for the ship-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system. The Navy yesterday afternoon fired a short-range ballistic missile from the Kaua'i Test Facility at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands. Three Navy ships — the cruiser USS Lake Erie and the destroyers USS Hopper and USS O'Kane — tracked the target. The Hopper fired a Standard Missile-3 interceptor, which scored a direct hit on the target missile about 5:44 p.m., four minutes after the target was launched, the military said.   Pakistan Brands Indian Submarine "Detrimental" Last Updated: Jul 28 2009 6:24AM ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hit out at India on Tuesday, branding its first nuclear-powered submarine "detrimental" to regional peace and vowing to take "appropriate steps" to maintain a "strategic balance". "Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India is detrimental to regional peace and stability," the foreign ministry said. Arch-rival India on Sunday launched the first of five planned submarines by naming the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies), powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor that can reach 44 kilometers an hour (24 knots).   China's Military To Launch Official Web Site Last Updated: Jul 23 2009 7:10AM BEIJING -- China's Defense Ministry will launch its first official Web site next month in what state media said Thursday was an effort by the secretive military to be more transparent. China has long been tightlipped about its military strength and capacity, drawing criticism from other countries wary of the Asian giant's growing power and skyrocketing military spending, although Beijing says it is purely for defense. The Web site - in English and Chinese - will run on a trial basis starting Aug. 1, which marks the anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, the world's largest with 2.3 million members, the official China Daily said. Its editors say they hope to make it as informative as the U.S. Defense Department's Web site, the newspaper reported.   [India] Defence Budget Up 25 Percent After Mumbai Attacks Last Updated: Jul 6 2009 6:34AM NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India on Monday said defense spending would grow by 25 percent in 2009-10 to $29.39 billion as it moves to modernize weapons systems and overhaul its security forces after last year's Mumbai attacks exposed major gaps. Additionally, the country will spend $562 million exclusively for boosting border security and modernizing its police force, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said while reading the budget on Monday. "Significant augmentation in the strength of the paramilitary forces is being done. This calls for more investment in creating the necessary infrastructure," Mukherjee said. India's final proposed defense spending was nearly 2 percent higher than what was announced in February's interim budget, given ahead of the April/May general election.   South Korea May Set Up Peacekeeping Force Last Updated: Jun 26 2009 8:14AM South Korea is eyeing setting up a 3,000-strong military unit to help international peacekeeping operations led by the United Nations, military officials said on Friday. The defense ministry said the plan would be included in a report being sent to President Lee Myung-Bak. "It still requires approval from President Lee," a ministry spokesman told AFP, adding the ministry would soon unveil a reform package designed to produce a stronger military.   Indian Forces Renew Maoist Attack Last Updated: Jun 26 2009 8:10AM Indian forces have launched fresh operations against Maoist strongholds in an embattled enclave in the state of West Bengal, officials say. Having consolidated their grip on parts of Lalgarh, troops are now fanning out to target surrounding areas, a police spokesman told the BBC. The state government recently re-asserted control in Lalgarh after Maoist rebels drove out local police. The insurgents had almost total control of the area since November 2008. But security forces have launched a determined campaign to retrieve territory and impose government control.   Elite Indonesia Troops Tortured Papuans - Group Last Updated: Jun 26 2009 8:02AM Members of Indonesia's elite military special forces, Kopassus, have acted with legal impunity in Papua to detain, torture and beat up ordinary citizens, Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Thursday. The New York-based rights watchdog urged the Indonesian government to investigate alleged abuses, and to discipline or prosecute offenders and their commanding officers.   Ex-Commander Blasts Fiji Troop Build-Up Last Updated: Jun 26 2009 7:47AM As nearly 600 new soldiers and police graduated in the Fijian capital of Suva on Friday, a former head of Fiji's land forces questioned the need for a recruitment boost in the struggling nation. On parade were 460 military and 120 police graduates, the soldiers adding to Fiji's already sizeable armed forces. Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka, now a visiting fellow at the Australian National University, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat: "The country can ill afford at the moment a huge intake of soldiers, given its economic plight.   U.S. And China Set To Resume Military Talks Last Updated: Jun 22 2009 8:22AM The US expects its highest-level bilateral military meeting with China in 18 months to be dominated by discussions about containing North Korea. China suspended the military sessions in protest over weapon sales to Taiwan approved by the Bush administration. The Obama administration has been eager to rebuild links, in part to find ways to prevent incidents at sea between vessels of the two navies, which have been frequent over the past few months. Michele Flournoy, US undersecretary of defense for policy, will visit Beijing for two days of defense consultation talks with Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the People’s Liberation Army’s general staff, from Tuesday, in the first such session since December 2007.   Sub, Sonar Collision 'Inadvertent' Last Updated: Jun 15 2009 7:45AM It is highly likely the recent collision of a Chinese submarine and an underwater sonar array towed by a US warship in the South China Sea was due to misjudgment of distance, Chinese military experts said. The conjecture is in line with the United States view of "inadvertent encounter". The collision occurred last Thursday as the destroyer USS John S. McCain was sailing in the sea, CNN television reported on Friday. Its sonar array, used to listen and locate underwater sounds, was damaged in the incident, but fortunately the sub and ship did not collide, an unnamed military official told CNN. The official said the US Navy does not consider the incident a harassing move by Beijing, as it would have been extremely dangerous had the array got caught in the submarine's propellers.   S.Korea Sends More Troops To N.Korea Border Last Updated: Jun 12 2009 8:08AM South Korea has sent hundreds more Marines to its tense border with North Korea, military officials said on Friday as world powers prepared to punish the communist state for its nuclear test. US intelligence officials believe Pyongyang will respond to the UN Security Council resolution with a third atomic test, according to sources quoted by American TV networks.   Thailand To Spend US$1.6B To Develop Restive South Last Updated: Jun 12 2009 8:00AM Thailand's cabinet on Thursday approved an emergency 1.6-billion-dollar budget to develop the economy of the restive far south after a recent upsurge in deadly violence in the region. The funds will be spent on 300 projects, a government spokesman said, in the hope that economic development of the three troubled provinces will help quell separatist unrest that has claimed 3,700 lives in the past five years.   Pakistan Kills Scores Of Taliban In New Combat Zones Last Updated: Jun 11 2009 7:44AM Pakistan unleashed helicopter gunships and artillery to kill scores of Taliban fighters, officials said on Thursday, after opening a second front against militants near their stronghold in the Waziristan tribal region. Already in the final stages of an operation to clear Islamist fighters from the Swat valley, far to the northwest and closer to Islamabad, the military went on the offensive on Tuesday in Bannu district after up to 800 militants infiltrated from Waziristan.   Eight Dead In Clashes On Philippine Hostage Island Last Updated: Jun 11 2009 7:41AM ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AFP) - – Two soldiers and six members of an Islamic militant group holding an Italian Red Cross hostage have been killed in heavy fighting in the southern Philippines, the military said. There was no immediate confirmation on the physical state of Eugenio Vagni, the 62-year-old Italian who was abducted by the Abu Sayyaf along with two other aid workers -- who have since been released unharmed -- nearly five months ago.   US, Singapore Enhance Cooperation With Maritime Exercise Last Updated: Jun 9 2009 7:53AM The Singapore Armed Forces, the US Navy and the US Coast Guard are participating in the CARAT exercise from June 8 to 19. Exercise CARAT, which stands for Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training, is a series of annual bilateral maritime exercises aimed at enhancing the professional cooperation between the participating forces. For the first time, the 12-day program will see personnel from both countries operating together in a submarine tracking exercise.   Fighting Increases In Southern Philippines Last Updated: Jun 5 2009 8:04AM Violence has intensified in the southern Philippines after an air strike was conducted by Philippine security forces on camps of the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The military says thirteen rebels and a civilian were killed and five soldiers were injured in the bombardment and in following skirmishes. The air strikes on MILF camps and gunbattles have been continuing for two days.   North Korea Starts Assembling Long-Range Missile Last Updated: Jun 3 2009 7:58AM North Korea appears to have begun assembling a missile believed capable of striking US soil, a report said Wednesday as tensions rose along the heavily fortified border with South Korea. The communist regime of ailing North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has defied international criticism of its second nuclear test by firing a volley of short-range missiles and threatening to attack the capitalist South. It is now said to be preparing to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile as well as several medium-range missiles.   US Forces To Deploy Drones To Spy On North Korea Last Updated: Jun 3 2009 7:56AM US forces in South Korea will deploy unmanned spy planes to keep closer watch over nuclear-armed North Korea amid mounting tensions on the peninsula, the deputy head of US forces in the South has said. Lieutenant General Jeffrey Remington said the US Air Force in the South would retire decades-old U-2 spy planes and replace them with Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance planes. Remington's comments in an interview with Dong-A Ilbo newspaper were confirmed by his public affairs officer.   Swat Fight 'May Take Two Months' Last Updated: Jun 3 2009 7:44AM The offensive to eject the Taliban from the Swat valley of Pakistan could take another two months to complete, a senior army officer has said. Chief army spokesman Gen Athar Abbas said that troops needed time to stop militants from retaking control. The armed forces say that they have secured control over several key towns during the month-old campaign.   Soldiers Hunt Taliban Fighters As Pakistan Says Victory Near Last Updated: Jun 1 2009 8:14AM Pakistan's defense secretary said on Sunday that a month-long offensive to crush Taliban fighters in northwest Swat could end within days, as fierce fighting spilled into a nearby tribal area. Swat valley's main town Mingora is back in government hands, the military announced on Saturday, and security officials said they were now pursuing the top leadership of the hardline Taliban movement into the nearby mountains.   China To Hold Massive Military Drill In Second Half Of 2009 Last Updated: May 5 2009 7:57AM BEIJING - The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has started preparations for a massive military drill in the second half of this year that involves as many as 50,000 troops, sources from the Headquarters of General Staff said here Tuesday. The drill, dubbed Kuayue-2009, will be undertaken by troops from four military command areas, namely, Shenyang, Lanzhou, Jinan and Guangzhou. This is the first time in the history of the PLA that four divisions from four military command areas are taking part in a drill that involves the deployment of troops across different military command areas, the sources said. The PLA has seven area command areas. The other three are Beijing, Chengdu and Nanjing.   Philippine Army Commander Is New Military Chief Last Updated: May 1 2009 7:49AM Army chief Lieutenant General Victor Ibrado has formally assumed Friday as the new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Ibrado replaced General Alexander Yano, who retired early after President Gloria Arroyo named him as the new ambassador to Brunei. Yano was supposed to retire next month. Arroyo’s former aide, Lieutenant General Delfin Bangit took over as the new army chief. Arroyo ordered Ibrado to build on the gains of his predecessors on improving the life of the ordinary soldier. “I expect Gen. Ibrado… to build on the gains of his predecessors, not only on the military front but especially with regard to soldiers’ welfare,” she said in her speech at the end of the change of command ceremonies in Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City.   Top US Commander Says NKorea Has World's Largest Artillery Force Last Updated: Apr 22 2009 8:07AM The top US commander in South Korea said on Wednesday that North Korea has the world's largest artillery force and could rain fire on Seoul should the communist state decide to provoke all-out conflict. General Walter Sharp's comments came amid rising tensions on the peninsula. Last Saturday the North's military reminded South Korea that its densely populated capital is "only 50 km away" from the border. Sharp, commander of some 28,500 US troops in South Korea, said the North has "an old but very large military that is positioned in a very dangerous place, very close" to South Korea. "They have a very large special operating force. It has the world's largest artillery force that is positioned as far south as possible and that can rain on Seoul today," he told local business leaders.   China Planning Huge Navy Upgrade Last Updated: Apr 16 2009 8:16AM China's navy will develop a new generation of warships and aircraft to give it much longer-range capabilities, its commander-in-chief said in comments published Thursday. Admiral Wu Shengli told the state-run China Daily newspaper the Chinese navy wanted to develop hardware such as large combat warships, stealth submarines with abilities to travel further and supersonic cruise aircraft. More accurate long-range missiles, deep-sea torpedoes and a general upgrade of information technology were also in the pipeline, according to Wu. “The navy will establish a maritime defense system that corresponds with the need to protect China's maritime security and economic development," Wu said.   Military Plane Crash Kills 24 In Indonesia Last Updated: Apr 6 2009 7:52AM Twenty-four Indonesian military personnel were killed on Monday when their training aircraft crashed into a hangar at an air base in West Java, a hospital source said. "All the bodies found on the crashed plane have been brought here, there are 24," said Drajat, a doctor at Salamun hospital in West Java. "Some 18 bodies have been identified but others are cut into pieces, so it's difficult to recognise them. A police forensic team is trying to identify them."   China Tells Japan It Wants Aircraft Carrier Last Updated: Mar 23 2009 8:46AM China will not remain the world's only major nation without an aircraft carrier indefinitely, state press Monday cited the nation's defense minister as telling his Japanese counterpart. Liang Guanglie made the remarks to visiting Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on Friday, the Oriental Morning Post said, in discussions that took place after a recent spike in tension in the South China Sea. "Among the big nations only China does not have an aircraft carrier. China cannot be without an aircraft carrier forever," the paper quoted Liang as saying, citing Japanese official sources. "China's navy is currently rather weak, we need to develop an aircraft carrier." Liang's comment is the highest-level recent confirmation that China aims to acquire an aircraft carrier, a sophisticated piece of military hardware that can be used to project power far beyond a nation's shores.   Malaysia Reportedly Takes Delivery Of First Submarine Last Updated: Jan 28 2009 8:22AM Malaysia has taken delivery of its first submarine as part of a plan to establish a fleet of the vessels, according to the French company that built it. The Royal Malaysian Navy received the Scorpene submarine in the French port of Toulon and a second is scheduled for delivery in late 2009, French contractor DCNS said in a statement late Tuesday. It said the sub had completed its final sea trials in December, including the successful firing of torpedoes and missiles. The vessel's delivery again raised opposition claims that a 540 million ringgit (149.50 million dollar) commission was paid to a close associate of deputy premier Najib Razak in brokering the deal.   [Philippines] Arroyo ‘Mistah’ Is New PAF Chief Last Updated: Jan 9 2009 8:06AM The new commanding general of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), Major General Oscar Rabena, assumed his post on Friday, vowing to instill a "planning mindset" in the troops to prepare them not only for success, but for failure as well. "I'm counting on Team Air Force not only in propagating an aura of culture, but in developing a planning mindset, one that takes into account everything that needs to be done for a given period and anticipates blind spots," Rabena said in his assumption speech. "I feel strongly about the need for every Air Force officer and even NCO [non-commissioned officer] to know how to plan for failure," he said.   China's Hu Calls For Military Exchanges With Taiwan Last Updated: Dec 31 2008 8:38AM Chinese President Hu Jintao called Wednesday for military dialogue with Taiwan, in another sign of rapidly improving ties between the former arch enemies. "The two sides can pick the right time to engage in exchanges on military issues and explore setting up a military and security mechanism to build mutual trust," Hu said. This would help "improve the situation in the Taiwan Straits and lessen military and security concerns" he said in a speech broadcast live on national television.   Iraq Signs Military Accords With Britain, Australia Last Updated: Dec 31 2008 8:22AM Baghdad signed on Tuesday military accords with Britain and Australia that give their troops a legal basis to stay in Iraq after the expiry of the UN mandate on December 31, the Iraqi government said. "With the authority of the government of Iraq given to the defense minister, an agreement was signed with Britain today which will be implemented from the start of the new year until June 30," defense ministry spokesman Major General Mohammed al-Askari told AFP.   Pakistan Closes NATO Supply Route To Fight Militants Last Updated: Dec 30 2008 7:57AM Pakistan on Tuesday cut off supplies to NATO and US forces in Afghanistan via the Khyber Pass as security forces launched a major operation against militants there, officials said. The offensive comes after a series of spectacular raids by suspected Taliban militants on foreign military supply depots in northwest Pakistan earlier this month in which hundreds of NATO and US-led coalition vehicles were destroyed.   China To 'Seriously Consider' Building Aircraft Carrier Last Updated: Dec 23 2008 8:35AM China's Ministry of National Defense spokesman said Tuesday that aircraft carriers are "a reflection of a nation's comprehensive power" and are needed to meet the demands of a country's navy. The Chinese government would seriously consider "relevant issues" with "factors in every aspects" on building its first ever aircraft carrier, said the spokesman Huang Xueping when responding to a question on whether it was a good opportunity at present to build China's aircraft carrier, at a press conference. "China has a long coastline and the sacred duty of China's armed forces is to safeguard the country's marine safety and sovereignty over coastal areas and territorial seas," he said.   New Russian Missile Fails A 5th Test Last Updated: Dec 23 2008 8:33AM Russia's new sea-based ballistic missile has failed in a test launch for the fifth time, signaling serious trouble with the highly advertised key future component of the nation's nuclear forces. The Bulava "self-destructed and exploded in the air" after a launch from the Dmitry Donskoy nuclear submarine beneath surface of the White Sea, said Navy spokesman Capt. Igor Dygalo. Russia has been making an aggressive effort in recent years to upgrade its missile forces after years of post-Soviet underfunding and a lack of testing. The Kremlin has hailed the missile as capable of penetrating any prospective missile defenses.   Russia Starts Missile Delivery To Iran: Iranian MP Last Updated: Dec 22 2008 8:42AM Russia has begun delivering S-300 air defense systems to Iran which could help repel any Israeli and U.S. air strikes on its nuclear sites, the official IRNA news agency reported on Sunday. "After few years of talks with Russia ... now the S-300 system is being delivered to Iran," IRNA quoted Email Kosari, deputy head of parliament's Foreign Affairs and National Security committee, as saying. Kosari did not say when the deliveries began. Iran's Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the report. Russia's Foreign Ministry also declined comment, saying it may react on Monday.   1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 »