CHINA IS ABLE TO DEPLOY UP TO 10000 TROOPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST

China calls its allies to intensify counterterrorism efforts. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Heads of State Summit took place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in June 2016. Counterterrorism operations were one of the main topics of the Summit. Chinese experts believe that the situation in Syria needs special attention from the SCO members states, as the ISIS terrorist group poses a serious threat to the security of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China and Russia, as well as the surrounding regions, including the Middle East and the Caucasus. This explains why China believes that SCO member states should coordinate their efforts over the implementation of countermeasures against Jihadi groups.

Currently, an estimated number of 2500 Chinese troops are deployed as part of UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, South Sudan and Mali. Rumors are circulating that the Chinese leadership is going to deploy up to 10000 troops in the Middle East, as soon as the Chinese military base in Djibouti is ready. This base alone will allow Beijing to deploy 5000 troops that can participate in operations in the Middle East and North Africa. In this context, it has become clear why China has pushed the counterterrorism agenda at the recent SCO Summit. Furthermore, if Iran joins the SCO, China could earn access to additional logistics centers in the region. Modern counterterrorism operations are de facto common military operations, with full-scale usage of artillery, military equipment, missiles and warplanes. This is why China needs as many logistic centers as it can get access to, if it wants to participate in operations in the region. In other words, it is becoming clear that Beijing is preparing to project its military power on the Middle East.

Comments

Why States Still Use Barrel Bombs

Smoke ascends after a Syrian military helicopter allegedly dropped a barrel bomb over the city of Daraya on Jan. 31.(FADI DIRANI/AFP/Getty Images) Summary Barrel bombs are not especially effective weapons. They are often poorly constructed; they fail to detonate more often than other devices constructed for a similar purpose; and their lack of precision means they can have a disproportionate effect on civilian populations. However, combatants continue to use barrel bombs in conflicts, including in recent and ongoing conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, and they are ideally suited to the requirements of resource-poor states. Analysis Barrel bombs are improvised devices that contain explosive filling and shrapnel packed into a container, often in a cylindrical shape such as a barrel. The devices continue to be dropped on towns all over Syria . Indeed, there have been several documented cases of their use in Iraq over the past months, and residents of the city of Mosul, which was re

Russia Looks East for New Oil Markets

Click to Enlarge In the final years of the Soviet Union, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev began orienting his foreign policy toward Asia in response to a rising Japan. Putin has also piloted a much-touted pivot to Asia, coinciding with renewed U.S. interest in the area. A good expression of intent was Russia's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in 2012 in Vladivostok, near Russia's borders with China and North Korea. Although its efforts in Asia have been limited by more direct interests in Russia's periphery and in Europe, Moscow recently has been able to look more to the east. Part of this renewed interest involves finding new export markets for Russian hydrocarbons. Russia's economy relies on energy exports, particularly crude oil and natural gas exported via pipeline to the West. However, Western Europe is diversifying its energy sources as new supplies come online out of a desire to reduce its dependence on Russian energy supplies . This has

LONDON POLICE INDIRECTLY ENCOURAGE CRIMINALS TO ATTACK RUSSIAN DIPLOMATIC PROPERTY

ILLUSTRATIVE IMAGE A few days ago an unknown perpetrator trespassed on the territory of the Russian Trade Delegation in London, causing damage to the property and the vehicles belonging to the trade delegation , Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said during the September 12 press briefing. The diplomat revealed the response by the London police was discouraging. Police told that the case does not have any prospects and is likely to be closed. This was made despite the fact that the British law enforcement was provided with video surveillance tapes and detailed information shedding light on the incident. By this byehavior, British law inforcements indirectly encourage criminals to continue attacks on Russian diplomatic property in the UK. Zakharova’s statement on “Trespassing on the Russian Trade Mission premises in London” ( source ): During our briefings, we have repeatedly discussed compliance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, specif

ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Search This Blog