Pentagon Document Expresses Concern over China's Military Modernization

May 25 (LPAC)--The annual US Department of Defense Document, Military Power of the Peoples Republic of China, 2007--an assessment of the present level of Chinese military and its future strategy, expresses concern that "while its military modernization in the near term appears to remain preparing for potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait. However, official documents and the writings of Chinese military strategists suggest Beijing is increasingly surveying the strategic landscape beyond Taiwan." The document says that "given the apparent absence of direct threats from other nations, the purposes to which Chinas current and future military power will be applied remain unknown."

It is clear from this 50-page document, studded with graphs and charts, that China's increasing success in space, which includes its missiles as well, and its emphasis on making its shipbuilding sector bigger, have been identified by Pentagon as signs of China's global strategic drive. The document says "China's shipyard expansion in last five years was impressive and some of these dual-purpose (military/civilian) shipyards are capable of supporting construction of major combatants, large amphibious ships and supertankers. China is capable of serial production of modern diesel-electric submarines and is moving forward with new nuclear submarines."

In addition, the document expresses doubts over stated Chinese defense expenditure, which Pentagon claims is much smaller than what Beijing actually spends. "This lack of transparency in China's military affairs will naturally and understandably prompt international responses that hedge against the unknown, the document claimed."