中國導彈注滿水而不是燃料: 彭博

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彭博引述美方情報： 中國導彈注滿水而不是燃料. 彭博新聞, Jan 7, 2024
https://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/cn-scandal-01072024002008.html

is based on

Peter Martin and Jennifer Jacobs, US Intelligence Shows Flawed China Missiles Led Xi to Purge Army. Bloomberg News, Jan 6, 2024.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/a ... g-to-purge-military

Note:
(a) 彭博引述美方情報： 中國導彈注滿水而不是燃料.. It is written in traditional Chinese, because the news is published in Hong Jong (or Cantonese) edition 粤语, rather than in Chinese or China edition 普通话.
(b) Bloomberg News reported:
(i) "In a potential warning for Beijing, Russia's war efforts in Ukraine have been publicly hobbled by corruption, a problem that PLA researchers as far back as 2014 called 'the number one killer that impairs the military’s ability to fight.' "

辛士红, 腐败是战斗力的 '第一杀手.' 解放军报, Jan 14, 2015.
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2015/0114/c1011-26380817.html
(ii) "In the latest round on Dec 29, China's top legislative body [全国人大] unseated nine defense figures, including five linked to the missile force and at least two from the Equipment Development Department [中央军委装备发展部 and 南海舰队装备部; 前国防部长李尚福 had been 曾任 中央军委装备发展部部长], which is charged with arming the military.   Days earlier, China's main political advisory body publicly removed three executives from state-owned missile manufacturers ['全国政协撤销三名国防企业高管的政协委员资格': VOA Chinese, Jan 5, 2024]. * * * Another Rocket Force major-general was quietly removed from Beijing's municipal legislature [北京市人大代表] in November, Chinese news outlet Caixin reported."
(iii) "The Chinese military's official newspaper pledged in a Jan. 1 editorial to wage a 'war on graft' this year"
(A) 锚定建军一百年奋斗目标勠力攻坚——元旦献词. 解放军报 社论, Jan 1, 2024 )republished in 中华人民共和国国防部网).
http://www.mod.gov.cn/gfbw/jmsd/16277431.html
, where 反腐败斗争 appeared twice in the text: 全面从严治党和反腐败斗争持续发力 and 打好反腐败斗争攻坚战持久战.
(B) graft ("noun (2)"/ First Known Use 1865; "origin unknown"): "the acquisition of gain (such as money) in dishonest or questionable ways    also : illegal or unfair gain"
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graft

Online Etymology Dictionary (www.etymonline.com) says it is American English. In any event, all English dictionaries say etymology of graft with this definition is different from that (etymology) of the noun graft meaning transplant.

--------------------------------Bloomberg
China missiles filled with water, not fuel: US intelligence
• Xi seeking to root out corruption, prepare military for combat
• January 6, 2024 at 7:41 AM EST

US intelligence indicates that President Xi Jinping’s sweeping military purge came after it emerged that widespread corruption undermined his efforts to modernize the armed forces and raised questions about China’s ability to fight a war, according to people familiar with the assessments.

The corruption inside China’s Rocket Force and throughout the nation’s defense industrial base is so extensive that US officials now believe Xi is less likely to contemplate major military action in the coming years than would otherwise have been the case, according to the people, who asked not to be named discussing intelligence.

The US assessments cited several examples of the impact of graft, including missiles filled with water instead of fuel and vast fields of missile silos in western China with lids that don’t function in a way that would allow the missiles to launch effectively, one of the people said.

The US assesses that corruption within the People’s Liberation Army has led to an erosion of confidence in its overall capabilities, particularly when it comes to the Rocket Force, and also set back some of Xi’s top modernization priorities, the people said. The graft probe has ensnared more than a dozen senior defense officials over the past six months, in what may be China’s largest crackdown on the country’s military in modern history.

At the same time, the US assesses that Xi hasn’t been weakened by the widening purge, according to the people. Rather, they said, his move to oust senior figures — including some promoted under his watch — shows his hold over the Communist Party remains firm and that he’s serious about improving discipline, eliminating corruption and ultimately preparing China’s military for combat over the long term.

Spokespeople for the White House National Security Council didn’t immediately comment. When asked about the US intelligence, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Meiners, a Pentagon spokesman, said the Department of Defense’s annual China report discusses Xi’s efforts to strengthen and accelerate anti-corruption investigations in the PLA, without providing more details.

China’s Defense Ministry couldn’t be reached for a comment on a weekend in Beijing.

The US assessments couldn’t be independently verified. In the past, US policy makers have been frustrated by the inability of intelligence agencies to provide insights into Xi’s inner circle after being surprised by decisions out of Beijing, including rapid moves to consolidate control of Hong Kong and militarize the South China Sea.

Xi has devoted billions of dollars to his aim of transforming the military into a modern force by 2027. Central to that was his elevation of the Rocket Force, which would play a pivotal role in any invasion of self-ruled Taiwan. In a potential warning for Beijing, Russia’s war efforts in Ukraine have been publicly hobbled by corruption, a problem that PLA researchers as far back as 2014 called “the number one killer that impairs the military’s ability to fight.”

Evidence of Xi’s corruption purge has bubbled to the surface in recent months.

In the latest round on Dec. 29, China’s top legislative body unseated nine defense figures, including five linked to the missile force and at least two from the Equipment Development Department, which is charged with arming the military.

Days earlier, China’s main political advisory body publicly removed three executives from state-owned missile manufacturers. That spate of purges came after the October ousting of China’s former defense minister, Li Shangfu, who was only in the position for seven months.

Those are just the removals Beijing has made public. Unlike other parts of the Chinese system, the military doesn’t announce its corruption investigations. Another Rocket Force major-general was quietly removed from Beijing’s municipal legislature in November, Chinese news outlet Caixin reported.

Public signs of Xi’s push to eliminate graft in the armed forces first emerged in July, when China’s top military body announced a new mechanism to detect and prevent corruption risks. Days later, the Equipment Development Department launched a retrospective graft probe that overlapped with Li’s tenure as its chief.

In a rare move, the department listed eight issues it was investigating, including “leaking information” and helping certain companies secure bids. Soon after came reports three top Rocket Force chiefs had been probed and removed.

The Chinese military’s official newspaper pledged in a Jan. 1 editorial to wage a “war on graft” this year, signaling more purges could be on the cards.
--------------------------------------------解放军报
　　习总书记在中国共产党第十八届中央纪律检查委员会第五次全体会议上发表的重要讲话中指出，“从这两年查处的案件和巡视发现的问题看，反腐败斗争形势依然严峻复杂，主要是在实现不敢腐、不能腐、不想腐上还没有取得压倒性胜利”，这番话，对于军队打赢党风廉政建设和反腐败斗争这场攻坚战、持久战，具有十分重要的指导意义。

　　胜人者力，自胜者强。任何一支军队，都面临着两个对手：一个是战场上生死对决的强敌，一个是阵营内防不胜防的腐败。一位学者称，和平时期，解放军的头号对手是腐败。人民军队必须经受枪林弹雨和杏花春雨的双重考验，必须打赢军事斗争和反腐败斗争两场硬仗。

　　一位学者曾对近百年中国旧军队的衰败规律作过统计分析，结论是“从组建到丧失战斗力大抵30年左右”。衰败的一个共同原因，是腐败埋葬了自己。一支固本开新、变革图强的军队，理应对腐败视若蛇蝎，恨如仇雠。若以“寡人无疾”自欺或熟视无睹，则会在政治攻击面前理屈词穷、失去民心，在军事打击面前土崩瓦解、不堪一击。

　　如果说科技是第一战斗力，那么腐败则是第一破坏力。因为它锈蚀的不仅是观念，而且是灵魂；流失的不仅是公帑，而且是人心。同时，腐败乃千年顽症、恶性毒瘤，从者众而为害烈，根治难而反弹易，称之为战斗力的“第一杀手”并不为过。

　　当党性让位于贪欲、权力屈尊于财富，军费就会被“打水漂”；当会跑的不如会送的、善于点兵的不如精于点菜的，人才就会被“逆淘汰”；当不给甜头不办事、给了甜头乱办事成为常态，令行禁止的运转秩序就会失灵失效；当吃吃喝喝、团团伙伙大行其道，生死相依的官兵关系就会淡化异化。如果不坚决清除这些沉疴积弊，任腐败分子兴风作浪，军队就不成其为军队，更谈不上能打仗、打胜仗了，甚至还会有变质变色的危险，这绝不是危言耸听。

　　“廉者，从政之本”，也是立军之本。只有坚持对腐败零容忍的态度不变、猛药去疴的决心不减、刮骨疗毒的勇气不泄、严厉惩处的尺度不松，才能使腐败分子无藏身之地，使军队永远立于不败之地。（辛士红）
                                (责编：邱越、闫嘉琪)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------元旦献词
时序更替，历史铭记奋斗足迹；华章日新，时不我待只争朝夕。行进在新时代新征程上，我们迎来了充满希望的2024年。

2023年是全面贯彻党的二十大精神的开局之年，也是三年新冠疫情防控转段后经济恢复发展的一年。以习近平同志为核心的党中央团结带领全党全国各族人民，顶住外部压力、克服内部困难，坚持稳中求进工作总基调，全面深化改革开放，顽强拼搏、勇毅前行，推动经济恢复发展，圆满实现经济社会发展主要预期目标。经济总量预计超过126万亿元，粮食总产再创新高，就业物价总体稳定，科技创新实现新突破，新质生产力加快形成，新一轮党和国家机构改革基本完成，高水平对外开放持续扩大，抗洪灾、化债险、保交楼成效明显，居民收入增长快于经济增长。港澳工作继续加强，反“独”促统坚决有力。中国特色大国外交扎实推进，我国发展的外部环境继续改善。全面从严治党和反腐败斗争持续发力，良好政治生态不断巩固发展。成功举办成都大运会、杭州亚运会，我国体育健儿创造良好成绩。我们在化危机、闯难关、应变局中创造了新机遇、赢得了战略主动，极大地增强了信心和底气。一年来的实践再次证明，“两个确立”对于我们应对各种风险挑战、推进中国式现代化建设具有决定性意义。

人民军队与党和国家事业一起发展、共同进步。过去的一年，全军坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，全面贯彻党的二十大精神，深入贯彻习近平强军思想，强化思想引领，强化担当作为，强化工作落实，锚定如期实现建军一百年奋斗目标，全面加强人民军队党的建设，全面加强练兵备战，全面加强军事治理，巩固提高一体化国家战略体系和能力，国防和军队建设取得扎实成效。过去的一年，我们统筹抓好军队学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想主题教育和“学习强军思想、建功强军事业”教育实践活动，扎实推进全军党的建设会议精神贯彻落实，推进政治整训常态化制度化，大抓实战化军事训练，全面提高备战打仗能力，加快部队转型建设，深化重点行业领域整肃治理，持之以恒正风肃纪反腐，推动我军建设高质量发展。全军官兵听令景从、闻令而动，卫国戍边不负重托，维权维稳枕戈待旦，维和护航冲锋在前，抢险救灾勇挑重担……坚决履行党和人民赋予的新时代使命任务，用青春和热血书写忠诚，展示了人民军队崭新风貌。

2024年是中华人民共和国成立75周年，是实现“十四五”规划目标任务的关键一年。新的征程，号角嘹亮；新的出发，步履铿锵。无论是形势任务、蓝图规划，还是职责使命、实践要求，都不容许我们有丝毫放松懈怠。特别要看到，当今世界变乱交织，百年变局加速演进，国际政治纷争和军事冲突多点爆发，我国安全形势不稳定性不确定性增大，军事斗争任务艰巨繁重。我们必须胸怀“两个大局”，牢记“国之大者”，增强忧患意识、危机意识、打仗意识，加快提升新时代打赢能力，为以中国式现代化全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业提供坚强战略支撑。

目标引领方向，目标凝聚力量。实现建军一百年奋斗目标，是未来几年我军建设的中心任务，是我们向党和人民立下的军令状。当前，实现既定目标到了吃劲奋斗的攻坚期，我们必须坚决贯彻党中央、中央军委和习主席的决策部署，强化如期交出历史答卷的使命担当，跑出新时代奋斗强军加速度，打好实现建军一百年奋斗目标攻坚战。

锚定目标勠力攻坚，我们要深入推进人民军队党的建设。党的领导和党的建设是人民军队建设发展的关键。要坚持不懈用习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想凝心铸魂，突出学好习近平强军思想，巩固拓展主题教育成果，建立健全以学铸魂、以学增智、以学正风、以学促干的长效机制。深入开展“学习强军思想、建功强军事业”教育实践活动，繁荣发展强军文化，铸牢维护核心、听从指挥的思想根基。坚持严的基调、严的措施、严的氛围，把政治整训往深里走、往实里走。持续推进全面从严治党、全面从严治军，坚定不移正风肃纪，打好反腐败斗争攻坚战持久战，巩固人民军队纯洁光荣。坚持党管干部、党管人才，贯彻军队好干部标准，聚焦备战打仗选人用人，确保枪杆子始终掌握在对党忠诚可靠的人手中。压紧压实各级管党治党政治责任，注重抓高层强基层全面固牢组织体系，增强各级党组织政治功能和组织功能，以党的领导和党的建设新加强推动强军事业新发展。

锚定目标勠力攻坚，我们要加强练兵备战。言武备者，练为最要。人民军队的生命力在于战斗力。要坚持以战领建、以备促建，边斗争、边备战、边建设，加快先进战斗力有效供给。坚持实战化军事训练，深化战争和作战问题研究，创新作战概念和战法训法，加强实案化对抗性训练，弘扬一不怕苦、二不怕死的战斗精神，提高训练水平和实战能力。坚持体系建设、体系运用，大力发展新型作战力量和手段，把握新质战斗力建设特点规律，推动作战体系整体升级。坚持从政治高度思考和处理军事问题，坚定灵活开展军事斗争，坚决捍卫国家主权、安全、发展利益。

锚定目标勠力攻坚，我们要提高发展质效。强军胜战能力之“强”，依托于发展质量之“高”。要全面加强军事治理，强化系统观念，坚持问题导向，加强顶层设计和战略谋划，加强各领域治理、全链路治理、各层级治理。聚力规划攻坚，强化规划权威性和执行力，搞好科学统筹，抓好重点任务，加快工作进度，保证工作质量。坚持向深化改革要质效，向科技创新要质效，向战略管理要质效，推动我军建设发展质量变革、效能变革、动力变革。加大法治建设力度，完善中国特色军事法治体系，提高国防和军队建设法治化水平。坚持勤俭建军、勤俭办一切事业，把有限资源用在刀刃上、用出效益来。

锚定目标勠力攻坚，我们要凝聚军地合力。实现建军一百年奋斗目标系统性强、涉及面广，必须加强各领域战略布局一体融合、战略资源一体整合、战略力量一体运用，巩固提高一体化国家战略体系和能力。加强国防动员和后备力量建设，深化全民国防教育，巩固发展新时代军政军民团结，在全社会营造关心国防、热爱国防、建设国防、保卫国防的浓厚氛围，齐心协力建设巩固国防和强大人民军队。

使命召唤，战鼓催征。2024年这张新考卷，需要广大官兵用团结奋斗、攻坚克难来作答。全军要更加紧密地团结在以习近平同志为核心的党中央周围，坚持以习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想为指导，深入贯彻习近平强军思想，深刻领悟“两个确立”的决定性意义，增强“四个意识”、坚定“四个自信”、做到“两个维护”，贯彻军委主席负责制，始终保持奋发有为的精神状态，增强“时时放心不下”的责任担当，真抓实干、埋头苦干、紧张快干，朝着实现建军一百年奋斗目标砥砺前行，奋力开创国防和军队现代化新局面。