TT gets Chinese military aid today

THE Government of the People’s Republic of China will hand over military equipment to the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force during a ceremony at Defence Force headquarters, Teteron Barracks, today at 10 am. Today’s handover comes as a follow-up to discussions in August between Prime Minister Patrick Manning and Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, when Zhaoxing visited TT. The Prime Minister subsequently revealed that one agreement was reached between the two governments to establish a military hospital in Central Trinidad.

Today’s handover may also be regarded as timely in the wake of an October decision by the US Government to cut some $89 million in military aid to 32 friendly nations (including TT) because those nations refused to exempt American citizens and military personnel from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, of which former President Arthur NR Robinson was a chief architect when he was Prime Minister. At that time, US Ambassador to TT Dr Roy Austin said the Bush Administration was not trying to force TT to renege on its commitment to the Court and gave the assurance that although those funds were being cut, TT would still receive sufficient military funding from the US.

The Ambassador indicated that the Coast Guard would be receiving two 40-foot cutters from the US next year at a total cost of US$25,000. Former National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee disclosed that a US$945,000 agreement had been signed with the American government and part of those funds would assist in developing an effective coastal radar network for TT. Chin Lee said the new system would be similar to one currently used by the Israeli military to monitor arms smuggling in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the nation’s coastlines were only receiving “three percent” coverage from the radar system which was operating under the former UNC regime.

A June 2000 article by defence analyst Frank W Moore stated that China has one of the largest militaries in the world today based on its inventory of major weapon systems, and “in the past decade, China’s growing military capability has attracted a great deal of attention” but “the bulk of China’s holdings are old both in physical age and technology.” The article further states: “While China is modernising its conventional forces, the new systems are entering a low rate compared with the overall size of the older forces.” Today’s ceremony will be addressed by new National Security Minister Martin Joseph, Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Eric Williams and Chinese Ambassador to TT, Xu Yanan.