US questions China before drill
- Source: Global Times
- [01:46 July 22 2010]
- Comments
Chinese military analysts repelled claims from US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and two navy admirals who expressed concerns Wednesday over China's military development.
"Gates should have known that it is unfair to blame Beijing for its military development when Washington sends a carrier and four F-22s to China's nearby waters. That's not the right attitude for mending relations," Li Jie, a researcher from the Chinese Naval Research Institute, told the Global Times.
Li was referring to Gates' remarks in Seoul that he was disappointed at Beijing's rebuff of his scheduled visit in June.
"We are obviously concerned by some of the things China has said and some of the things China is doing in the military arena. They are worrying," he said, adding that Washington's misgivings about Beijing's military buildup underscored the need to press ahead with a regular military dialogue.
In a similar tone, Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Wednesday that China's spending on hi-tech weaponry, including anti-ship missiles, had raised questions about its intentions in the Asia-Pacific region.
The absence of a regular dialogue between Chinese and US military officials makes it difficult to address those concerns, he added.
Mullen's words were echoed by Admiral Gary Roughead, chief of US Naval Operations, who said in Paris that the Chinese Navy is "somewhat opaque when it comes to inten-tions" and "is being seen more ... in areas further from their homeland."
Military exchanges between the two countries were suspended in January after Washington unveiled a $6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan.
"Mullen and his colleagues need to do some self-reflecting, as they know the arms sales to Taiwan are unacceptable to Beijing," Peng Guangqian, a military strategist from the PLA Academy of Military Sciences, told the Global Times. "They really have no grounds to blame Beijing for the suspected military dialogue."
Beijing once again expressed its concern Wednesday over this coming Sunday's US-South Korea joint military drill, saying such activities in the Yellow Sea and other waters near China affect China's security interests.
However, Mullen said Tuesday that the US Navy reserved the right to operate in international waters, and it has been holding drills for years in the Yellow Sea.
Gates, meanwhile, praised China for backing a UN statement condemning the sinking of a South Korean warship.
Li pointed out that the US-South Korea war game adds more difficulty to the resumption of Sino-US military exchanges.
"From Beijing's point of view, that drill is a provocation from the US. China's military buildup is of a purely defensive nature, especially when the US has so many military units maneuvering in the Asia-Pacific region," Li said.
Agencies - Global Times
