China’s missiles, pointing at Taiwan, have been the basis of much military and political tension in the past. But and analysis of the 2013 Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat, which contains contributions from key US intelligence agencies, shows mainly a cut-and-paste report, based on old reports, writes defense analyst Wendell Minnick for Defense News.Read More →
Defense analyst Wendell Minnick got hold of an advanced copy of the upcoming book by former US Army officer Larry Wortzel, who also served as assistant Army attache at the Beijing embassy during the Tiananmen crisis in 1989. “Wortzel argues that the “PLA is turning into a modern armed force with its own unique operational doctrine.” he writes in Defense News.Read More →
Much of the news this week is dominated by the discovery of China hacks into the US, linked directly to the People’s Liberation Army, with names, addresses and pictures of offices. Defense analyst Wendell Minnick tells the VOA he is not really surprised by the report.Read More →
Despite bad memories on the first deal with the Sukhoi Su-27/J-11A fighter, Russia seems to move forward in negotiations on a second fighter deal with China, writes defense specialist Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Reason: geopolitical considerations, rather than business sense.Read More →
Against international agreements Taiwan is developing 1,200 km surface-to-surface missiles, writes defense analyst Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Southern and Central China, including Shanghai, are within reach, and the development will add to the regional tensions.Read More →
A Pentagon authorization, turned into law on January 2, suggest to use traditional and nuclear options against China’s underground facilities for storing nuclear weapons, defense expert Wendell Minnick writes in Defense News.Read More →
Taiwan can take over cheap US main battle tanks, left over from the war in Iraq, but that has sparked off an old debate. Does Taiwan need tanks for its defense? Military analyst Wendell Minnick reports in Defense News. Read More →
Rising costs of the upgrade of its fleet of F-16’s have caused tension between Taiwan and the US, as the angry Taiwanese decided to postpone the already long-delayed agreement, writes defense expert Wendell Minnick in Defense News. Read More →
Seven retired US air force officials urged in a letter for an upgrade of Taiwan’s F-16 as “vital for Taiwan to defend itself and restore balance in the Taiwan Strait”, defense specialist Wendell Minnick writes in Defense News.Read More →
“Last week’s visit to China by Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, is further evidence that military relations are improving and will continue to do so,” writes defense specialist Wendell Minnick in the Defense News. Read More →
Wendell Minnick via Flickr Eight Republican senators have taken on China’s electronic firm Huawei, the alter ego of the US giant Cisco. The eight accuse Huawei in a letter of US departments of having ties with Iran, the Taliban and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), writes Wendell Minnick in DefenseRead More →
Wendell Minnick Fantake via Flickr China’s higher military profile is pushing Vietnam into the influence sphere of the United States, even though they have been fighting a war against each other in the past, says Wendell Minnick, Asia bureau chief of Defense News in AOL News. “There are still bumps inRead More →