Central Military Commission

The Agencies' Gazette
Shin Bet denied, Putin happy with envoys in Finland, Beijing changes military judicial system, FSB monitors IT operators, OFAC expands scope, French alcohol in Riyadh

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Aqaba to Moscow via Helsinki, Washington, Paris, Riyadh and Beijing.

Israel/Jordan Shin Bet boss caught out in Aqaba

Russia/Finland Putin rewards his envoys to Finland

China Xi prepares for possible war with changes to military legal system

Russia FSB steps up surveillance of IT operators

United States OFAC works towards better public-private interaction

France/Arabia Tensions over alcohol supply chains

China, France
Are French pilots about to train on Chinese jets?

Last year we reported that French pilots were training their counterparts in the People's Liberation Army. We have since learned that Chinese aircraft could be used to train French military aviators.

The Agencies' Gazette
Kovalchuk clan in Kremlin, INIS fights corruption, Washington in Riyadh, Beijing and its reservists, China's model ambassador in Paris

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from Moscow to Baghdad, via Washington, Riyadh and Beijing.

RussiaKovalchuk clan adds another link to Kremlin spymasters

IraqINIS helps with Sudani's crackdown on corruption

United States/Saudi ArabiaWashington calls for greater intelligence sharing with Gulf Cooperation Council

ChinaBeijing relies on reserves to expand PLA

ChinaLu Shaye, ambassador in Paris, in Beijing's good graces

China
'Shaanxi Gang' on the rise during Xi's third term

From anti-corruption campaigns to the Central Military Commission, more and more strategic Chinese Communist Party positions are being filled by members who hail from or forged their political career in the president's home province of Shaanxi.

China
A new faction forms around Xi Jingping: the Tsinghua clique

The group of senior officials gradually emerging as the new clique around Xi Jingping have one thing in common, they all attended the president's alma mater, Tsinghua, in Beijing.

China
Xi Jinping to bring PLA political commissars to heel

In his third term, China's president wants to consolidate his hold over his country's military apparatus. To regain control over the politics of the People's Liberation Army, Xi has chosen to drastically rein in political commissars, who have now been relegated to merely executing the party's will.

Spotlight | China
Inspired by Russia's mistakes, Beijing fine-tunes its military strategy on Taiwan

The Chinese president convened the Central Military Commission last month to discuss Taiwan and the new direction its military strategy should take on the island, and particularly on its eastern flank, in the light of Russian setbacks in Ukraine.

The Agencies' Gazette
Syrian chemical programme, UK's Economic Crime Committee, Swedish StratCom at NATO, Pakistani ambassador in Kabul, Skopje and NATO, PLA in Taiwan

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community from London to Stockholm, via Kabul and Skopje.

France/SyriaFrench company Smart Pegasus remains under sanctions for participating in Syrian chemical weapons program.

United KingdomOpposition MP's push parliamentary Economic Crime Committee project.

Sweden/LatviaSwedish anti-fake news agency shines at NATO's StratCom.

Pakistan/AfghanistanISI investigates attempted assassination of Pakistani ambassador in Kabul.

North MacedoniaSkopje intelligence chief learns the rope at NATO.

ChinaPeople's Liberation Army tests modern urban warfare techniques to hone Taiwan strategy.

China
Beyond Taiwan headlines, China lays ground for more regional conflicts

The security-focused conclusions of the Chinese Communist Party Congress went beyond the international headline issue of Taiwan. Beijing is already considering diplomatic and intelligence manoeuvres to aid its expansion into other territories.

China
Xi Jinping eyes conscription to forge new army

The Chinese president intends to completely upend the structure of the People's Liberation Army during his next term, with plans for mandatory workshops on China's strategy goals, training sessions with the army and promises of a secure career with strong prospects.

China, Japan
Chinese military commission convinces Xi Jinping to be conciliatory with Japan

The top army body and the president have been confronting their views over the diplomatic and military approach to be taken towards Japan.

China
Ex-President Jiang Zemin's clan targeted by fresh anti-corruption campaign

China's spymaster Zhao Leji has launched another anti-corruption crackdown to destroy the last remaining vestiges of former president Jiang Zemin's influence.

China
China's PLA and United Front launch recruitment drive

Beijing's defence and influence structures have launched a campaign to recruit top students from the sciences. Universities close to the Chinese People's Liberation Army are lining up to ensure they benefit from the initiative.

China, United States
US Congress set to glean info on Chinese army's weaknesses

The US China Economic and Security Review Commission has issued a new call for tenders aimed at uncovering the internal dynamics of China's Popular Liberation Army (PLA). Its contents reveal that the US Congress has high hopes of getting a better understanding of the workings of this key component in the Chinese security system.

China
F. Squares Technology to boost GEOINT analysis for financial sector with own SAR satellite

The Chinese geospatial intelligence analysis firm, which counts Airbus among its partners, currently monitors natural resources and infrastructure for banks and the government.