US Military Admits “Limited” Understanding Of Chinese Aims
When I say “Jump” you say “How High?”…heh heh…
A top US military leader on Tuesday admitted the United States has a limited understanding of Chinese military aims and is concerned about Beijing’s lack of transparency.
“The growing PLA (People’s Liberation Army) military capability remains a concern, and our understanding of PLA intentions is limited,” said Admiral Timothy Keating of the US Pacific Command.
“The transparency that they profess is insufficient in our view,” he told the Senate Armed Services Committee, a week after the release of a Pentagon report that said China had boosted total military spending in 2007 to more than twice its declared budget.
“They clearly want to expand their areas of influence and those strategic goals of theirs, if not exactly counter to ours, then they are at least of concern,” the commander said.
Keating said that among US concerns were Chinese surface-to-air capabilities and Chinese electronic warfare development.
“We have state-of-the-art equipment that we can deploy if we need to,” Keating said. “The electronic countermeasures we enjoy are in most cases sufficient and in some cases insufficient.”
The Pentagon’s annual assessment said Beijing’s lack of transparency posed risks to stability and voiced concern over how it would use its expanding military power.
The report highlighted Chinese development of cruise and ballistic missiles capable of striking aircraft carriers and other warships at sea, anti-satellite weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
It also cited numerous cyber intrusions into US and other computer networks around the world over the past year, apparently from within China.
“We are concerned about Chinese electronic warfare development and it is a topic of discussion,” Keating told the senators, specifying that “informationization” is a topic “they study … in the war colleges.”
“They acknowledge they are pursuing these subspecialties. They do not acknowledge if they are engaging in these activities. It is obvious to me that they are engaging in these activities,” Keating said.
China dismissed the Pentagon report as an exaggeration, made in order to justify US sales of military hardware to Beijing’s rival Taiwan.
With regard to China-Taiwan tensions, Keating said the United States is “cautiously optimistic that a little bit of steam will leave the kettle” following Taiwan’s presidential election later this month.
“I have no indications today that there is increased concern with respect to likelihood of military activity in Taiwan,” he added.
The Pentagon estimated China’s total military spending in 2007 at between 97 and 139 billion dollars, more than double China’s declared budget of 45 billion dollars, which rose by 17.8 percent in 2007 over the previous year.
Asked about the spike in Chinese military spending, Keating said US officials know “their spending is going way up” but only have estimates because “the Chinese will not discuss it … they don’t even bring it up anymore.”
When the issue was discussed in the past, Keating said Chinese officials told him the extra funds were “all going to personnel and quality of life.”
Keating acknowledged “it costs a lot of money to train and equip” a modern force of soldiers.
“That said, there is no question they are putting a significant amount of money” into research and development of their military arsenal, and “not all of their increased budget, I believe, is going to personnel.”
The admiral said his attempts to gain a better understanding of China’s plans are often ignored.
“When I ask them they choose not to answer the question,” he said, referring to the Chinese military budget.
“They do not share with us their intentions … beyond the overarching ‘We seek to defend those things that are ours.’ It’s the same answer to nearly every question we ask them.”
(AFP)
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Supplanting the West, i.e. the United States, and achieving world dominance. That’s not exactly a secret.
March 12th, 2008 at 3:04 pmI dont see this as a secret either. world dominance is on their mind for sure.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:04 pmGuaranteed. As soon as the 2008 Olympics is complete, Chinese dragon horns will soon appear.
Though I feel for its countrymen, China itself is bad news.
March 12th, 2008 at 4:50 pmQuit buying Chinese products and quit sending our manufacturing to China.
March 12th, 2008 at 6:33 pmThis election year I’m not so much worried about the enemy without as I am the enemy within.
March 12th, 2008 at 6:51 pmGoodbye Natalie
you make a great point. something about China just seems to make it inherently evil.
Paslode
Right on! there is no better advice to give someone than that. stop buying Chinese products and stop sending our jobs over there.
If anyone thinks we’re funding our own deaths by buying foreign oil, well you’re right. but think about buying Chinese goods from their little wonderland over there and all the while you’re financing a 100 million man Army with terrible disdain for America.
March 12th, 2008 at 7:26 pmGet Hillary elected. Seize the strategic initiative in depth by putting pressure on the world’s greatest government since the Roman Empire inside and outside, politically, militarily and economically.
Pride is their sin. And it will be the cause of their greatest defeat in the end.
March 12th, 2008 at 8:05 pmAncient Chinese secret, huh???
March 12th, 2008 at 9:12 pm