Gen Kayani inspects military exercises at Tilla Jogian

COAS Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani inspected military exercises at Tilla Jogia range in Jhelum. 

The COAS inspected exercises involving missiles and tanks. The corps commanders and several other top military officers attended the exercises. 

UN probes claim China broke N. Korea sanctions

UN officials are investigating allegations China supplied technology for a NKorea missile launcher.

UN investigative panel is probing allegations that China provided long-range ballistic missile technology to North Korea, in what is likely a breach of UN sanctions, according to an AFP report quoting a defense magazine. North Korea s new missile launcher is allegedly based on Chinese missile technology, the report said.

Military analysts of IHS Jane s Defence Weekly tipped-off the United Nation s panel of experts about a possible transfer of either the technology or the missile itself from China to North Korea.

If the allegations are proved then the transfer of technology would be a serious breach of UN sanctions against North Korea and it might also expose the clandestine association that China has with the North s hermit regime.

The charges are based on the photographs of North Korea s new missile launchers that were displayed in a grand parade organized on the occasion of its founder leader Kim Sung-II s birthday centenary celebrations.

IHS Jane s defense analysts say that one of the missile launchers had Chinese technology in it and the design was very similar to China s military equipments, Pan African News reported.

Until now Iran was suspected of aiding Pyongyang in its nuclear and missile program. New accusations have now exposed the probability of China s role in encouraging North Korea s missile program.

The allegations will be taken seriously by the UN and the world powers, as China has so far claimed to be a genuine negotiator who can reign in Pyongyang. It is also a part of the six-country team of negotiators that discuss nuclear issues with North Korea.

China s credibility will take a massive hit if allegations of a breach of UN sanctions against North Korea are proved to be true.

"This would be really big, it really changes things. If China is seen to be violating Security Council sanctions by helping to militarize North Korea it puts China in a different light and changes the diplomatic relations between it and South Korea, Japan and the US," Marcus Noland, an expert on North Korea said to the Pan African News.

However, international experts feel that it would be difficult to implicate China or impose any punitive actions against it. UN investigators will have to definitively prove that the technology was transferred after 2006, when UN sanctions against supplying big military equipment to North Korea came in to effect and that the transfer was not as a commercial purpose vehicle, AFP reported.

"There is no doubt it came from China, (but) whether it was produced as a licensed or unlicensed vehicle is an open question," AFP reported quoting Nick Hansen of Stanford University s Center for International Security and Cooperation.

China may also escape allegations if it proves that the missile carrier was transferred as a commercial vehicle to North Korea, since sale of commercial vehicles is not covered by the sanctions.

India stands no chance in arms race: China

India may have missiles that can reach most parts of China but stands "no chance in an overall arms race" with the country, a Chinese daily said Thursday, when India test-fired its 5,000km range nuclear capable missile, and added that New Delhi would gain nothing by stirring "further hostility".

 

The article, "India being swept up by missile delusion", that appeared in the op-ed section of the state-run Global Times said India apparently is hoping to enter the global intercontinental missile club, despite intercontinental missiles normally having a range of over 8,000km.

 

India on Thursday test-fired the Agni-V missile that can accurately hit targets more than 5,000 km away. With this launch, India entered an exclusive club of nations that have this capability.

 

The daily noted that India has moved rapidly in developing missile technology.

 

"It successfully launched the Agni IV with a range of 3,500km last year. Indian public opinion has long seen China as its reference point for military development," it said.

 

Criticising India, it said the country "is still poor and lags behind in infrastructure construction, but its society is highly supportive of developing nuclear power and the West chooses to overlook India s disregard of nuclear and missile control treaties".

 

"The West remains silent on the fact that India s military spending increased by 17 percent in 2012 and the country has again become the largest weapons importer in the world," it said.

 

It stressed that India "should not overestimate its strength".

 

"Even if it has missiles that could reach most parts of China, that does not mean it will gain anything from being arrogant during disputes with China. India should be clear that China s nuclear power is stronger and more reliable. For the foreseeable future, India would stand no chance in an overall arms race with China," it warned.

 

It went on to say that "India should also not overstate the value of its Western allies and the profits it could gain from participating in a containment of China. If it equates long range strategic missiles with deterrence of China, and stirs up further hostility, it could be sorely mistaken".

 

The daily advised that China and India should develop as friendly a relationship as possible. "Even if this cannot be achieved, the two should at least tolerate each other and learn to coexist."

 

It quickly added that it would be "unwise for China and India to seek a balance of power by developing missiles".

 

"The geopolitics of Asia will become more dependent on the nature of Sino-Indian relations. The peace and stability of the region are crucial to both countries. China and India should both take responsibility for maintaining this peace and stability and be wary of external intervention," the article said.

 

"China understands the Indian desire to catch up with China. China, as the most appropriate strategic target for India, is willing to take India as a peaceful competitor."

 

The daily said China and India are sensitive toward each other, "but objectively speaking, China does not spend much time guarding against India, while India focuses a lot of attention on China".

 

"China hopes India will remain calm, as this would be beneficial to both giants."