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U.S. defense chief's China visit focuses on military issue: MAC

ROC Central News Agency

2007-11-05 19:55:05

    Taipei, Nov. 5 (CNA) U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is making his first visit to China since assuming post, is expected to focus on the issue of China's military build-up, which has raised concerns in the United States concerning Beijing's intentions, an official of the Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said Monday.

    MAC Deputy Chairman Tung Chen-yuan told reporters that, to the best of his knowledge, Gates will ask Chinese leaders to give a clearer answer to the issue or assure the U.S. government that Beijing will not develop any weapon systems that would upset regional peace and stability.

     U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and State Department spokesman Sean McCormack have expressed concerns over China's military expansion, Tung pointed out. He also cited U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England as saying that Beijing's military build-up is probably aimed at Taiwan for the time being, but its military expansion will affect more than Taiwan in the long run.

    Claiming that maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region serves the interests of the United States, Taiwan and other nations in the area, Tung noted that several U.S. officials, such as McCormack and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, have publicly voiced their opposition to China's use of force against Taiwan.

    China has announced that its annual military spending rises 17.8 percent this year to US$45 billion. However, the Pentagon estimates that Beijing's annual defense budget is as high as US$125 billion.

    Gates, who arrived in Beijing Sunday for a two-day visit, met Monday with Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan. He is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and will then head for South Korea and Japan. Gates is the most senior U.S. official to meet with the Chinese leadership since the 17th Congress of the Communist Party of China.

(By Luis Huang)

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