Beijing rejects Pentagon report assessing China’s expanding military power
Source: Associated Press / Washington Post
BEIJING China on Saturday rejected an annual Pentagon report that said Beijing is aggressively modernizing its military forces.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said the report made irresponsible statements about Chinas legitimate defense development and falsely claimed that the country presented a military threat.
China is developing its limited military forces only to protect its national independence and sovereignty, Hong said. No country needs to worry if it harbors no hostility toward China.
Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/beijing-rejects-pentagon-report-assessing-chinas-expanding-military-power/2012/05/19/gIQAdcLoaU_story.html
may3rd
(593 posts)Their buildup is purely defensive
yes, defensive spending is on the rise
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)China is a menace and the main culprit here.
China has been propping up Pakistan to be a thorn in India's side, propping up North Korea to be a thorn in America's side, making ridiculous territorial claims in NE India, the south china sea and bullying Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and other Asian countries.
China hates India because India provides a counterbalance and puts limits on China's bullying.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)We are a menace and the main culprit here. We spend more than 10x more than any other nation. We maintain offensive naval fleets off the shores of China. We have repeatedly threatened small nations with destruction, and of course carried through on those threats, for no actual justifiable reason, with Iraq. We maintain huge land bases around the world, all with offensive ground and air capabilities, and we maintain an offensive nuclear weapons capability that can destroy the cities of an nation on the planet.
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)for any country with resources. It is a choice between becoming a victim vs not being a victim. The latter requires preparedness.
China is an authoritarian regime and their people are unable to articulate what you are able to in the US.
While I agree with your way of thinking in a perfect world, as a practical matter, it is not possible. No one likes to be armed with a spoon in an alley full of people with knives and guns.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)With weapons, but other nations should not do the same.
I really doubt china cares.
may3rd
(593 posts)Chinese army general calls for 'decisive action' vs Philippines
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014108579
cosmicone
(11,014 posts)unkachuck
(6,295 posts)....and we quietly harbor plenty of hostility towards China....Washington views China as the next Soviet Union and all this talk about terrorism is mainly to keep the military spending-machine alive until the next real gig....
....if I were China I'd stop buying our paper and propping us up and start spending those green backs and allow us to purchase them a state-of-the-art war-mahine....
....war with China, cold or hot, is inevitable as soon as their economic and military might equals or surpasses ours....and since we the American people do not control our military or it's spending or it's use, our perpetual war-mongers will likely have their way....