US defence analyst says China’s military advantage over Taiwan
continues to rise
US: A senior U.S. intelligence analyst said Thursday that China’s
military advantage over Taiwan continues to grow as China pumps money
into improving its navy, air force and ground forces and boosts the
number of advanced weapons facing its rival across the Taiwan Strait.
China’s growing military capability also gives it a better chance to
counter the United States or another country that might intervene in the
event of a war, Mark Cozad, a senior analyst with the Defense
Intelligence Agency, told a congressional advisory panel in a detailed
assessment of China’s military strength.
China raised its military budget by nearly 18 percent this year, to
about $45 billion (euro34 billion) - the biggest jump since 1995.
The Defense Department says actual Chinese defense spending could be
twice as high and has urged China to fully explain the spending.
The Chinese navy and air force have been major beneficiaries of the
increased money China has funneled into its military, Cozad told the
U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission.
China has bought or developed new diesel submarines, destroyers with
long-range air defense systems and anti-ship cruise missiles; the air
force has invested in advanced fighter aircraft and bombers, he said.
China’s military modernization, Cozad said, focuses “on presenting a
credible threat to Taiwan and preventing any third party that might
intervene on Taiwan’s behalf in a crisis.”
Chinese officials say they are open about military spending and have
increased military exchanges with other countries, including the United
States.
Cozad said “the most telling sign of China’s modernization and the
balance of power in the Taiwan Strait” is the huge number of short-range
ballistic missiles directly opposite Taiwan that is growing at an
average rate of 100 missiles a year. U.S. officials said last year that
China had 800 missiles aimed at Taiwan.
On Wednesday, China’s ambassador to the United States urged
Washington to stop selling weapons to the island’s government.
Zhou Wenzhong said in a speech that how the United States and China
deal with Taiwan is crucial to the overall development of U.S.-Chinese
relations.
Also at Thursday’s hearing, Marine Gen. James Cartwright, chief of
the U.S. Strategic Command, said China’s Jan. 11 destruction of an old
weather satellite by a warhead demonstrated its rapid improvement in
military technology.
The test was widely criticized as a provocative display of China’s
growing military capability. China says it is committed to the peaceful
use of space.
Creating more opportunities for the two militaries to discuss their
intentions would reduce the chance for future tension, Cartwright said.
Washington, Friday, AP |