InfoAnda - Insight: From a ferry, a Chinese fast-attack boat |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Swiss return jailed ex-president's deposits to Taiwan | 8 December 2010
Indonesian man admits to kidnapping, molesting and selling 96 children | 12 January 2011
NZ central bank cuts 1.5 percent from key rate | 4 December 2008

ICICI Bank profit up 17 pct on better loans | 31 July 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Insight: From a ferry, a Chinese fast-attack boat |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Issues 2012 Candidates 2012 Tales from the Trail Political Punchlines Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Bernd Debusmann Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus David Cay Johnston Bethany McLean Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Jack & Suzy Welch Frederick Kempe Christopher Papagianis Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (5) Full Focus Editor's choice Our best photos from the last 24 hours. See more Images of April Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Seattle shooting "hero" threw stools at gunman: police | 31 May 2012 What Are 'Bath Salts' And Are They Illegal? 30 May 2012 Court says marriage law discriminates against gay couples 31 May 2012 Justin Bieber suffers concussion in Paris 31 May 2012 San Diego eighth grader wins National Spelling Bee with "guetapens" 31 May 2012 Discussed 200 Romney’s birth certificate evokes his father’s controversy 153 Romney tells vets dangerous world demands powerful military 153 Obama honors Dylan, other ”heroes” for cultural impact Watched A look at the UK’s most beautiful face Thu, May 10 2012 Cruise ship crunch Sat, May 26 2012 Something does not compute with layoffs Thu, May 31 2012 Insight: From a ferry, a Chinese fast-attack boat Tweet Share this Email Print Related News INSIGHT-From a ferry, a Chinese fast-attack boat Thu, May 31 2012 China's WTO suit hits back at U.S. duties Fri, May 25 2012 Analysis: China's nine-dashed line in South China Sea Fri, May 25 2012 UPDATE 2-Chinese entities world's biggest economic spies-Pentagon Sat, May 19 2012 Chinese entities world's biggest economic spies-Pentagon Fri, May 18 2012 Analysis & Opinion Little America: An Afghan town, an American dream and the folly of for-profit war Does government have a role in the 21st century? Related Topics World » Australia » By David Lague Fri Jun 1, 2012 2:57am EDT (Reuters) - It looked like a textbook win-win deal when Australian high-speed ferry designer AMD Marine Consulting formed a joint venture in 1993 with the engineering arm of a state-owned Chinese shipbuilder. The joint venture partner, Guangzhou Marine Engineering Corporation, a subsidiary of the giant China State Shipbuilding Corporation, gained access to state-of-the-art technology in wave-piercing, aluminum-hull designs. For AMD, a Sydney-based private company, the payoff was a foothold in China's maritime market during a period of rapid growth. The joint venture, Seabus International Co, began designing high-speed aluminum catamaran ferries and sea rescue vessels for China's inland and coastal waters, according to the company's website. That's when a third winner emerged. Attracted to the performance of these fast, stable and relatively cheap vessels, the Chinese military adopted the technology as it began replacing its aging missile boats that had been derived from an obsolete Soviet design. The new fleet of missile boats are part of a naval buildup that back up China's claims to islets and reefs in the South China Sea, waters rich in oil and gas and which half the world's ship tonnage passes through each year. This growing military muscle has prompted the United States to make a strategic shift toward Asia. U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, on his first visit to the region since announcing that shift in January, will brief allies about it this weekend, beginning with "The Shangri-La Dialogue". The event brings together senior civilian and military chiefs from nearly 30 Asia-Pacific states to foster security cooperation and takes its name from the host Singapore hotel. MISSILE BOAT Since 2004, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) navy has deployed a rapidly expanding fleet of heavily armed, Houbei class fast-attack missile boats based on AMD's advanced catamaran hull. In a clear demonstration of the value of foreign dual-use technology in China's rapid military buildup, the Houbei class or Type-022 as it is also known, appears to be adapted from the AMD 350 patrol boat design, Chinese and Western analysts say. However, AMD's technical director, Allan Soars, said the Australian company was not involved in the design of the missile craft. He said after the joint venture company Seabus International had designed some fast ferries it appeared the PLA Navy had decided the company's wave piercing technology would make a good platform for a military vessel. "I have no knowledge of the mechanisms at play, but it would appear that Seabus International was co-opted by the PLA navy to design the vessel platform," Soars said. This was not done at the Seabus International offices but at a military establishment. "The whole process was carried out in secrecy and under strict confidentiality agreements directly with the Seabus International staff who are all Chinese nationals." PENTAGON REPORT In its annual report on the Chinese military, the Pentagon said earlier this month the Chinese navy had deployed about 60 of the Houbei class patrol craft. "These boats have increased the PLA Navy's littoral warfare capabilities," the Pentagon said. The United States is also beefing up its littoral warfare capabilities in the region. The USS Freedom, first in a new class of combat ships, will be sent to Singapore next year. The smaller, shallow-draft ships are intended for operations close to shore and capable of deploying quickly in a crisis. Singapore has discussed hosting up to four such U.S. "Littoral Combat Ships" on a rotational basis at its naval facilities. From putting marines in northern Australia, stepping up military ties with Vietnam and strengthening its long-standing alliance with the Philippines, Washington has quickly begun executing the "Asian pivot". "ANTI-ACCESS STRATEGY" In the report, the Pentagon said China's defense and civilian sectors work in close cooperation to incorporate technology that could accelerate military modernization. The cumulative effect of dual-use technology transfers, particularly from the United States, could make a substantial contribution to Chinese military firepower, it said. The mass production of the Type-022 suggests the Chinese navy believes these vessels will complement its so-called "anti-access" strategy aimed at keeping foreign forces away from waters surrounding Taiwan in time of conflict, said Sam Roggeveen, an analyst and commentator at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute for International Policy, an independent private foreign policy research group. China considers self-ruled Taiwan a renegade province to be brought under mainland control eventually, and by force if necessary. The United States is Taiwan's biggest ally and arms supplier and is duty-bound by legislation to help the island defend itself. "China's anti-access capabilities are now such that it would be very difficult for the U.S. Navy to intervene in a conflict over Taiwan at an acceptable cost," Roggeveen said. "The Type-22 has made a contribution to that capability." UNDER THE RADAR Some analysts forecast the Chinese navy will take delivery of up to 100 of these vessels, which carry an estimated price tag of about $15 million each. No one has suggested AMD Marine Consulting has done anything illegal. Under Australian law, exporters of military equipment must seek government approval for foreign sales but these restrictions do not apply to work done by Australian company subsidiaries operating offshore. Soars said the advantage of AMD's wave piercing hull design was that it delivered exceptional sea keeping qualities, allowing smaller vessels to sail into rough water. "While the military could obviously afford larger vessels we speculate that they wanted to keep the vessel size down to minimize radar signature although we cannot rule out cost considerations given the number of vessels," he said. An Australian company is also providing aluminum hull design technology to the U.S. military. Western Australian shipbuilder Austal has won contracts to design and build a new class of littoral combat ship and high-speed transport catamarans for the U.S. Navy. WESTERN WEAPONS SALES BAN Despite bans on Western weapons sales to China that have remained in place since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, Beijing has mounted a rapid military build-up that has made the PLA increasingly capable of challenging the military dominance the United States has enjoyed in Asia since the end of the Cold War. Average annual increases of almost 12 per cent in military spending over more than two decades have allowed China to deploy an expanding force of potent warships and submarines, long-range strike aircraft, missiles and modernized nuclear warheads. Early in this period, China relied heavily on imports of Russian weapons but this has slowed as the domestic arms industry gears up to build more locally designed hardware. As part of this shift, dual-use technology from abroad has been crucial to advances across a broad range of China's military technologies including satellites, communications networks, helicopters, radars, marine engines, signals processing and training simulators, military analysts say. China's state-owned commercial shipbuilders, who also deliver warships for the navy, have been at the forefront of absorbing foreign technology. TOP PLA PRIORITY The link between AMD's designs and the Chinese navy was first reported in 2007 in SIGNAL Magazine, a Fairfax, Virginia-based specialist defense technology publication. Roggeveen also reported on the deal in a Lowy Institute blog. Since then, the expanding Houbei class fleet has become a top priority for China's military with mass production involving up to five shipyards, defense experts say. With an estimated top speed of more than 36 knots, the 225-tonne boats were clearly designed for offensive missions where they would attack with their YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, which can strike targets at a distance of more than 200 km, experts say. They also appear to be equipped with advanced data processing links so these missiles can be directed from sensors on other aircraft or ships. The Type-22 also has a close-in weapon system for defense against incoming missiles and what appears to be a launcher for anti-aircraft missiles. "CARRIER KILLER" Naval strategists suggest that deployed in big numbers in wartime, these fast and stealthy craft could overwhelm bigger and much more expensive enemy warships with waves of missiles fired from different directions. Combined with missiles from China's land-based launchers, surface warships, submarines and strike aircraft, these attacks could sharply raise the stakes for an enemy operating close to the mainland. "This craft is a purebred ship killer, perhaps even a carrier killer," wrote John Patch, a retired U.S. Navy officer in an article for the United States Naval Institute. In its report on China, the Pentagon said it would continue with efforts to block the transfer of important technology to China that would contribute to China's defense industry and military firepower. However, for the United States and its allies, it could be difficult to evaluate which technologies or materials should be restricted, according to military analysts, particularly for countries that benefit from close trading relationships with China. "If you were going to be terribly rigid about this, you'd argue that Australian iron-ore exports indirectly benefit the PLA and thus should be stopped," said Roggeveen. (This story has been corrected to remove extraneous words in 20th paragraph) (Editing by Bill Tarrant) World Australia Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (5) Gyre22 wrote: Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Friday, 1 June 2012
Yemeni militants say they release 27 soldiers |
Can love affair with UK royals outlast Elizabeth II? |
Suu Kyi asks investors for help on Myanmar jobs time bomb |
Insight: From a ferry, a Chinese fast-attack boat |
Brussels police attacked after arresting veiled woman: media |
Buildings at Iran site razed: think-tank |
French government readying decree on retirement age |
Syria on brink of sectarian civil war, West says |
Europe, U.S. agree on air cargo safety regimes |
Thai yellow shirts bring parliament to a halt |
Nokia: Android phones have major patent issues |
Facebook's website goes down temporarily |
Analysis: Nasdaq plays tough with clients angry over Facebook |
Chic geeks give San Francisco a new tech groove |
Analysis: RIM's new woes seen speeding loss of BlackBerry users |
Google accuses Microsoft, Nokia of mobile collusion |
Facebook makes a comeback, options volume soars |
Oracle suffers major setback in Google case |
After Facebook, Silicon Valley warily eyes Square |
Authors win class status over Google digital books |
New Disney studio chief's instructions: make good movies |
Kicking off tour, Madonna shows she's no lady (Gaga) |
Justin Bieber suffers concussion in Paris |
Amy Winehouse London home put up for sale |
Grammys set for 2013 in Los Angeles |
Diddy Combs son criticized for accepting football scholarship |
Disney names Hollywood veteran Horn as studio boss |
Exclusive: China arrests security official on suspicion of spying for U.S. |
Erratic Greek polls fail to unlock vote riddle |
Vatican has long history of intrigue and controversy |
Canadian dismemberment suspect may be in France: source |
Kosovo Serbs, NATO troops hurt in gun fight |
NATO, Afghan forces kill 14 after rebels attack base |
South Africans live for the now, ignore calls to save |
Kazakh head says terrorist act behind border deaths |
Spain awards licenses for online gaming |
Microsoft to defer revenue from Windows upgrade offer |
Cisco sues TiVo over DVRs |
Morgan Freeman takes TV viewers into a Wormhole |
Justin Bieber gives balcony concert in Paris |
Usher feels near a rebirth on new album |
U.S. director Michael Mann to head Venice jury |
Turkish pianist charged with insulting Muslim values |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01