The Indian KSSL Group released photos on social media, confirming that the Garuda ultra-light 105mm vehicle-mounted howitzer developed by the group has been field tested in the western and eastern plateau areas, and it is possible to enter the Indian army in the future. This vehicle-mounted gun is similar in height to the Hawkeye ultra-light 105 howitzer developed by the American Mandus Group. It also adopts a relatively rare artillery forward thrust design to offset the recoil, so its structure can be simplified, and the impact of the rear seat of the artillery on the chassis is relatively small. Therefore, a 4×4 light vehicle can be selected to carry it.

The biggest difference between this front ram and conventional artillery is that it is fired during the forward movement of the barrel. Before the conventional artillery is fired, the barrel is stationary. After firing, the barrel moves backward due to the recoil force, and finally resets with the help of a hydraulic or spring recoil machine. On the other hand, the front-loading artillery is the opposite. Its barrel is in the recoil position before firing, and then with the help of hydraulic or spring recoil machine, it suddenly moves forward, and it is suddenly fired during the forward charging of the barrel, so that the front The momentum cancels out most of the recoil, reducing the recoil of the entire artillery system. This forward rush firing technology, also known as the artillery soft recoil technology, is a good way to reduce the impact of the artillery on the vehicle.

However, although the recoil of the front-loading artillery is greatly reduced than that of the conventional artillery of the same caliber, it has a technical problem, that is, the accuracy is unstable. Since it is fired in motion, the timing of firing is very important. If the dispersion of falling bullets is to be stable, then when each shell is fired, the offset of the energy of the forward charge and the energy of the rear seat must be stable. technical difficulties since. At present, the computer-controlled firing timing is used to maintain stability, but the accuracy should still be problematic, so mainstream artillery still does not use this technology. my country has also developed the XM204 front rush gun on the basis of the 59-1 Type 130 cannon, and finally gave up this technical route.

India’s KSSL Garuda ultra-light 105mm vehicle-mounted howitzer obviously chose the latter in terms of accuracy and high maneuverability. It uses the 4×4 chassis of Tata Company, and the artillery part and the hoe arrangement are basically completely transplanted The American Hawkeye system, while using light alloys to reduce the weight of the gun itself. KSSL claims that the 37-caliber 105 front rush gun itself weighs only 900 kg, and the entire system weight of the chassis is less than 5.5 tons, which can be said to be very light. In terms of fire control configuration, this Garuda is similar to Hawkeye, both are equipped with strapdown inertial navigation with GPS positioning, high-speed data radio, fire control computer and gunner terminal. The gun adjustment can be fully automatic, so the gun can be operated by only 3 people, and 2 people can also be used in emergency situations, mainly because the loader is more tired.

Overall, the Garuda 105mm vehicle howitzer from India KSSL is mainly a light vehicle gun with high mobility as the main design direction. However, due to the problem of the artillery itself, it has a big gap with our Mengshi Chassis 122 vehicle howitzer in terms of accuracy, range and ammunition power. Especially in the special environment of the plateau, the shooting accuracy of the artillery itself will decline, so it is necessary to formulate a separate shooting table. The technical defects of the Garuda 105mm vehicle-mounted howitzer itself are likely to magnify the problem under special circumstances. In addition, its chassis is too light, and it does not use adjustable oil and gas suspension to enhance the shooting time like the Warrior’s vehicle-mounted howitzer. stability, so in the end its level of accuracy may be ugly, and it is unclear whether the Indian Army will adopt it.

Disclaimer: The above content is uploaded and published by netizens in the Sina Military Contention column. It only represents the views of the netizens who posted them, and does not mean that this website agrees with their views and is responsible for their authenticity.

According to a report on the website of the New York Times on September 4, as the Russian army launched precision-guided weapons on the Ukrainian battlefield, Ukrainian security officials cooperated with civilian analysts to collect some of the crashed missiles to reveal the enemy’s secrets.

According to the report, these weapons are the top weapons in Russia’s arsenal. But analysts examining the weapons say they contain fairly low-tech components, including a unique but basic satellite navigation system that is also present in other captured weapons and ammunition.

The findings were detailed in a new report released on Wednesday by the Independent Conflict Equipment Institute. At the invitation of the Ukrainian government, the agency conducted an inspection and analysis of Russian weapons and ammunition collected by Ukraine in July this year.

The report questioned Moscow’s assertion that a rebuilt Russian military could once again rival Western rivals.

But the report also suggests that the weapons Russia uses to destroy Ukrainian towns are often powered by high-tech components from the West, despite Western sanctions following Russia’s “invasion” of Crimea in 2014.

How did Russia get these parts? This is unknown. Investigator Damien Splitters of the Conflict Equipment Institute is questioning Western semiconductor manufacturers to find out how their products end up in Russian weapons, whether through legal transactions or through proxy purchases to circumvent sanctions .

Investigators analyzed the wreckage of three Russian cruise missiles — including Moscow’s newest and most advanced Kh-101 cruise missile and its latest guided rocket launcher, the Tornado-S. The weapons all contain the same component labeled SN-99, which upon inspection, is a satellite-navigation receiver critical to the missile’s operation, the team said.

Russia’s use of the same components indicates a bottleneck in its supply chain, and limiting the supply of SN-99 components would cripple Moscow’s ability to replenish its dwindling stockpile of guided weapons, Splitters said.

Investigators found that Russian engineers generally relied on certain semiconductors made by certain Western manufacturers, using them not only in weapons and ammunition, but also in reconnaissance drones, communications equipment, helicopter avionics and other military materiel.

Warring parties often inspect captured military equipment for intelligence. After analyzing photos of Russian military electronics, NASA contractor Arsenio Menendez said: “This is at best the state of the art in the late 1990s or mid-2000s. It It’s basically the equivalent of an Xbox 360 video game console, and it looks like anyone can take it apart and copy it.”

The hodgepodge of components Russia uses to make guided weapons may help explain why Russian cruise missiles are sometimes not very accurate, he said. Mistakes made by non-standard GPS units in processing satellite signals can eventually cause cruise missiles to miss their targets very far.

China News Agency, Beijing, September 6. Comprehensive news: On the 5th local time, an explosion occurred near the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, killing at least 6 people and injuring 10 others. The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that two staff members of the Russian diplomatic corps were killed in the explosion. The extremist organization “Islamic State” claimed responsibility for the bombing through social platforms that day.

According to the website of Al Jazeera, at about 10:50 am local time on the 5th, a suicide bomb attack occurred near the entrance of the Russian embassy in Afghanistan. The attackers were shot dead by armed guards as they approached the embassy gate, and an explosion occurred.

At least six people were killed and 10 injured in the attack, Kabul police spokesman Khalid Zadran confirmed. The dead included two staff members of the Russian diplomatic corps and four Afghan civilians.

According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, an unidentified militant detonated an explosive device near the entrance of the consular office of the Russian embassy in Afghanistan on the morning of the 5th, causing casualties. The Russian embassy in Afghanistan is in close contact with the Afghan security services investigating the matter, and the embassy has strengthened security measures. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed the hope that the planners and executors of terrorist incidents will be punished.

Reuters reported that the extremist group “Islamic State” announced on the 5th local time through social platforms that it was responsible for the bombing near the Russian embassy in Afghanistan.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement on the 5th, expressing strong condemnation of the bombing near the Russian Embassy in Afghanistan, expressing condolences to the families of the deceased, and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. The statement reiterated that international humanitarian law strictly prohibits attacks on civilians and civilian installations, including diplomatic missions.

A terrorist attack on the Russian embassy in Afghanistan killed two Russian staff (a diplomat and a security guard). The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack. Experts say it is no accident that the Russian embassy was targeted in the suicide attack.

Nikita Mendkovich, head of the Eurasian Analysis Club and an expert at the Russian Council of International Affairs, said the incident was likely related to an agreement between the Afghan interim government and Russia on the supply of food and fuel to Afghanistan not long ago. .

Mendkovic explained: “In diplomatic isolation, the Afghan Interim Government is interested in normalizing relations with Moscow. The attack may have been an attempt to undermine the Afghan Interim Government’s agreement with Russia and other countries on the supply of necessities to Afghans. trade negotiations.”

According to Andrei Shelenko, head of the Afghan Political Research Center, the terrorist attack on Russian diplomats may also have a commercial element. According to Andrei Shelenko, for several years an Afghan “black intermediary” group has been selling visas to Afghans who want to move to Russia and making a lot of money (800-1500 per visa). Dollar). But about two or three weeks ago, the Russian embassy decided to rectify the order and expel the “black intermediaries” who were actually looting. This may also be one reason for the terrorist attack.

“Contrast with the combat effectiveness standards, check what shortcomings and weaknesses we still have…” At the beginning of August, in an unfamiliar area in Saibei, an air-to-ground confrontation exercise of a brigade of the Air Force Ground Director of the Central Theater Command had just ended, and the officers and soldiers walked into the positional classroom and closely followed the exercise. Discussion and exchange of training tasks.

“The more arduous and dynamic the task is, the more attention must be paid to the ideological and political education of the troops.” The leaders of the brigade introduced that, in order to improve the quality and efficiency of education, they selected the backbone system to sort out the history of the brigade in combination with the actual training tasks, and put heroes Combat stories of characters, etc. are used as educational materials, taking advantage of mission breaks, training gaps and other opportunities to actively build positional classrooms on launch positions and equipment cabins, organize officers and soldiers to combine drills and practice to give insights and talk experiences, and promote it in flexible and diverse forms Education comes to mind.

Not long ago, the brigade went to an unfamiliar area to carry out field training. In the position class, He Dayong, an instructor of a certain battalion, told officers and soldiers about the glorious battle history of the revolutionary predecessors who shot down an enemy reconnaissance plane at night for the first time. Listening to the story of his predecessors, First Class Sergeant Gao Tian was deeply touched: “The baton of history has been handed over to our generation. Only with perseverance and strength can we live up to our heavy trust and mission.”

The classroom extends to the battlefield, and the journey of a strong army inspires fighting spirit. Recently, the brigade has strictly organized cross-day and night maneuvering combat drills, and the officers and soldiers have successfully completed the tasks of temporary maneuver transfer and special situation handling.

Editor’s Note According to the new soldier system, the service years of middle and senior non-commissioned officers can be appropriately extended, the “4+X” flexible service is implemented, and there are opportunities for promotion every year. This is a major reform measure to stably retain mature backbones to the maximum extent and make good use of the “golden period” of the profession. It provides more development space for middle and senior sergeants who love their jobs and work hard. How to do a good job in the “next article” of the senior sergeants after deferred service and give full play to their backbone role is a new topic before all levels. The practice of a certain brigade of the Rocket Army is worth learning from.

Our reporter Zou Fei and correspondent Jiang Kunlong reported: Liu Ming was overjoyed to see his name appear on the list of the senior sergeant’s pre-selection talent pool of the entire brigade. One step closer to becoming a senior sergeant. In fact, just over half a year ago, this repair professional “big taker” was still struggling with the problem of personal leaving. “Thanks to the good policy of extending the service life of middle and senior sergeants!” Liu Ming said that the special decoration and management major he is engaged in has a relatively long growth cycle for talents, and there are few promotion places and high thresholds. Many high-quality comrades in the past can only Sorry to retire.

After the implementation of regulations and documents such as the “Interim Regulations for Sergeants” and “Interim Regulations on the Management of Sergeants’ Career Development”, the party committee of the brigade, in combination with the actual transformation of the combat effectiveness of the army, included the deferred service sergeants into the “big plate” of grass-roots talent training, and implemented the “deferred service sergeant education project”. , so that more outstanding sergeants can be retained and used well.

Last year, nearly 30 non-commissioned officers from the brigade who had reached their maximum years of service submitted applications for extension of service. After grassroots recommendation, institutional investigation, qualification review, assessment and selection, and party committee approval, 7 people successfully stayed in the team, including Liu Ming. “The length of service is extended, and the skills must be upgraded simultaneously.”

On the day Zhang Bang was announced, the brigade assigned a senior sergeant to Liu Ming as a master. It turned out that the party committee of the brigade made plans for the next development of this part of the sergeant in advance, and issued “one-to-one mentoring and apprentice pairing, regular tracking and training of the brigade, practice training in the studio of senior sergeants, training for management positions, and periodic quantitative evaluation.” ” and other five measures, with only one purpose: to improve the ability and quality of deferred service sergeants and make them play a greater role.

Talking about his master, Second Sergeant Major Xu Zhicai, missile operator Liu Lin has always been grateful. After Liu Lin’s deferred service, Xu Zhicai formulated a target-based training plan for him based on his personal characteristics. The plan not only includes the professional ability improvement plan, but also the ideas of leading troops, management methods and so on. Under the guidance of Xu Zhicai, Liu Lin has made significant progress. Not long ago, he was recommended by the camp as a “seed backbone” to participate in the training of new equipment for superiors.

Another deferred service sergeant, Yu Daoli, has grown up in the fertile soil of grassroots innovation. In the brigade, several senior sergeant studios have exceptionally opened their doors to deferred service intermediate sergeants. After joining the studio, Yu Daoli participated in a number of research projects, and in just a few months, he has achieved results such as “the operation process of reducing personnel under the extreme conditions of a certain type of equipment”.

In order to prevent the sergeants from standing still and lack of motivation after the extension of service, the brigade specially established a quantitative evaluation system, which not only tests their overall level, but also the degree of progress. Each aspect has corresponding reward and punishment rules. Shi Lang, an officer of the Human Resources Section of the brigade, told reporters that in the just-concluded phased assessment, the deferred service sergeants all achieved excellent results and basically possessed the ability to be independent.

It is necessary not only to become talented, but also to promote the growth of comrades-in-arms. Today, the brigade’s deferred service sergeants are starting to have their own apprentices. Ma Bo, the squad leader of the communications battalion, regularly holds business training courses. After joining the 6 junior sergeants, they successfully passed the intermediate professional qualification certification; the missile leader Xiang Tao is good at organizing simulation training. …As the “talent snowball” gets bigger and bigger, the ability and quality structure of the backbone of the brigade’s soldiers will become more scientific and reasonable.

The perfect training and use mechanism has made the deferred service sergeants taste the sweetness, and it has also given more hope to the sergeants who are about to end their service period. An Jianjun, a college student soldier and second-rank sergeant, is facing retirement this year. Previously, he had been hesitant to apply for deferred service. Now, seeing that his comrades-in-arms fully enjoy the policy dividends and have a broader development prospect, he has strengthened his determination to continue to stay in the team and make contributions to the barracks, and reported his thoughts to the organization. According to preliminary investigations, there are more than 40 sergeants in the brigade who are currently planning to apply for deferred service.

Recently, Russia’s “Oriental-2022” strategic exercise conducted a joint training of all staff and all elements with live troops and live ammunition. Among them, no matter the equipment composition or the exercise courses are very bright, there are at least three aspects that must be paid close attention to. Highlight 1: Will Formation 055 conduct joint cruises with the Russian Navy? For the first time, the Chinese military sent troops of the three armed forces to participate in this “Oriental” exercise. Although both the army and the air force have sent main battle equipment, and the army’s 99 tanks and 04A infantry fighting vehicles are equivalent to the armored forces sent by the Russian army, the fighter jets sent by the air force The -10B is also at the same level as the Russian fighter jet. But the first Chinese navy to participate in the Russian strategic military exercise is a very high starting point: the first 055-ton destroyer Nanchang ship, the 054A missile frigate Yancheng ship, and the large comprehensive supply ship Dongpinghu ship. As soon as this formation came out, even if it could not be said that it was the peak, both the appearance and the combat power were quite impressive.

For the content of this exercise, the Chinese military’s reports are relatively low-key. According to the People’s Liberation Army Daily, in terms of maritime drills, under the conditions of strong wind, officers and soldiers poured out more than 100 shells in an instant according to the target information from the command post, and the parachute target thousands of meters away fell into the sea. In this exercise, the Chinese side aims to test the performance of equipment, promote coordination with foreign militaries, and improve ship air defense and anti-missile capabilities and air combat training. Russian media and the Russian military revealed more details of the drill. The Russian Satellite Network reported on the 4th that the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that during the “Vostok-2022” exercise, warships of the Russian Pacific Fleet and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy conducted a joint search and attack on imaginary enemy submarines in the middle of the Sea of ​​Japan. “During the aerial reconnaissance, the crew of the Ka-27PL carrier-based helicopter detected by sonar found signs of submarine operations in the area. The Russian and Chinese fleets conducted a search area division and began anti-submarine tactical operations.” Hero of the Russian Federation Ardar ∙ The frigate Tschenzapov’ spotted the submarine. The imaginary enemy submarine ignored the attempt to make contact and tried to leave the area.” The Russian crew used the Paket-NK anti-submarine system to simulate an attack on the submarine, and the Ka-27PL helicopter used depth charges on it. According to reports, a submarine of the Russian Pacific Fleet played the role of an imaginary enemy submarine.

The Russian Ministry of Defense’s report did not mention the specific roles played by the Chinese fleet in submarine search and submarine attack drills. This is understandable, because Russia’s briefing will inevitably highlight the role of its own ships in relevant exercises. After all, the “Oriental” exercise is a strategic-level exercise organized by Russia. But Lao Liu believes that the Chinese side will inevitably exert its own performance positioning and technical and tactical characteristics in the relevant anti-submarine courses. First of all, the Type 054A Yancheng ship itself has a strong anti-submarine function in its positioning. The Type 055 guided missile destroyer, as the most powerful warship in the Chinese naval formation, can be said to be basically a “hexagonal warrior” in terms of air defense, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and even anti-missile. Therefore, from this point of view, the two Chinese warships will definitely play a considerable role in anti-submarine and other related drills, but as foreign warships invited to participate in the exercise, they will definitely not overly steal the limelight of the host. . In addition to the technical and tactical significance. The Chinese naval fleet led by 055 to participate in the Russian strategic exercise for the first time may have another aspect to watch: whether it will conduct a joint maritime cruise with the Russian naval fleet again.

In addition to the technical and tactical level of significance, the Chinese naval fleet led by 055 to participate in the Russian strategic exercise for the first time may have another aspect to watch: whether it will conduct a joint maritime cruise with the Russian naval fleet again. Some experts analyzed in an interview with the media, “It is not ruled out that China and Russia will hold the second joint cruise after the exercise. Under the current situation, it is very important for China and Russia to strengthen comprehensive cooperation, especially in the military field, which will help maintain regional peace. and stability, but military cooperation is not directed against third parties.” According to public reports, after the end of the Sino-Russian “Joint Sea-2021” military exercise in 2021, the Chinese and Russian navies will form a joint formation, which will start from the waters of Peter the Great Bay, cross the Sea of ​​Japan, enter the Western Pacific through the Tsugaru Strait, and arrive after crossing the Osumi Strait. In the East China Sea, the first joint maritime cruise was completed. During the period, the two sides organized and implemented multi-course drills such as joint navigation, joint maneuvering, and actual use of weapons, and launched a breakthrough in-depth cooperation. Highlight 2: The “invisible” combat effectiveness of the Chinese battalion Combat equipment can give full play to its combat effectiveness on the battlefield, and it is inseparable from the bonus effect of logistical support capabilities. Among the Chinese participating troops this time, there is a unit that can be called a combat force multiplier.

According to CCTV military reports, a lot of antennas have been erected around the command post of the Chinese participating troops, and landline telephones have also been installed in the tents of the command seats and the accommodation areas of officers and soldiers. Full-time communication from camp to exercise area to domestic. According to a CCTV report, the Chinese side sent a number of military services, including land, sea and air, to participate in the exercise. The real-time and accurate transmission of combat information requires high communication support. At the same time, the complex weather conditions in unfamiliar areas outside the country and the complex electromagnetic environment created by the participation of multinational forces also increase the difficulty of communication support. According to the introduction of the participating troops, they rely on various wireless communication means to master each other, and strictly organize electromagnetic spectrum monitoring to ensure that the command information link is uninterrupted at all times. The command system and various mobile communication terminals can efficiently and reliably command and control actual military exercises.

In addition, overseas drills also tested the meteorological detachment, especially the flight transition of the aviation troop and the precise strike of the artillery troop will be affected by meteorological elements such as air wind and low clouds. According to CCTV reports, during the exercise, the meteorological team used field meteorological instruments, laser wind radar and laser cloud measuring radar to collect meteorological data from the field, and also received meteorological data from the country through the satellite antenna in the base, and sent the relevant data. Gather together to conduct meteorological consultations with domestic experts and jointly make meteorological forecasts.

According to the participating troops, their forecasts cover the land area, sea area, airspace and important airports and ports of the exercise. Combined with a large amount of data, 72-hour accurate forecasts and 7-day trend forecasts can be produced. During the actual operation, the forecast can be updated every hour, and the weather guarantee can be fully provided for the exercise.

According to the picture reported by CCTV, there are more than 200 land combat equipment such as Type 99 tanks and 04A infantry fighting vehicles parked in the parking lot behind the camp. How to repair and maintain so many combat equipment in an unfamiliar exercise area is also a big challenge. According to the equipment maintenance personnel of the participating troops, there are many types of equipment and a large number of participating equipment, and they are performing tasks without any support outside the country. The equipment support work is facing a great test. Professional maintenance personnel, equipped with thousands of maintenance equipment including various types of power cabins, can do on-site maintenance, and the failure will not stay overnight.

Lao Liu believes that actual combat drills not only test the performance of equipment and the military quality of combat troops, but also test the thickness of logistics support forces including communication support units, meteorological units, and equipment maintenance support units. Drills in unsupported and unfamiliar environments play a key role in improving the actual combat literacy of the PLA’s relevant support forces. This ability may only come from actual combat training.

Highlight 3: Russia took the electronic warfare press box bottom weapon During the exercise, the Russian military deployed a complete set of electronic warfare systems, and the Russian military’s use of such equipment is also worthy of reference from the Chinese side. The Russian Satellite News Agency reported on the 4th that during the exercise, the Russian army used the “Krasuha” electronic warfare system to protect the military infrastructure and troops in the region from air radar reconnaissance by imaginary enemies, paying special attention to protecting field command posts, air defense systems and military formations. Wait. At the same time, the “Borisogrebsk-2” electronic warfare system is used to detect and locate the radio-electronic equipment of the simulated enemy. In addition, a large number of advanced electronic warfare systems such as “undersea animals” and “groves” are used to interfere and suppress the electronic systems of imaginary enemies.

An image of the “Krasuha-4” electronic system against ground reconnaissance equipment such as the E-8C. That is to say, the Russian army provides solutions for the deployment and application of a complete set of electronic warfare systems in the field environment. Lao Liu believes that China has made great progress in the research and development and application of related equipment, but during the exercise, it may be very enlightening to observe and experience the use mode of the Russian military, a strong electronic warfare player. After all, the Russian military’s electronic warfare equipment has been very well verified in Syria’s combat operations.

Russia’s TASS news agency reported on the 3rd that more than 50 biological laboratories near the Russian border were modernized and controlled by the US Pentagon funded by the US. Another analysis believes that with the complete shutdown of the “North Stream-1” natural gas pipeline, natural gas prices may continue to rise, dragging down the European economy.

On the 3rd, the TASS news agency quoted Kirillov, the commander of the Russian radiation, chemical and biological protection force, as saying that there are more than 50 biological laboratories near the Russian border, which are funded by the US Pentagon for modernization and are controlled by the US.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov reported on the 3rd that during the visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency delegation to the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, the Ukrainian side tried again to seize the nuclear power plant, but was repelled by the Russian army.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov said in a live program on the “Russia-24” TV channel on the 2nd that Russia warned the United States not to take provocative measures, including providing Ukraine with longer-range and more destructive weapons systems. He said the deepening US involvement in the situation in Ukraine is a dangerous trend. Russia has repeatedly warned that when the United States supplies arms and otherwise provides Ukraine with direct support, the United States has virtually become a party to the conflict.

 Russia’s Gazprom (Gazprom) said on the 2nd that due to the discovery of multiple equipment failures, the “Beixi-1” natural gas pipeline will completely stop gas transmission until the fault is eliminated. Analysts pointed out that this situation makes the prospects of European countries facing a “gas shortage” worrying. Natural gas prices may continue to rise, pushing up inflation, dragging down the economy, and exacerbating the predicament of people’s livelihood.

Fitch Ratings expects a complete shutdown of Russia’s pipeline gas exports to Europe, which could lead to a recession in the European economy starting in the second half of this year, with the gross domestic product (GDP) of countries such as Germany and Italy contracting in 2023.

French Economy and Finance Minister Le Maire said on the 1st that if Russia’s natural gas supply is completely cut off, French economic growth may face major challenges. Natural gas will be one of the decisive factors for French economic growth in 2023.

This is a natural gas stove taken at a home in London, England on October 8, 2021. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Han Yan

A few days ago, a survey showed that in the four countries surveyed in France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom, the cost of living has become the most concerned issue for Europeans.

The Japanese government is studying whether to field more than 1,000 long-range cruise missiles. Taking into account the “something in Taiwan” situation, the Japanese government plans to deploy these long-range cruise missiles from the Southwest Islands to Kyushu, the purpose of which is to fill the “missile gap” with China. As of press time, Japanese officials have not yet responded to the news. Several Japanese government officials revealed that the proposed more than 1,000 missiles are improved from the Japanese-made “12-type shore-mounted anti-ship missiles” equipped by the Ground Self-Defense Force. The improved missile range will be increased from the current more than 100 kilometers to More than 1,000 kilometers, that is, the range can reach the coastal areas of North Korea or China; the missile launch method has also been improved to be launched from the sea and the air. In addition, the improved “12-type shore-based anti-ship missile” will be deployed two years earlier than the original plan, and will be deployed in 2024 at the earliest, and will be used for land attacks in the future.

According to the report, the Japanese government will propose to have “counter-attack capability” in three documents including the “National Security Guarantee Strategy” revised at the end of this year, that is, to have the ability to attack enemy missile launch bases and other places for the purpose of self-defense. Among them, the improved missile will become the core of “counterattack capability”. “Yomiuri Shimbun” said that if the Japanese government wants to have more than 1,000 long-range missiles in advance, it needs to add more production lines to companies engaged in missile development. The Ministry of Defense of Japan plans to create a system to support equipment investment by related companies, and plans to include relevant funds in the defense budget request for 2023.

The “Yomiuri Shimbun” said that the purpose of the Japanese government’s pursuit of a large number of long-range missiles is that there is a large gap between the missile attack capabilities of Japan and the United States and China. So far, Japan has not deployed long-range missiles capable of ground-attack because of its inability to have “capacity to attack enemy bases” (ie, the ability to counterattack). The report quoted the U.S. Department of Defense as saying that China has about 1,900 land-based intermediate-range ballistic missiles that can bring Japan into the range, and about 300 intermediate-range cruise missiles. North Korea has also deployed hundreds of ballistic missiles capable of bringing Japan within range. China and North Korea are also developing hypersonic weapons that are more difficult to intercept, and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces will have difficulty dealing with missile interception alone.

 Military expert Song Zhongping told the Global Times reporter on the 21st that Japan has indicated in 2020 and 2021 that it will strengthen its “counterattack capability”, and one of the enhancements to this capability is the addition of long-range cruise missiles. Song Zhongping explained that more than 1,000 long-range cruise missiles seem to be just a number, and its connotation wants to show that Japan has the ability to mass-produce long-range cruise missiles. “This is a symbol of mass production, and Japan can produce according to demand.” Song Zhongping said that in recent years, Japan has been striving to break through the “special defense” and advocates lifting the ban on “collective self-defense”, which means that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces must have the ability to have both offense and defense. The purpose of Japan’s release of long-range cruise missiles is this. Japan’s recent constitutional revisions have aroused vigilance from all sides. Song Zhongping believes that the deployment of medium and long-range missiles is only one of the means for Japan to break through the constitution. In the future, Japan may also develop ballistic missiles, nuclear-powered submarines, and even aircraft carriers, all of which are restricted and prohibited by the Japanese constitution.

Recently, China and the United States jointly announced that the two sides have signed an audit and supervision cooperation agreement on August 26, and will start related cooperation in the near future. The China Securities Regulatory Commission publicly stated that “the cooperation agreement is based on the laws and regulations of the two countries, respects international common practices, and follows the principle of reciprocity and mutual benefit.” The signing of the cooperation agreement has brought hope to the cross-border audit supervision issues that have plagued the two countries for many years, and has also greatly boosted market confidence. Affected by the good news, Chinese concept stocks rose collectively before the market on August 26. Among them, Alibaba, JD.com, Pinduoduo and other Chinese concept stocks once rose by more than 8%.

Since the US Congress formally passed the “Foreign Company Accountability Act” in December 2020, the fate of Chinese stocks in the US market has been heavily clouded. The Act stipulates that foreign companies listed in the United States must meet the requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) for accounting firms to inspect the audit papers of listed companies, otherwise the company will be prohibited from listing and trading. On July 29, Alibaba, which has the largest market capitalization among Chinese stocks, was also included in the “pre-delisting” list by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Since then, 159 Chinese concept stocks have been included in the “pre-delisting” list. The Chinese concept stocks that once enjoyed great popularity in the U.S. stock market are facing the risk of collective delisting.

Today, there are 286 Chinese concept stocks listed in the United States, with a total market value of US$1.18 trillion. Chinese concept stocks have become a force to be reckoned with in the U.S. capital market. However, it is undeniable that due to the different legal systems of China and the United States, there are still areas where China and the United States need to work together on cross-border audit supervision issues. The repeated exposure of the credit crisis of Chinese stocks has made the importance of cross-border audit supervision between China and the United States increasingly prominent. Since 2007, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the Ministry of Finance and the PCAOB have held many talks on cross-border audit supervision issues, and in 2013, the China-US Law Enforcement Cooperation Memorandum was officially signed. Regarding the issue of audit papers that both parties are most concerned about, the memorandum stipulates that before PCAOB obtains audit materials of Chinese companies listed in the United States, it must complete a written request report and obtain the consent of the Chinese side. This content not only complies with the relevant provisions of China’s securities law, but also is a common international practice. Around 2010, PCAOB had signed joint inspection agreements with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Finland and other countries to ensure that the content and methods of PCAOB entry inspections were determined in advance through negotiation between the two parties.

However, the issue of cross-border audit supervision between China and the United States, which had already made positive progress, was once deadlocked due to the pan-politicized operation of the United States in recent years. In 2020, against the backdrop of escalating trade frictions between China and the US, the PCAOB requested the right to directly review the audit papers of Chinese companies listed in the US, and this unreasonable request is unacceptable to the Chinese side. Subsequently, the promulgation of the “Foreign Company Accountability Act” in the United States directly pushed the issue of audit supervision to the forefront of political confrontation. The bill directly targets China and is full of hegemonic overtones and ideological prejudice. Some of these clauses even require U.S.-listed companies to disclose the list of Chinese Communist Party members on their board of directors, and whether the company’s articles of association contain the contents of the Chinese Communist Party’s constitution. It can be said that the bill completely deviates from the regulatory logic of the free market.

Under the suppression of the “Foreign Company Accountability Law”, the stock price of Chinese stocks plummeted. As of March this year, the total market value of Chinese concept stocks has evaporated by 4.17 trillion US dollars, causing heavy losses to American investors. Freeman, a professor at Harvard Law School, once told the media that Wall Street investment banks had made a lot of profits from the listing of Chinese stocks in the United States. In fact, they did not want the bill to be passed. Although the “Foreign Company Accountability Act” is under the banner of protecting investors, it has seriously harmed the actual interests of investors. The U.S. government’s forcible “decoupling” of China’s finances is detrimental to others, resulting in a lose-lose situation.  Instead of making the U.S. a winner, the Foreign Corporation Accountability Act kidnapped investors to pay for Washington’s ideological bias. Cooperation between China and the United States will benefit both, while confrontation will hurt both. This has been confirmed again on the issue of cross-border audit supervision between China and the United States. Economic issues will ultimately have to come back to the negotiating table to be resolved. After China and the United States signed the audit supervision cooperation agreement, the relevant person in charge of the China Securities Regulatory Commission emphasized in response to a reporter’s question that the agreement established the “reciprocity principle”, the two sides will communicate and coordinate the inspection and investigation plan in advance, and the United States must pass the Chinese supervision. The department obtains documents such as audit papers. Because the US can put aside its ideological prejudice and adopt a pragmatic attitude this time, the cross-border regulatory cooperation between China and the US has a chance to get back on track.

Facts have proved that it is not feasible for the United States to try to issue orders and ask for anything and everything at will against China from the so-called “status of strength”. As the two countries with the largest economies in the world, the interests of China and the United States are intertwined and interdependent. Therefore, dialogue with an equal attitude is the best choice to solve the problem. However, at present, it is only the first step to solve the cross-border audit supervision problem between China and the United States. In the future, whether the United States will carry out cooperation with China in accordance with the content of the agreement still needs to “listen to its words and observe its actions.” In any case, the large-scale delisting of Chinese stocks is something neither China nor the United States wants to see. The two countries have common interests in maintaining financial market stability. It is hoped that China and the United States can take the signing of this cross-border supervision cooperation agreement as an opportunity to open up a new model of mutual respect and equal consultation, and properly resolve frictions between the two sides in many other fields.

“Enter the target area ahead!” Before the vehicle stopped, Yu Jie, the leader of the bridge erection team of the Chinese team, jumped off the bridge erection vehicle, quickly prepared the equipment and instructed the vehicle to enter the correct position.

Today, the “International Military Competition-2022” and “Safe Route” individual events are being contested in the Korla Division of China. In the bridging group competition, Yu Jie calmly and methodically led the whole group to complete each task.

Reversing positioning, bridge deck unfolding, piling and fixing… In a moment, the bridge is erected. The outstanding performance of Yu Jie and his teammates won rounds of applause from the audience. In the end, as judged by the project referee team, the Chinese team won the first place in the bridging group.

As the technical backbone of the participating team, Yu Jie has excellent military quality. In 2018, he went to Lebanon to perform a peacekeeping mission and served as the military team leader of our peacekeeping engineer detachment. During his overseas Blue Helmets mission, he and his comrades completed various tasks with high standards, and were highly praised by UNIFIL and the local people many times. Before returning home, he and his comrades were awarded the United Nations “Peace Medal of Honor”.

 Yu Jie, who has set foot on the international stage again after many years, cherishes this opportunity to participate in the “International Military Competition-2022”. During the pre-match training, he accidentally fell from the bridge into the ditch, causing physical injuries. After several weeks of treatment, Yu Jie, who has not yet recovered, resolutely returned to the training ground and led his comrades to step up preparations for the game.

“We have shown the style of Chinese engineers in the peacekeeping battlefield and won honors for the Chinese army in the international arena, which makes me very proud.” Yu Jie said proudly as he walked off the arena.