Lack of Information About China’s Military Spending Concerns Gates

American Forces Press Service ^ | Sgt. Sara Moore, USA

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, March 5, 2008 – China’s announcement that it is increasing its military spending by almost 18 percent is a cause of concern because the nation's government hasn’t been clear about how it will spend the money, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, left, responds to a question during a press conference with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen at the Pentagon, March 5, 2008. Defense Dept. photo by Cherie A. Thurlby  
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

China’s announcement comes on the heels of the March 3 release of the 2008 China Military Power Report, which found that China spent more than three times its announced defense budget last year and is developing new capabilities that could have global implications.

“Part of the issue is what we don’t know,” Gates said today at a Pentagon news conference. “I think that there’s general agreement that the Chinese military budget that we see is only a portion of what the Chinese spend.”

The United States has proposed engaging in strategic dialogue with Chinese officials to gain information about what the increase in the budget means and what their modernization programs mean, Gates said. In exchange, the United States would provide similar information to China.

“As you saw in the Chinese Military Power document, there’s a wide range of activities under way, and we think having an ongoing dialogue with them about the meaning of all that would be very useful,” he said.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that beyond the 18 percent increase, the Chinese are spending money on research and development, and those investments need to be linked to strategic intent.

Gates also spoke about the United States’ recent shoot-down of a crippled reconnaissance satellite in space, and China’s concerns about that operation. The Chinese have so far made no requests for further information about the operation, he said, and the United States has been very open about the mission from the beginning.

He compared the U.S. operation to China’s shoot-down of a satellite in 2007. The Chinese offered no advance notification of that operation, or any information afterward, Gates said. In contrast, the United States was very open about the satellite operation from the start and took measures to limit the amount of debris that was left floating in space, he said.

Gates emphasized that the United States has no intention of developing anti-satellite technology, and that the recent operation was conducted to deal with a potential emergency.

Biographies:
Robert M. Gates
Adm. Mike Mullen, USN

Related Sites:
Annual Report to Congress: Military Power of the People's Republic of China

Related Articles:
China Military Expansion Could Have Global Implications

[Jeff Head]

Here's what the Communist Chinese Navy (PLAN) is spending a whole lot of their money on:

[The_Republican]

If he is so concerned he should subscribe to Washington Times and read Bill Gertz articles. He will learn all he needs to know.

[bioqubit]

Other than to bluff, why would the ChiComs keep their intentions secret? All is see is that they are spending the bulk of that money on OFFENSIVE CAPABILITY.

What else do you really need to know, Secretary Gates? When they intend to use this? What their own perception is of when they have reached an operational threshold that becomes 50:50 in fight with the U.S.?

Unless they are going on a base building binge, what else could it be but offense?

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Gates is either a total dumb-ass or the greatest disinformation disseminator around.

I’d go for dumb-ass. The US has been developing anti-satellite defenses for decades. It was in many of the military annual reports, if he wants to read about them.

My classmate in the 70’s was the late Lt. Gen. Daniel Graham, Deputy Dir. CIA/Director DIA, and head of Military Intelligence, Vietnam. He headed something called “High Frontier”, a proponent of a land-based space missiles defense system. THey put out a lot of publications on space warfare.

Hope Gates learns how to read before it is too late.

[wastedyears]

But China are our friends!

/s

[SandRat]

In a Pig’s Eye!!!

[Mike Powell]

Any country with fast growing economy will surely upgrade or size up their security forces. In reality, countries like Russia and India are another example. My country Malaysia also can be considered because of our recent advance military machines’ purchase.

It’s not how big or how advance is their weapon is. It’s depends how wise and sensibly they’ll use. And as a fellow Asians, I should actually got some pride that they developed their system mostly by themselves (although some got Russian’s assistance).

[Jeff Head]

Do you think, as fellow Euopeans, that the Polish or the Czech had a "sense of pride" in the advanced developments of their fellow Europeans, the Germans, in the 1930s?

I mean, afterall, at that point they hadn't invaded anyone yet and the German people were much happier.

History teaches us that when totalitarian governments increase the size and quality of their military significantly, that neighboring countries should beware.

[Mike Powell]

Well, sometimes it’s also down to the sense of patriotism that decides our judgement on the other. I do felt a little bit down when my country’s neighbour Singapore purchase better military machines.

I met with some Europeans in the past. Technically and economically, most of them were proud of what their fellow Europeans has done although culturally and socially, rivalries still existed inside them.

[Jeff Head]

You did not catch the drift of my questions. The Czecks and Poles were overrun by the Nazi war machine...even if they were also Europeans. I doubt that those peoples had any pride whatsoever in what the Germans accomplished.

Should the Rewd Chinese start coming out of their box (ie. taking Taiwan, mercilessly putting down Tibet (again), the Sprately's, etc., etc. I doubt many other Asians will take pride in that.

[Mike Powell]

Indeed, the Czechs and Polish were once thumped by the Nazi Germans. But at least right now, their rivalries won’t boil into a tit-for-tat situation like Pakistan-India or USSR-USA. Well, economically no really but culturally yes.

Every country has their own controversies and disputes and my country is not spared at all. The reason why I remain neutral on Chinese politic because in the past, my country Malaysia got this kind of racial riot that almost destroyed a harmonious society completely. Therefore, it’s no different than them.

[AuntB]

Gates and the others should have been listening to Duncan Hunter LONG ago about this!

[AuntB]

“History teaches us that when totalitarian governments increase the size and quality of their military significantly, that neighboring countries should beware.”

History? It would be nice if that was a consideration for policy wouldn’t it?

[pissant]

So should have 10s of 1000s of freepers. If they had, we might be saying presumptive nominee Duncan Hunter...

[Mike Powell]

History did teach us the past mistake and glory that achieved by great historic figure. We can made it as a reference but beware, do not take history either too lightly or too obsessed.

Napolean has once said, history is a mask. It wrote by the victors.