DefenceTalkChina’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, has left its homeport of Qingdao in east China’s Shandong Province to conduct scientific experiments and sea training, naval authorities said Tuesday. This was the first time for the carrier to leave its homeport to conduct training voyage since it anchored there in February, according to the People’s Liberation […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-first-aircraft-carrier-leaves-homeport-for-sea-trials-48077/

DefenceTalkTaiwan urged the United States Sunday to continue arming it with defensive weapons as it kept a wary eye on the first summit between US President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. During the meeting in California, the Chinese side had asked the US to end its arms sales to Taiwan, which Beijing […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-renews-arms-sales-call-amid-us-china-summit-48071/

DefenceTalkNATO defence ministers agreed Tuesday to set up rapid reaction teams to help defend the military alliance against a growing number of cyber-attacks, many of them blamed on China. “In the progress report we have adopted today, we agreed to establish rapid reaction teams that can help protect NATO’s own systems,” alliance head Anders Fogh […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-to-set-up-cyber-defence-rapid-reaction-teams-48048/

DefenceTalkThree of the world’s nuclear powers — China, India and Pakistan — have increased their arsenals over the past year, while the other five have cut their strength or kept it stable, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said Monday. China now has 250 nuclear warheads against 240 in 2012, while Pakistan has increased its […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-india-pakistan-boost-nuclear-arsenals-study-48008/

DefenceTalkChinese warships will continue to patrol waters where Beijing has territorial claims, a top general said Sunday, amid simmering rows with neighbouring countries over the South China Sea and islands controlled by Japan. Lieutenant General Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army, defended the patrols as legitimate and said […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinese-patrols-in-asian-seas-legitimate-general-48006/

DefenceTalkThe United States and China have agreed to hold regular, high-level meetings aimed at setting standards for behavior on cybersecurity and commercial spying, the White House confirmed Sunday. The talks — first reported by The New York Times — have a wide agenda, focusing not just on hacking but also on developing ground rules for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-china-to-hold-regular-talks-on-hacking-white-house-48010/

DefenceTalkChinese hackers have gained access to secret designs for a slew of sophisticated US weapons programs, officials said Tuesday, possibly jeopardizing the American military’s technological edge. The breaches were part of a broad Chinese campaign of espionage against top US defense contractors and government agencies, officials said, confirming a Washington Post account of a Pentagon […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinese-hackers-spying-on-us-weapons-programs-47956/

DefenceTalkChinese hackers have stolen top-secret blueprints to Australia’s new intelligence agency headquarters, a report said Tuesday, but Foreign Minister Bob Carr insisted ties with Beijing would not be hurt. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said the documents taken in the cyber hit included cabling layouts for the huge building’s security and communications systems, its floor plan, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-steals-new-australia-spy-agency-blueprints-report-47939/

DefenceTalkChinese Premier Li Keqiang arrives in Pakistan Wednesday for a two-day visit where he will meet prime minister-elect Nawaz Sharif as the long-time allies look to boost trade ties. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) party swept to victory in the May 11 general election on a promise to revitalize Pakistan’s struggling economy and help from […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinese-pm-begins-pakistan-visit-47855/

DefenceTalkNorth Korea fired its fourth short-range missile in the past two days into waters off its east coast on Sunday, despite calls for restraint from South Korea and other countries in the region, as well as the United Nations. The latest launch into the Sea of Japan, confirmed by South Korean Defense Ministry officials, follows […]https://www.defencetalk.com/north-korea-test-fires-4th-short-range-missile-47843/