But he also gently challenged the secrecy surrounding China's
brisk military development, saying it raised questions about
whether the country was making decisions that served regional
stability. "It's interesting that other countries wonder why
they would be increasing their defense effort at the pace they
are and yet not acknowledging it," he said.
...The Communist government has rejected such criticism,
noting that its military spending is minuscule compared with
that of the United States and arguing that it has steadily
increased military transparency over the years.
Why is China increasing their defense effort? Rumsfeld should
know, as he is in charge of spending billions building up a space-
based military force aimed at China.
rkm
--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/18/AR2005101800182_pf.html
washingtonpost.com
In China, Rumsfeld Urges Greater Global Role, Freedom, Military Candor
By Philip P. Pan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, October 19, 2005; A18
BEIJING, Oct. 19 -- Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld began
his first official visit to China on Wednesday by urging an
audience of rising Communist Party leaders to play a greater
role in global affairs, expand political freedom for the
Chinese people and be more open about the nation's rapid
military buildup.
In an address at the Central Party School, the top training
facility for party officials, Rumsfeld cautioned against
"another Great Wall" of limits on speech, information and
choices and argued that China's future and the attitude of
other countries toward it could depend on how its political
system develops.
Speaking to reporters aboard his plane before arriving in
Beijing on Tuesday, Rumsfeld said the United States welcomed
China's emergence as an economic power, adding that "it's a
country that we would like to see engage the world, as they
are, in a peaceful and constructive way."
But he also gently challenged the secrecy surrounding China's
brisk military development, saying it raised questions about
whether the country was making decisions that served regional
stability. "It's interesting that other countries wonder why
they would be increasing their defense effort at the pace they
are and yet not acknowledging it," he said.
Rumsfeld's comments echoed concerns he has expressed
previously, most notably during a June speech on Asian
security issues delivered in Singapore. He argued then that
years of double-digit growth in Chinese military spending, and
the Beijing government's reluctance to explain it fully, was
generating suspicions and upsetting the balance of power in
Asia.
The Communist government has rejected such criticism, noting
that its military spending is minuscule compared with that of
the United States and arguing that it has steadily increased
military transparency over the years.
In a sign of the government's desire to respond to Rumsfeld's
concerns, however, it has agreed to let him visit the
headquarters of its most secretive military command, the
Second Artillery Corps, which oversees an arsenal of
conventional and nuclear missiles. Rumsfeld will be the first
U.S. defense secretary to make such a visit, and U.S.
officials are hoping Chinese commanders there will provide a
more detailed briefing on the missile fleet than has been
granted U.S. officials in the past.
U.S. officials had also asked that Rumsfeld be allowed to
visit the Western Hills military complex outside Beijing,
often described as China's Pentagon, but that request was
denied.
During his three-day visit, which comes in advance of a visit
to Beijing by President Bush next month, Rumsfeld is scheduled
to hold talks with President Hu Jintao and Defense Minister
Cao Gangchuan.
Chinese officials have been lobbying for a visit by Rumsfeld
since he took office four years ago, and Rumsfeld acknowledged
Tuesday that he probably would have made the trip sooner had
U.S.-China military ties not been ruptured by the collision of
a U.S. Navy surveillance plane and a Chinese fighter jet off
China's coast in April 2001.
The crash resulted in the death of the Chinese pilot and the
detention of the 24-member American crew for 11 days after
they made an emergency landing on China's Hainan Island.
Rumsfeld responded by breaking off and then limiting U.S.
military contacts with China for several months.
In his talks in Beijing, Rumsfeld was expected to discuss
expanding military-to-military contacts with China, including
high-level visits, educational exchanges and naval port calls,
but Pentagon officials have said no major breakthroughs or
agreements were expected.
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
--
http://cyberjournal.org
"Apocalypse Now and the Brave New World"
http://www.cyberjournal.org/cj/rkm/Apocalypse_and_NWO.html
List archives:
http://cyberjournal.org/cj/show_archives/?lists=newslog
Subscribe to low-traffic list:
•••@••.•••
