Australia warns on China's army ambition

[BATMAN]

Australia warns on China's army ambition
By Virginia Marsh in Sydney
Financial Times
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19615795/
Updated: 6:12 p.m. ET July 5, 2007

The pace and scope of China's military modernisation could create "misunderstanding and instability" in the Asia-Pacific region, Australia has warned in one of Canberra's toughest public statements yet on Beijing's growing strategic ambitions.

In a defence policy blueprint released Thursday by John Howard, prime minister, Canberra also highlights Australia's strengthening military ties with Japan and warns that the strategic competition between the US and China needs to be carefully managed for the good of the Asia-Pacific region.

The new policy document reflects what some commentators consider a shift in Australian defence policy to emphasise trilateral ties with the US and Japan, a development arousing suspicion in Beijing.

While Australia has been the US's strongest military and political ally in the Asia Pacific since the second world war, Canberra has also been assiduous in recent years in building up a broad relationship with Beijing.

"It appears that [the Howard government] is moving to a policy under pressure from Washington and Tokyo to be less welcoming of China's growing power," said Hugh White of the Australian National University. "I think that China will be very uncomfortable with it."

The defence blueprint, Australia's first since 2005, labels China's development of new capabilities such as the anti-satellite missile that it tested in January as "disruptive" and says the Asia-Pacific region has benefited from the US being the predominant military power.

It warns against a change in the regional status quo, saying: "As China and India grow, and the United States re-balances its global commitments, power relations will change, and as this happens there is always a possibility of strategic miscalculation."

Responding to the paper in Beijing, the foreign ministry said: "The Chinese government has repeatedly stated that China will be unwavering in taking the peaceful course of development."

Australia has reacted swiftly to Japan's increased willingness to involve itself directly in global and regional security, a development that has also altered regional dynamics.

In March, Mr Howard, whose government will this year raise defence spending by 10.6 per cent, signed a historic security cooperation pact with Shinzo Abe, his Japanese counterpart and since then Canberra has held trilateral security talks with Washington and Tokyo. It is also examining how it could contribute to a US-led regional ballistic missile defence system that is supported by Japan.

The three-way grouping has also opened a defence dialogue with India, with which Australia signed a security cooperation accord last year.

The paper says of Japan, formerly its most bitter enemy in the second world war: "Australia has no closer nor more valuable partner in the region… Australia welcomes its efforts to contribute more directly to regional and global stability."

The talks with India, aimed potentially at forming a quadrilateral security pact, have angered China, in particular, and in May it sent a formal diplomatic protest to the countries. Within Australia, the potential pact has been labelled by some commentators as smacking of out-dated cold war-style containment.

 

[BATMAN]

I guess some thing is cooking, US has extended his military co-operation to India. Build up of US troops in gulf. Presence in Afghanistan. War looming over Iran. India sending hundereds of commandos in Afghanistan and now Australia showing his resentment over Chinese military but at the same time closing his eyes from India's sudden collection of more modern arms than China. India buying ICBM from Russia and more advance hardware and uranium from west.

 

[Bull]

I guess some thing is cooking, US has extended his military co-operation to India. Build up of US troops in gulf. Presence in Afghanistan. War looming over Iran. India sending hundereds of commandos in Afghanistan and now Australia showing his resentment over Chinese military but at the same time closing his eyes from India's sudden collection of more modern arms than China. India buying ICBM from Russia and more advance hardware and uranium from west.

Agree to all facts, but India buying ICBM. India doesnt have one. It just shelved the home grown one.

 

[gpit]

I guess some thing is cooking, US has extended his military co-operation to India. Build up of US troops in gulf. Presence in Afghanistan. War looming over Iran. India sending hundereds of commandos in Afghanistan and now Australia showing his resentment over Chinese military but at the same time closing his eyes from India's sudden collection of more modern arms than China. India buying ICBM from Russia and more advance hardware and uranium from west.

Nice observation. And agreed.

 

[Adux]

. India buying ICBM from Russia .

And it still continue's

 

[gpit]

Then how do you guys explain this? Was Howard just doing his routine democratic propaganda under US pressure, or was his government fooling around?

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2007-07/10/content_5423098.htm

Military strength 'justified'


By Le Tian
Updated: 2007-07-10 06:58


Australian Defense Minister Brendan Nelson yesterday brushed aside concerns about China's growing military strength and expressed the wish to cooperate with the People's Liberation Army.

"We think it perfectly appropriate for a country like China to increase its military capabilities" commensurate with the country's economic growth, he said while meeting Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan.

Nelson - in Beijing on his first visit to China since he assumed the post in January last year - also said the Australian military would like to work more closely with China on fighting terrorism, peacekeeping and disaster relief.

His visit came just days after Australia issued its first defense policy update since 2005 that said "the pace and scope of (China's) military modernization... could create misunderstandings and instability in the region". It also said China was a pivotal player in several tense issues in the region.

Neither Cao nor Nelson directly discussed the defense policy paper during their 90-minute talks.

Instead, both hailed the good momentum of China-Australia military ties.

In a speech at Beijing's National Defense University later in the day, Nelson said there was an increase in information about China's military though many countries are calling for Beijing to show greater transparency about its military aims.

"Australia particularly welcomes the growing level of detail in Chinese defense white papers as an example of the sort of openness that should serve to prevent misunderstandings and instability in the region as Chinese capabilities develop," Nelson said.

Nelson said his country sees China as a "reliable partner" and is not seeking to contain China.

As to Australia's recent strengthening of security ties with Japan and collaboration with the United States on anti-missile technology, he said it was not an effort to "contain China's rise".

Shen Shishun, an expert on Asia-Pacific studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said Australia, like the US and Japan, tries to engage China despite its concerns over the country's military development.

"The worries from outside are understandable but are unnecessary as China's national defense policy is defensive in nature," he said.

Cao, also vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, said China-Australia military ties had progressed well, citing frequent high-level visits, established consultation mechanism and substantive exchanges in various fields.

To underline the progress, it was agreed during the meeting that a Chinese navy fleet will visit Australia in September and conduct a joint maritime exercise with the navies of Australia and New Zealand.

Nelson said he was confident the Chinese warship visit and the joint military exercise will "help boost mutual trust and increase friendship".

Cao lauded the drill - China's first multilateral maritime drill - as "a step to show the expansion of our substantive military cooperation".

China has conducted bilateral search-and-rescue drills with countries such as Britain, France, Pakistan, India, Australia, Thailand and the United States since 2003.

Speaking to PLA officers at the university, Nelson stressed the hope for greater security cooperation with China.

"Australia and China share a vital interest in a stable global environment and regional order..." he said.

Agencies contributed to the story.

(China Daily 07/10/2007 page1)