China lashes out at Pentagon report

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/196079.html

The Chinese government reacted strongly on Friday to a Pentagon report that warned China's military modernization could destabilize the Asia-pacific region.

The Chinese Defense Ministry says the U.S. military's annual assessment of China's armed forces, indulged in exaggeration and groundless suspicion.

Military wariness between the two nations remains a source of tension. And the recent U.S. Defense Department Report once again underlines this.

The Pentagon report predicts that by 2020, the Chinese People's Liberation Army will become a "modern, regional-focused military", and claims that the Chinese mainland is focusing its military buildup on Taiwan.

But China replied saying that as technology advances, it's very normal for the Chinese military to develop and upgrade its weaponry. The Pentagon report merely "exaggerated the so-called mainland military threat to Taiwan." Xinhua

FACTS & FIGURES

Major investments in aircraft, a space program and maritime technologies by China that have closed the technical gap with the United States military put strengthening Sino-U.S. ties at a premium, said the Pentagon August report to Congress. China Daily

Thanks to major investments into its military over the past decade, many of China's technologies have reached maturity whereas others will become operational in the next few years, the Pentagon August report said. Conservative Refocus

The U.S. arms sales to Taiwan last January damaged military ties with China, hurting diplomatic exchanges until the end of 2010. With a new arms sale to Taiwan looming, the White House will make a decision by Oct 1 what to sell to Taiwan. India Times