|
WASHINGTON: China
has 20 Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)
capable of targeting the US and this number could
increase to around 30 by 2005, a Pentagon report on
Chinese military power says.
The report also
says that China is modifying short-range mobile missiles
to target American forces in Okinawa and is sharply
increasing the number of missiles aimed at Taiwan.
"While China
professes a preference for resolving the Taiwan issue
peacefully, Beijing is also seeking credible military
operations. Should China use force against Taiwan, its
primary goal likely would be to compel a quick
negotiated solution on terms favourable to Beijing", the
report says.
It warns that
"while seeing opportunity and benefit in interactions
with the United States, primarily in terms of trade and
technology, Beijing apparently believes the United
States poses a significant long-term challenge."
China now has
deployed 450 short-range missiles and the force will
grow by more than 75 missiles a year.
China puts its
military budget at $20 billion a year, but the Pentagon
estimates it actually at $45 to $65 billion.
The Pentagon
notes that the new Chinese White Paper "continued to
reference indirectly the U.S. presence in the region in
stated concerns over increased regional military
alliances, missile defences, and 'certain countries'
that sell weapons to Taiwan.
The paper also
mentions other more general regional security
concerns--South Asia, Afghanistan and the Korean
Peninsula--and, for the first time, mentions global and
regional terrorism as a major security concern."
| 
