June 7, 2005 :: AFP :: News
Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld warned on Saturday that China’s military spending threatens Asia’s security balance. Speaking in Singapore, Rumsfeld particularly emphasized China’s growing ballistic missile arsenal: “China appears to be expanding its missile forces, allowing them to reach targets in many areas of the world while also expanding its missile capabilities within this region.” The Secretary of Defense also asked why China has so many ballistic missiles aimed at Taiwan.
In a recent column, Cal Thomas underscores the reason for China’s military expansion: “[R]ather than feeling threatened, China intends to threaten others, especially the United States.” He cites Constantine Menges’ new book, China: The Gathering Threat, which argues persuasively that the U.S. must deploy a reliable missile defense system that can defend against a possible Chinese attack. Such a system could make the cost of China’s missile buildup prohibitive, or at least less cost-effective. China is expected to add 400 new warheads capable of reaching U.S. territory by 2008, against which the United States, absent any serious missile defenses, will be defenseless. (Article)
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