Pentagon official voices China-Taiwan concerns

[UpInArms]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-02-08T173706Z_01_N08283734_RTRUKOC_0_US-CHINA-USA-TAIWAN.xml

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China may be preparing to deal with its dispute over Taiwan through other than political means as it increases its offensive military power, a top Pentagon official said on Wednesday.

"They continue to increase their offensive systems," said Ryan Henry, principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy told reporters. "It looks like they are preparing for something other than a political solution to the Taiwan problem. And we find that disconcerting."

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war brought the communists to power on the mainland. Since then, Beijing has used a blend of diplomacy and threats to try to bring the self-governing island back to the fold. It has vowed to attack if Taiwan formally declares statehood.

Henry did not describe any specific Chinese moves, and a Pentagon spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for elaboration.

Henry's remarks followed publication of a Pentagon long-range strategy last week which called China the rising power with the greatest potential to compete militarily with the United States. The strategy calls for new long-range weapons and a greater U.S. Navy presence in the Pacific.

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:woohoo: War with China! YEEHAW!

[LynnTheDem]

1. Oh pulleeeese! Yeah, sabre-rattle at China why dontcha. We're all

FUCKED anyways.

[acmavm]

2. If these arrogant fools decide to fuck with China they're gonna

get the ass whuppin' of a lifetime. The bad part is we will to.

And don't anyone tell me how we can kick China's ass. We can't even whip Iraq and/or Afganistan.

Bring out the nukes? I don't doubt for a minute that China can do the same. Never hear much about any nuclear program out of China but nothing, and I mean nothing, will suprise me from the Chinese.