Posted on 05/26/2007 7:24:46 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
China's military buildup is moving beyond countering Taiwan to global operations from the Middle East through Southeast Asia, according to the Pentagon's annual assessment of Chinese military power.
"China's military acquisitions and strategic thinking suggests Beijing is also generating capabilities for other regional contingencies, such as conflict over resources or territory," the report to Congress said.
The statement, released yesterday, contradicts assessments of some pro-China analysts and intelligence officials who have said the nation's military buildup is relatively benign and limited to resolving the sovereignty issue of Taiwan, which was separated from China in 1949 during a civil war.
China has said it is prepared to use force to retake Taiwan, and the United States is committed to defending the democratically ruled island from an attack by Beijing.
A defense official briefing reporters on the report said the Chinese buildup is showing "the beginnings of a power-projection capability that has ramifications well beyond a potential Taiwan crisis."
Chinese efforts to develop an aircraft carrier and other power-projection forces are based on concerns that sea lanes used to transport oil to China are vulnerable to disruption, the official said. China is dependent on the sea lanes for its oil imports -- about 80 percent of which travel through the Straits of Malacca.
The Pentagon report, "Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2007," contains new information on the nation's weapons and military strategy, including development of space weapons. In January, it successfully tested an anti-satellite missile against a Chinese satellite.
The report said the test "poses dangers to human space flight and puts at risk the assets of all space-faring nations." It said China appears to be working on an "information blockade" of space through missiles, lasers and electromagnetic anti-satellite missiles and jammers.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
PING!
Nothing to see here. Move along.
What happens when you support free trade w Commie China
...and when you trade missile guidance technology for campaign contributions and the illusion of "friendly relations".
I think I’ll go have another beer I bought from Wal-Mart yesterday, at least it wasn't made in China...
What scares me is the Chinese know that the US military is so weak at this time because of many reasons, this is their window of opportunity.
So "weak"? You've been watching the network news, haven't you? Not only do we have the raw nuclear firepower to vaporize Beijing and all points in between, we also have sufficient conventional forces to block any (and I do mean any) of the ChiComs' current maneuvers. Sure, we're over-committed in Iraq, but if we needed to draw on those forces, or any others in the region, wouldn't you rather have them that much closer to mainland China, rather than sitting at Fort Hood or San Diego? Wouldn't you rather have soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have had plenty of training on dispatching bad guys (both Stateside training and OJT), rather than someone who's been cooling his/her heels in Fort Drum, New York?
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