Pentagon report: China extending military reach

[ao333]

Washington (CNN) -- The Chinese military continues to expand its reach and capabilities beyond its immediate geographical area, a new report from the U.S. Department of Defense concludes.

The report, an annual assessment sent to Congress, notes that some of those capabilities have been positive, like humanitarian and anti-piracy efforts, but others are meant to give China "extended-range power projection."

While China's continued effort to be able to sustain military operations far from its shore are concerning to the U.S. military, "China's ability to sustain military power at a distance, today, remains limited," the report says.

As it has in the past, the U.S. program to sell military equipment to Taiwan continues to create tension with China and has led to cessation at times of military relations between the two countries.

The assessment notes China has the most active ballistic and cruise missile program in the world, including developing anti-missile technology. Also of concern are Chinese efforts to develop a long-range anti-ship ballistic missile with a reach of more than 900 miles, which would include areas in which the U.S. Navy is active. When achieved, the Chinese military will have "the capability to attack ships, including aircraft carriers, in the Western Pacific Ocean," according to the report.

The Chinese could start building their first aircraft carrier this year, and China has started to train pilots to operate off such carriers. It already has a Russian carrier that it is refurbishing.

Its naval muscle is also being flexed with additional nuclear powered submarines and it has nearly completed a new navy base on Hainan Island "with direct access to vital international sea lanes," which will allow for "stealthy deployment of submarines," the report says.

Pentagon report: China extending military reach - CNN.com

 

[Nomenclature]

The Chinese could start building their first aircraft carrier this year.

Somehow I remember reading this many, many times.

 

[no_name]

Varyag is still refitting, dunno if they loosely defined it as 'building'

 

[lemurian]

More from the Washington Post..

Economic powerhouse China focuses on its military might

By John Pomfret
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 17, 2010

China is quickly modernizing its military and has set its sites on extending its influence deep into the Pacific and Indian oceans now that the military balance with its longtime nemesis, Taiwan, is tilting in its favor, the Defense Department reported Monday.

In its annual report to Congress on China's military, the Defense Department said that the People's Liberation Army is advancing across the board commensurate with China's burgeoning economic power. Coincidentally, the report was issued a day after China's economy was recognized as the world's second biggest, eclipsing Japan's in size during the second quarter of this year.

The report listed numerous areas in which China's military is on the march. China is deploying a new class of nuclear-powered submarines equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles. It is pouring money into space warfare systems and cyberwarfare capabilities. It is developing a "carrier killer" anti-ship ballistic missile.

China has "the most active land-based ballistic and cruise missile program in the world," the report said. Beijing "now possesses one of the largest" forces of surface-to-air missiles in the world, it added. And it has the "largest force of principal combatants, submarines, and amphibious warfare ships in Asia."

A decade ago, fewer than 10 percent of China's subs were considered "modern" by the Pentagon. Today, half are. Similarly dramatic jumps have been made in China's air defenses, the report noted, although naval surface forces and China's air force still lag behind.

China is also changing the way it thinks about its military, the report said. In the past, its military focused on guarding China's sovereignty, which implied that China's fighting men would not stray far from the country's borders. Now that thinking has evolved to a paradigm designed to protect China's interests, including economic interests, which span the globe.

The main focus of China's military modernization, however, remains Taiwan, the self-governing island of 20 million people that Beijing claims as its own territory. As part of its buildup to threaten that island, China is focusing on denying U.S. forces the ability to operate in that region by working on an anti-ship ballistic missile, strengthening its air defense, and building or buying more attack submarines, the report said.

Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the United States is obligated to provide weapons for Taiwan's defense; it is not required to defend Taiwan if it is attacked.

Still, the report was not optimistic about Taiwan's ability to defend itself against China. "The balance of cross-Strait military forces continues to shift in the mainland's favor," the report said, noting that by December, the PLA had deployed 1,050 to 1,150 short-range ballistic missiles in areas opposite Taiwan.

The Pentagon has been issuing these reports since 2000 pursuant to U.S. law, but this year's report is more ambitious in scope in that it includes a discussion of the Pentagon's views of China's broader strategic goals and U.S. officials' visions for relations with China.

As such, the report contained an important message to China's military, said David Finkelstein, a former U.S. army officer and director of China studies at the Center for Naval Analyses.

"Yes, the U.S. does want to have a military relationship with you. And, yes, the U.S. wants to expand the areas where the U.S. and China can cooperate," he said. "And, yes, the U.S. recognizes that there are serious differences between the two sides, but we can't deal with those differences if we're not talking with each other."

China broke off most military ties with the United States this year after the Obama administration approved the sale of $6.4 billion worth of arms to Taiwan. Since then, high-ranking Chinese military officers have lambasted the United States and its policies in Asia in unusually harsh language.



Economic powerhouse China focuses on its military might

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

As our Economy expands, our military will expand too in order to protect our economic interests and our shipping lanes.

The military-industrial complex also helps to boost the economy.

So I don't think anyone needs to worry about it. China benefits the most from stability, and economic growth. There is nothing to gain from waging a war.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Sounds right , China should have a permenent base on moon as well

 

[GUNNER]

Taiwan Renews Call On US For Military Hardware

TAIPEI, Aug 17, 2010 - Taiwan on Tuesday renewed a call on the United States to sell it upgraded F16 jets and diesel submarines, reacting to a Pentagon report warning of China's growing military advantage over the island.

"We hope the US can continue to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act, including F16 C/Ds, diesel submarines and other items we have requested," defence ministry spokesman Yu Sy-tue said.

The Taiwan Relations Act, passed by the US Congress in 1979, requires the United States to provide the island with "arms of a defensive character".

Yu also said earlier Tuesday that Taiwan was "closely monitoring" China's arms build-up following the report from the US defence ministry.

"China has not given up the use of force against Taiwan, and we are closely monitoring China's military developments. We ask the public to rest assured," he told AFP.

In an annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said Monday that China's military build-up against Taiwan has "continued unabated" despite improving political relations.

"The balance of... military forces continues to shift in the mainland's favour," the report said.

The report covered developments in 2009, before the United States approved a 6.4 billion-dollar arms package for the island in January.

China considers Taiwan, where the mainland's defeated nationalists fled in 1949, to be territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

However, ties have improved markedly since Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou took office in 2008 on a Beijing-friendly platform.

Ma has said that the island will not engage in an arms race with China, despite the threat it poses.