Archive for category China

Technology: China Used Cyber Privateers In Attack Against Google

Nov 29

Posted by Matt in China, Letter Of Marque, Technology | No Comments

The hack was part of a computer sabotage campaign carried out by government operatives, private security experts and Internet outlaws recruited by the Chinese government. This has been going on since at least 2002, the cable said.

I read this and the first thing that popped out at me was that China was contracting with private industry to attack an enemy in cyber space (the commons). In this case, that enemy was Google.

Also, just look at the list of folks they contracted with, and you wonder how is this not cyber privateering? Perhaps the Chinese understand the concept of ‘creating an industry out of destroying your enemies’, much better than the west. It is also the Chinese who are doing this, and not some poor third world country.

So this is the next thought that came to mind. If China is doing this, then why couldn’t the US use the same tool of cyber warfare against the Chinese, or even against a group like Wikileaks? Hell, we can even be open about it and issue Letters of Marque and Reprisal to individuals and companies in order to make this happen. Just a thought, and hey, China is doing it. lol -Matt

Chinese Government Ordered Hack on Google Servers: Wikileaks

By Clint Boulton2010-11-29

Wikileaks gave the New York Times a diplomatic cable that shows the Chinese government was responsible for the hack on Google’s Gmail system.

China’s government was indeed behind the hack on Google’s Gmail system earlier this year according to a cable captured by the controversial Wikileaks organization.

Wikileaks, which butters its bread collecting secret documents and seeding them in media outlets, snagged 250,000 American diplomatic cables dating back three years and released some of them to the New York Times and other media outlets.

The Times cited one of the cables as proof that “China’s Politburo directed the intrusion into Google’s computer systems in that country, a Chinese contact told the American Embassy in Beijing in January.”

A Google spokesperson told eWEEK: “We aren’t going to be able to comment. As you know, since we revealed this incident in January, we haven’t been speculating as to the parties responsible.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: China, cyber privateers, Google, internet, internet outlaws, Letter Of Marque, private security, Technology, Warfare

Executive Protection: The Explosive Growth Of The Close Protection Industry In China

Sep 22

Posted by Matt in China, Executive Protection, Industry Talk | 3 Comments

When Zhe, a national-level kung fu coach and former government security agent, started his company eight years ago, aiming to serve a high-end, wealthy clientele, he recalls there were few if any competitors in the game. By the end of last year, according to the Ministry of Public Security, the private security business had grown into a $1.2 billion industry with about 2,767 companies employing more than two million security guards.

*****

Wow, I had no idea it was this big? And what is really interesting about this, is how this will translate into China’s presence throughout the world? If the rich in China are reaching out to the close protection industry, then I would imagine that some of this relationship would spill overseas into some of the places overseas. Especially in the war zones or in countries that China’s executives and businessmen might have some concerns in.

I have to think that out of those 2,767 companies providing over two million security guards, that there are a few who have interests in overseas work. I wouldn’t be surprised that a few of them might even consider themselves a PMC and are seeking to enter into this area of contracting in order to support China’s policy goals throughout the world. That’s if they have been watching how the US uses companies.

Finally, it looks like they are going through a period of regulation concerns over how their industry is monitored and kept in check. Nothing new there, and this is a problem world wide. Some countries do better than others. Still, there will always be issues and especially when governments are involved with the process. lol -Matt

As China’s wealthy grow in numbers, so do their protectors

Bodyguard services are big hit

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As China’s wealthy grow in numbers, so do their protectors

By Keith B. RichburgSunday, September 19, 2010

BEIJING – Perhaps the most visible sign of the explosion of private wealth in China tries hard not to be visible at all – the private bodyguard.

They work as drivers or nannies, or blend into a businessman’s coterie looking like a secretary, a briefcase carrier or a toady. Unlike bodyguards in the United States, they are generally not tall and imposing; in fact, many are women, on the theory that females in the retinue attract less attention.

And also unlike in the United States, they are never armed, since private citizens in China are largely prohibited from owning firearms. Rather, Chinese bodyguards are martial arts experts, trained to disarm or subdue an attacker with a few quick thrusts, jabs and hand chops.

“In China, we don’t need people who know guns,” said Michael Zhe, president of Beijing VSS Security Consulting Ltd, which started in 2002 and counts itself as the country’s oldest private security firm. “Bodyguards can use one or two blows to stop an attacker.”

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Tags: China, Close Protection, contractor, Executive Protection, Industry Talk, private military company, private security company, security contracting, VSS Security Consulting Ltd, war zone

Aviation: Iceland’s Keflavik Airbase To Become Privatized ‘Top Gun’ School

Sep 2

Posted by Matt in Aviation, China, Iceland, Russia, Training | No Comments

SU-27s are an important part of Russian and Chinese air power but Mr ten Cate insists that ECA is not aiming to imitate either. “Russian fighter jets have been sold around the world so they are widely used,” he says. “We’re a generic enemy.”

A recruitment drive is under way for up to 45 qualified fighter pilots, as well as maintenance technicians. An advertisement was placed in an aviation trade publication last month offering pilots a salary of €160,000 a year – more than all but the most senior commercial airline pilots.

*****

Pretty cool, and check out the salary the pilots of these things will get? But what is really interesting is that this company will have a very unique capability. By constantly wargaming and learning the limitations and capabilities of these aircraft, they will be able to learn the best way to use them. That information will definitely be used in future planning and training, along with the incredible war gaming these folks will be able to offer.

The other interesting angle is that the only articles that I have found about this, is the FT ones I posted below, and a Russian Times article that bashed the hell out of the idea. Of course they called this company a ‘private army’ and mercenary and whatever ‘evil’ western name they could use to fire up any criticism of the deal. A little miffed maybe? lol No commentary from China yet.

Interesting move, and the jobs it will produce locally will be great for Iceland. It will also help them strategically, by setting up a school that will help their air force, and friendly air forces throughout the world who wish to gain a jet fighting capability for defeating Chinese and Russian aircraft. Not a bad gig for ECA Program Ltd. -Matt

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67212b2c b4cb 11df b0a6 00144feabdc0Aviation: Icelands Keflavik Airbase To Become Privatized Top Gun School

ECA has agreed to buy up to 33 Sukhoi Su-27 fighters.

Cold war base to be private ‘Top Gun’ school

By Andrew Ward in Stockholm

August 30 2010

Iceland’s Keflavik airbase, a bulwark of western security during the cold war, would be home to two squadrons of Russian-made fighter jets under plans being considered by Reykjavik.

The Icelandic government is in talks about renting the airbase to a private company that says it is buying up to €1.2bn ($1.5bn) of Sukhoi warplanes from Belarus for use as a mock enemy in military training exercises.

ECA Program says it has already signed up five air forces keen to test their pilots and jets against an aircraft most commonly flown by the Russian and Chinese militaries.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Aviation, China, coldwar, Iceland, Industry Talk, jets, Keflavik airbase, private military company, Russia, sukhoi Su-27, Training

Kidnap And Ransom: Chinese Seek Anti-Terrorism Training For Work Abroad

Aug 11

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, Africa, China, Kidnap And Ransom | No Comments

More and more Chinese workers head to places like Iraq, Nigeria and Pakistan to work in mining, oil-drilling and the sale of all things “Made in China.” But there is an underbelly to this economic growth.

Increasingly, Chinese workers abroad are being confronted with the security risks in these turbulent countries. Chinese topped the list of kidnapped foreign nationals in 2008, followed by French and Germans, according to Special Contingency Risks, a British kidnap insurance firm.

*****

The quote up top really caught my eye for several reasons. The Chinese are everywhere out there, and they are sending folks into some dangerous places. I have talked about their ventures into Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa in the past, and I am always on the look out for any information about their PSC or PMC related activities.

Although with this story, it looks to me like these Chinese companies are dependent upon foreign training companies to increase their worker’s survivability out there. But as demand increase, so will the amount of companies able to provide such services. More than likely, it will be Chinese companies who will continue to grow and probably with the assistance of foreign advisors. At least until Chinese folks get their own industry expertise, and go it alone.

But what intrigues me is that once a training industry takes hold, it usually evolves. Will the next step for these companies be actually providing security services? Much like how the US market evolved with some of it’s training companies (Xe started as a training company for example).

The other question is would the Chinese even allow a training company to evolve to that level? I think the answers to those questions will be how wars and regional instability will impact all of these really risky ventures they have taken on out there. The Chinese are not immune to the ‘foreigner’ label, and a Somali pirate or a jihadist will find value in attacking them, just like they do with all other countries and their private ventures. The article made this point pretty clearly with the statistics presented.

The article also mentioned the oil giant CNPC. I would be very curious to read a briefing on any security issues they have come across. According to the report below, they have operations in ’19 high risk regions’. I have to think that out of all of those operations, they must have some sort of Chinese security firm tasked with force protection? And yet we hear nothing about this security? Maybe they are using all local military forces or local national PSC companies? Who knows, and that is the kind of stuff I would like to read more about. -Matt

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Chinese seek anti-terrorism training for work abroad

By Coco Liu

August 10, 2010

SHANGHAI, China — Hired by Chinese businesses, Adi Talmor robs, kidnaps and does his general best to make thousands of workers suffer.

But Talmor isn’t a criminal; he’s a consultant. The 38-year-old former Israeli paratrooper instructs Chinese workers in what he calls personal security training. It’s a field that has recently emerged across China, mirroring the country’s expansion into some of the world’s more perilous markets.

In accordance with Beijing’s “go-global” strategy, state-owned enterprises have signed multibillion-dollar deals in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Meanwhile, trade has flourished. In 2008, China bypassed the United States to become Africa’s top trade partner.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Afghanistan, Africa, anti-terrorism, China, CNPC, Iraq, Kidnap And Ransom, private military company, private security company, Training

Funny Stuff: Chinese Reporters Uncover Taliban Secret Weapon–Monkey Soldiers!

Jul 11

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, China, Funny Stuff | 4 Comments

Michael Yon posted this on his Facebook page and I had to put this up on the blog. This story is straight out of China, and I have no clue what they were trying to do here. They certainly succeeded in giving us all a good chuckle. I don’t know if PETA has made a statement yet, but I certainly hope they will protest monkeys being used by the Taliban for war fighting. lol -Matt

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monkey 9Funny Stuff: Chinese Reporters Uncover Taliban Secret Weapon Monkey Soldiers!

Monkeys trained as battlefield killers in Afghanistan

July 09, 2010

Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgents are training monkeys to use weapons to attack American troops, according to a recent report by a British-based media agency.

Reporters from the media agency spotted and took photos of a few “monkey soldiers” holding AK-47 rifles and Bren light machine guns in the Waziristan tribal region near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The report and photos have been widely spread by media agencies and Web sites across the world.

According to the report, American military experts call them “monkey terrorists.”

As a form of cruel political means, wars are launched to meet political goals through conquest, devastation, assaults and other means.

In a sense, the emergence of “monkey soldiers” is the result of asymmetrical warfare. The United States launched the war in Afghanistan using the world’s most advanced weapons such as highly-intelligent robots to detect bombs on roadsides and unmanned aerial vehicles to attack major Taliban targets. In response, the Taliban forces have tried any possible means and figured out a method to train monkeys as “replacement killers” against American troops.

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Tags: Afghanistan, China, Funny Stuff, monkeys, Taliban

Iraq: Here Comes China And Their ‘Astonishing’ Oil Demand

Mar 13

Posted by Matt in Africa, China, Industry Talk, Iraq | 6 Comments

China’s demand for oil jumped by an “astonishing” 28% in January compared with the same month a year earlier, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says.

*****

Here is a quick run down on what China is doing in Iraq, and it is all about oil. I find it interesting that China is getting more involved with really risky resource ventures in places like Iraq or the Congo. And what that means to this industry, is that the Chinese will find a way to secure these ventures and investments. You will either see Chinese security folks, or they will use local nationals for the work. But like with most security work, they tend to go with the kind of security they can really trust and depend upon for the most sensitive projects. Especially to guard oil executives.

The other thing about this that is frustrating, is that information about Chinese private security companies is very thin. Maybe there is tons of stuff on Chinese servers?. Who knows, but it is an area that I would like to learn more about as the fight for resources increases in the coming future. Our industry will only see more involvement in that resource war, and it is important to track this stuff.

In Iraq, you could very well see a situation where you see Chinese security contractors rolling down the highway in SUVs, or posted at some gate of some oil facility. If any readers have any stories about bumping into Chinese military or contractors in Iraq, please feel free to post away in the comments. Like I said, there is nothing written about Chinese PMC’s or PSC’s, and I would like to see Feral Jundi’s archives fill up with some more data about that. I will keep looking, and if anyone finds anything else, let me know. Especially for Africa, because China is really involved there. -Matt

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popup mz 1005 44chinaIraq: Here Comes China And Their Astonishing Oil Demand

Chinese guards at the Ahdab field Thaier Al-Sudan/Reuters

Red Star Over Iraq

January 21, 2010

China’s ambitions in the Iraqi oil fields could change the landscape

By Stanley Reed and Dexter Roberts

It may be the start of the biggest oil job in the world. Each day, 20 workers from BP and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) buckle down to the task of prepping the Rumaila oil field in southern Iraq for rapid development. In industry lingo, Rumaila is a “supergiant”—a 50-mile-long deposit of sweet crude with estimated reserves of 16 billion barrels, whose output may someday rank second only to Saudi Arabia’s vast Ghawar field. The Saudis, though, have carefully managed their oil assets for decades. In contrast, Rumaila, a lightly inhabited expanse of date groves and Bedouin encampments, has not had a proper upgrade since the 1970s. The Iraqis contracted with BP and CNPC last year (BP) to juice Rumaila’s production from 1.06 million barrels a day to 2.85 million, all in seven years. No one has ever tried such a ramp-up at a field as huge as this one. Putting Rumaila back in full working order will take tens of thousands of workers, 1,000 new wells, and billions in investment.

BP is the largest partner in the venture, but only by a dipstick: It has a 38% stake, while the Chinese hold 37% (the rest is owned by an Iraqi company). The media focus has been on BP’s decision to take up the Rumaila challenge for a low fee of only $2 for every barrel the venture produces. But the more important story could be China’s role. “CNPC’s involvement brings together the country with the most rapid growth in energy demand in history with the country that plans the greatest buildup of production capacity ever,” says Alex Munton, an Iraq specialist at Edinburgh-based oil consultants Wood Mackenzie.

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Tags: China, Industry Talk, Iraq, oil, private military companies, security companies, security contractor

China: The Cyberwar Between Google and China

Jan 20

Posted by Matt in China, Technology | 4 Comments

Interesting deal between Google and China. Although the real winner here will be China’s search engine called Baidu. You can bet that any telecom stuff that Google was planning on doing in China, will probably suffer as well.

The real story though, is the whole concept of a mega corporation like Google, taking on a super power like China? Thomas Ricks was pretty intrigued by the concept as well. Time to break out the pre-Westphalia rule book, and start implementing cyber privateer hacking to go after these state sponsored hackers. -Matt

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Security specialist ‘has evidence of Chinese attack on Google’

A US computer expert says he has found the ‘digital fingerprints’ of Chinese authors on the tools used to launch recent attacks against Google

By Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor20 Jan 2010

Joe Stewart, a security specialist with SecureWorks in the US, told the New York Times that he had analysed the software used to attack Google, and found that the main program used by the hackers contained a module based on an algorithm that appeared in a Chinese technical document that has been published exclusively on Chinese-language websites.

Google last week announced that the accounts of human rights activists and political dissidents had been hacked, and that it believed the attacks had originated from China. However, details about the precise nature of the attacks were not revealed, although security experts broadly agreed that Google was probably correct in its suspicions.

It is thought that a Trojan virus, known as Hydraq, was responsible for opening a “back door” in to compromised computers, which could then be used by hackers to access and take control of a machine without the owner’s permission or knowledge.

Stewart uses a method known as a “reverse engineering” to unravel malicious software, viruses and Trojans to identify how and where they originated. He looks for patterns in the code, and for unusual algorithms used by hackers to error-check transmitted data.

However, Stewart said that he could not rule out the possibility that the programmers behind the Google hack had laid a false trail that pointed to Chinese involvement in order to disguise the fact they originated from another country or government.

“But Occam’s Razor suggests that the simplest explanation is probably the best one,” he told the New York Times.

Story here.

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Hackers create opportunity for military firms

Attacks on Google boost the market for cyber-security just as government weapons spending is expected to slow. Military firms are retooling for rising demand by corporations as well as government.

By W.J. Hennigan

January 19, 2010

For U.S. military firms, the latest revelations of highly sophisticated hacker attacks on Google Inc. are highlighting a new reality, and a potentially lucrative business: The battlefield is shifting to cyberspace.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: China, cyberwar, Google, private military companies, security, Thomas Ricks

Weapons: The Type 69 40mm Airburst (RPG round), Now in Afghanistan

Aug 20

Posted by Matt in Afghanistan, China, Iraq, Weapons | No Comments

Doug sent me this article that he found on Strategy Page. The round sounds pretty brutal, and the range is pretty amazing as well. That sucks that they are turning up in Afghanistan now. I imagine that enough of these munitions launched at the same time, could be a pretty effective tactic to initiate an ambush. And 1500 meter range makes it an interesting stand-off/indirect weapon as well. Bouncing death, made in China–damn. -Head Jundi

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Bouncing Death From China

August 20, 2008: Chinese made Airburst anti-personnel RPG rockets have been discovered in Afghanistan, after first being encountered in Iraq, where they were used by Iranian supported Shia rebels. The Chinese made RPG rocket is optimized for anti-personnel effect. To accomplish that, the shell bounces up about six feet, after first hitting the ground. Then the 5.7 pound warhead explodes, releasing hundreds of metal fragments. Casualties can be caused nearly fifty feet away. Because the warhead explodes in the air, and is full of metal fragments, it is more than three times as likely to kill or injure than the usual RPG warhead (which is designed to penetrate armor). The “Airburst Anti-Personnel” rocket also has a longer range (over 1,500 meters, more than twice that for the anti-armor rocket).

Iran buys these rockets from China, or maybe even makes its own copies. Iran denies supplying weapons to the Taliban or al Qaeda (which are violently opposed to the Shia brand of Islam practiced throughout Iran and southern Iraq.) But in the past, Iran has aided al Qaeda, and Iranian gunrunners will sell weapons to anyone who can pay.

Strategy Page Link

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type69rpg 08Weapons: The Type 69 40mm Airburst (RPG round), Now in Afghanistan

Type 69 40mm Airburst Anti-Personnel High-Explosive (HE) Grenade

This variant was developed specifically for anti-personnel purpose. This round works in a similar way to the bouncing anti-personnel fragmentation mines. On impact, the grenade bounces off the ground to a chest to 2m height then airbursts over the target area, scattering about 800 anti-personnel steel balls over a lethal radius of 15m. The airburst is much more effective than typical blast warheads especially toward entrenched troops.

Sino Defence Link

Tags: Afghanistan, Airburst, China, Iran, Iraq, RPG, Type 69

Funny Stuff: The ‘Anti-Terror Assault Vehicle’

Jul 3

Posted by Matt in China, Funny Stuff, Photo | No Comments

article 0 01D423C500000578 176 468x602Funny Stuff: The Anti Terror Assault Vehicle

Wheel scary: Chinese anti-terror police practise killing drills on scooters

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 11:50 PM on 02nd July 2008

Chinese elite anti-terror police officers are wheeling into action ahead of next month’s Beijing Olympics on two-wheeled scooters.

Members of the country’s armed police unit practised on the Segway models that have been re-named ‘Anti-Terror Assault Vehicles’ in the eastern province of Shandong.

Killers: Despite the strange appearance of the scooters, the Chinese ant-terror police are lethal in action

Officials have bought 100 Segways and painted some in military camouflage to patrol airports and sporting venues during the Games.

In one drill, police posing as terrorists held ten badminton audience members hostage, ‘shooting dead’ four ‘hijackers’, capturing two and defusing a mock car bomb.

The exercise was to test the province’s emergency response and involved 1,500 people.

The Segway was the brainchild of American Dean Kamen, who claimed at its 2001 launch that it would make the car obsolete in congested cities. It has since been the object of some derision, however.

The two-wheeled self-balancing machine – powered by an electric motor – allows users to travel as fast as 12.5mph while standing up.

Story Here

Tags: China, Olympics, Segway, Shandong

News: Asian Security Contractors in Zimbabwe

Apr 24

Posted by Matt in Africa, China, News | No Comments

I got this from strategy page, and thought that this was interesting. You never hear too much about Chinese security contractors, and especially in Africa. I think you will see more and more of this, just as long as China has natural resource interests there. They are also active in the Sudan. -Head Jundi

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Asian Mercenaries in Zimbabwe

April 24, 2008: Concurrent with China’s latest shipments of arms and munitions to Zimbabwe (see http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htproc/articles/20080421.aspx ), two dozen uniformed and armed Chinese soldiers were seen patrolling the streets of the eastern border town of Mutare, with Zimbabwean troops, during a strike by Mugabe’s political opposition. The Chinese Embassy denied that there were any Chinese troops in the area, but suggested that local Chinese-owned companies hired contractors to protect their interests. Over the last few years, thousands of Chinese have moved to Zimbabwe, where they have become active in retailing, manufacturing, mining and farming. They have a lot to protect and apparently have formed a militia. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Africa, China, security contractors, Zimbabwe