PLA keeps eye on US ships in Taiwan Straits
Good military relations can act as stabilizing factor, senior officer says
The Chinese military is aware of the recent passage of two United States naval ships through the Taiwan Straits and will remain vigilant, a spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.
On Wednesday, two US Navy ships — the guided missile destroyer USS Stockdale and supply vessel USNS Pecos — sailed through the Taiwan Straits in the third such operation this year. The previous trip was on Oct 22.
“The People’s Liberation Army is aware of the passage by US naval vessels, and we know their movements,” Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said at a news briefing in Beijing. “The PLA will remain vigilant and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Thursday that the Taiwan question is the most important and sensitive issue in China-US ties. “We hope the US side will carefully handle Taiwan-related issues, thus avoiding damage to China-US relations and to peace and security in the Taiwan Straits,” he said.
Commenting on recent developments in China-US military relations, Ren said the relationship is generally sound, adding that General Wei Fenghe, State Councilor and minister of national defense, had met with his US counterpart, James Mattis, three times in the last five months.
“The frequency is testimony to the overall stability between the two militaries,” Ren said.
Both sides should maintain their strategic dialogue, increase institutional exchanges and practical cooperation, enhance mutual trust and properly manage risks, he spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense
said, adding that this would allow China-US military relations to be a stabilizing factor in bilateral ties.
Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said it is typical for the US to try to drive a wedge between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan by sending warships through the Taiwan Straits and boosting its military presence in the region.
Ren said the Chinese military opposes hyping up ChinaUS confrontations, as done in the recent report by the US National Defense Strategy Commission, an independent agency whose board is appointed by the US House and Senate Armed Services committees.
The report, published on Nov 13, claimed the US is facing a “crisis of national security” brought about by eroding military superiority, and might “struggle to win, or perhaps lose, a war against China or Russia”.
On Nov 17, military personnel from the PLA Eastern Theater Command and the US Army Pacific concluded the five-day Disaster Management Exchange 2018 in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. The exchange aimed to share each side’s experience with humanitarian aid and disaster relief and to cultivate the willingness and capabilities of the two militaries in joint operations in this area.
Ren said the exercise can enhance dialogue and cooperation among military personnel, and increase mutual trust and learning, thus injecting positive energy into the ChinaUS military relationship.
The People’s Liberation Army is aware of the passage by US naval vessels.”
Zhao Hongwei, chief engineer at the China Academy of Railway Sciences
high-speed train engineer for China Railway Nanchang Group, a subsidiary of China Railway Corp in Jiangxi province
Station
In the past 25 years, I have operated virtually every kind of train there is — steam trains, internal-combustion engine trains, electric-powered trains and high-speed trains. Now I’m running the latest Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet train. I have witnessed railway changes and developments from my engineer’s cabin. In the past, the working environment in steam locomotives was extremely poor. The coal made us look like a mine worker. But now, we have a spacious, clean cab and wear suits and ties.
Chen Chengyi,
As a crew member, I’m looking forward to more intelligent train service. For example, there will be a reminder sent a day in advance so that passengers can better arrange their trips. When arriving at the station, a robot will guide them to a waiting room and the check-in counter. If they run into any problem, passengers will use a help function in a phone app, and a robot will be assigned to help them. During the journey, robots will bring meals and drinks to their seats.
Zhang Runqiu,
crew member based at Beijing South Railway