Foreign and Military Affairs

China confirms deployment of online army

By Zhang Jiawei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-05-26 10:40

The development of China's "Online Blue Army" unit is for improving the defense capabilities of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, citied by Beijing News.

Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng hosts the ministry's second regular press conference in Beijing, May 25, 2011. [Photo/www.mod.gov.cn]

Launching the "Online Blue Army" is based on the PLA's needs, and enforcing the ability of Internet security protection is an important issue in its military training programs, Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng said. The term "blue army" is used unsually to represent the enemy troops during exercises by the PLA.

Geng's comments came in response to questions during the ministry's news conference in Beijing asking if the "Online Blue Army" is China's Internet squad aimed at carrying out attacks on other countries' Internet systems.

The PLA Daily reported earlier the PLA's Guangzhou command had invested tens of millions of yuan in building the specialized Internet squad.

Geng said Internet security has become an international concern which affects not only the society but the military sector, adding that China, armed with comparatively lax online security protection, is among the victims of Internet attacks.

The news conference was the second in what will be the ministry's regular briefings to be held on the last week of each month. The first briefing was held on April 27.