Posted on 05/23/2006 6:37:38 PM PDT by Flavius
The pace and scope of China's modernization of its strategic forces and other surprising military developments could pose a credible long term threat to the United States, the Pentagon warned.
In an annual report to Congress, the Defense Department said China's ability to sustain military power at a distance is limited but it has the greatest potential of any nation to compete militarily with the United States.
"Long-term trends in China's strategic nuclear forces modernization, land- and sea-based access denial capabilities, and emerging precision-strike weapons have the potential to pose credible threats to modern militaries operating in the region," the report said.
"Several aspects of China's military development have surprised US analysts, including the pace and scope of its strategic forces modernization," an executive summary of the report said.
"China's military expansion is already such as to alter regional military balances," it added.
"Long-term trends in China's strategic nuclear forces modernization, land- and sea-based access denial capabilities, and emerging precision-strike weapons have the potential to pose credible threats to modern militaries operating in the region," the report said.
The annual China military power report is a closely watched barometer of military relations between the Asian power and the United States, the dominant military power in the Asia Pacific Region.
The report made waves last year by calling attention to big, unacknowledged increases in Chinese spending on a major military buildup that it said put at risk the military balance in the region.
The latest report expanded on that theme and said China had still not adequately explained "the purposes or desired end-stats of their military expansion."
"Absent greater transparency, international reactions to China's military growth will understandably hedge against these unknowns," the report said.
In the near term, China's military buildup appeared focused on preparing for contingencies in the Taiwan Strait, including the possibility of US intervention, the report said.
China now has an estimated 710 to 790 short-range missiles opposite Taiwan, according to the report.
"However, analysis of China's military acquisitions suggest it is also generating capabilities that could apply to other regional contingencies, such as conflicts over resources or territory," it said.
It said China has developed a new doctrine for modern warfare, reformed military institutions and personnel systems, improved exercises and training, and acquired advanced foreign and domestic weapons systems.
The report discusses China's acquisition of Russian transport and air refueling aircraft and its interest in acquiring the SU-33, a Russian-made maritime strike aircraft capable of operating from aircraft carriers.
Lol. My kinda guy!
I sympathize. It depends, I guess, upon whether you will go into some kind of import business. China is a huge exporter, and it would help in dealing with them. However, it is also making inroads into South America, and I am wondering if they are learning Spanish, in which case we probably should choose Spanish, too, because that is widely used here. You will need it to deal with your customers. But if the Hispanics, who don't want to learn English, start learning Chinese, then watch out and go for Chinese. Maybe you should just learn both.
Somehow I don't think I helped. heh heh
Nah, they just think they have a God-given right to buy $20 toasters at Wal-mart.
Learning to speak mandarin and learning to read Chinese are two entirely different things. It's a whole lot easier to learn to speak it.
Yes and Bush 1 and Bush 2. All three are building China's war making machine as fast as they can. Keep shopping at wal-mark folks, the Chicoms need the money.
Agreed.
China is such a paradox.
I despise their commie government and EVERYTHING it stands for.
*However I am very glad that the same nasty government has a one-baby policy, however loosely they apply it. I shudder to think of unbridled births in China.
*Also, I can't gainsay their capitalism. EVERY Christmas ornament on the planet, I think, is made in China. Their stuff is dirt cheap, but it's nice. 10,000 tree lights for $2.99. Lol.
Even the ENORMOUS and plentiful Christmas store markets of Germany are stuffed with Chinese made Christmas decorations.
There was once a poll of the Chinese, asking them who Santa Claus was. They answered: a nice, generous old man who gives gifts. They do "get" it, it seems, though the "poll" MIGHT be total fabrication.
*I applaud their efforts at Christianity but shudder again at what it turns out to be....a cult Christianity--really, really off-base, with its government appointing its own Catholic bishops. Geez.
What on EARTH could have been God's plan in creating the Chinese?
1. I'm not surprised at all. China IS a paradox. Most people would see that.
2. China's one-baby policy is anathema to me, but I actually can understand why they have the one-baby policy. They do it because they don't want to face the spectre of famine again and if they have unbridled birth rates, they WILL have a famine.
*The Chinese people themselves are VERY, VERY pro-abortion, when the babies are girls. With amniocentesis they know the gender of their baby and have aborted MILLIONS and MILLIONS of girl babies. Their girl-boy ration is ALL SCREWED UP because they HAVE aborted too many girls.
They have a whole generation of MILLIONS of single men for whom there are no women. They even have a name for these men: bare branches.
The Chinese are a paradox. I don't trust them; never did; never will. I just wish that we would have as much caution in dealing with these COMMIES as we do with Muslims and Arabs.
I guess I don't have to remind you that their Red Army backs their communism. It will for a long time yet. They have NUKES. I'm more afraid of them than I am of any Muslim nation, Arab or non-Arab. The Pakistanis are a Muslim nation I AM afraid of them. They have nukes and they are nuts.
Furthermore, students receive Mandarin language and culture instruction with the goal of furthering our students' preparation for global citizenry.
So, I guess you need to buy some Mandarin instruction tapes.
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