Posted on 07/14/2005 6:09:27 PM PDT by ChristianDefender
A Chinese military official says Beijing will use nuclear weapons against the U.S. if the Americans attack the Asian nation in a fight over Taiwan.
"If the Americans draw their missiles and position-guided ammunition on to the target zone on China's territory, I think we will have to respond with nuclear weapons," Zhu Chenghu, a major general in the People's Liberation Army, said at an official briefing, according to the Financial Times.
Speaking at a function organized for foreign journalists, the official noted the definition of China's territory includes warships and aircraft.
"If the Americans are determined to interfere [then] we will be determined to respond," Zhu said. "We Chinese will prepare ourselves for the destruction of all of the cities east of Xian. Of course, the Americans will have to be prepared that hundreds ... of cities will be destroyed by the Chinese."
The Financial Times notes Zhu is a self-acknowledged "hawk" who has warned previously that China could strike the U.S. with long-range missiles. But his threat to use nuclear weapons in a conflict over Taiwan is the most specific by a senior Chinese official in nearly a decade.
Zhu is not the first Chinese official to mention the use of nuclear weapons first in a conflict over Taiwan.
Chas Freeman, a former U.S. assistant secretary of defense, said in 1999 that a PLA official had told him China could respond in kind to a nuclear strike by the U.S. in the event of a conflict with Taiwan.
"In the end you care more about Los Angeles than you do about Taipei," Freeman quoted this official as saying.
Though official U.S. policy on Taiwan is that it is part of mainland China – the "one China" policy – President Bush has said the U.S. would defend the island republic if it were attacked by Beijing.
Yes they are. But, they know they have Ted Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, Reid, Pelosi, etc. as additional allies (weapons) if they need them.
ping
Really? We've been hearing an awful lot of this crap from the Red Chinese military. First the two Colonels, then along comes a few Generals.
At some point we have to stop pretending these are all rogue military hawks acting on their own and recognize that they in fact may be articulating official policy.
I don't think the Swiss have as much as glanced our way for a couple of years.
All WE have to do is educate the boobs that their brainless consuming of Chinese goods is a security threat. That is, do so after getting them away from their television sets.
I'm not arguing with that. The consequence of a "debt war" would be an accession of India to first place in the world, a situation I see as natural and inevitable for this centure.
We owe this to Bill Clinton's greed! He sold us out to China. What a sorry POS!
Their chopsticks will be glowing for years if they try anything.....
What??? Clinton's buddies in RED China would nuke us? Oh say it isn't so!
Well, that's the end of Wal-Mart.
Exactly!
Anyone ever see "On the Beach?"
What is up with all the nuke threads lately, and why so many dups?
Nah, we don't need SDI, no reason at all. John Kerry told us so.
"Well, that's the end of Wal-Mart." And one heck of a lot of consumer electronics. Forget about getting a PC if Taiwan was to be taken over. I belive some 50 motherboards are still located on the Island, not to mention semiconductor manufacturing etc.. Of course as warefhouse where depleted it could be incentive for some US companies if any are left to make all the electronics that go into a PC for instance. But how many US companies are left. Plus if the Island goes and we get involved in a conventional sea/air conflict with them forget about all the IC etc., that come out of Hong Kong to.
As the world spins.
Poor democratic Taiwan. So many countries have backed out of recognizing it as its own country and not just another part of red China.
I guess that means the Rockets lose their Center, Yao Ming
***What is up with all the nuke threads lately, and why so many dups?***
I dont know... but its better that we all know about this stuff, even if they may not be realistic..
If FreeRepublic.com was already existing before the Pearl Harbor Bombing people might have enough idea that the Japs may attack U.S.
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