Friday, May 25, 2007

The United States Department of Defense has today released its annual report to the United States Congress called the Military Power of the People’s Republic of China, which assesses the military of the People’s Republic of China. The report documents a steady increase in China’s military budget allowing for increased deployment of resources and technology.

The report details China’s development of five new nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) called Jin-class submarines that will each be outfitted with 12 5,000-mile-range JL-2 missiles, the 2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test, vastly improving China’s nuclear missile strike capabilities with a new mobile land-based DF-31A intercontinental ballistic missile that could target the whole United States and a directed deployment of forces that can be used beyond a regional conflict in Taiwan.

The United States military considers the Chinese build-up a serious threat, with a need for increased preparation in the region.

The previous 2006 years report stated China’s build-up focused on the political status of Taiwan. China has said it would attack Taiwan if the self-ruled island, which Beijing views as a renegade province, formally declares independence. Now, after years of significant growth in arms spending, China has the ability to project power beyond Taiwan. President Hu Jintao stated on Wednesday his country must build a more modern armed forces to safeguard their national security.

In 2005, Chinese General Zhu Chenghu threatened the United States with nuclear weapons. The comment created concerns of a strategic stance change for China’s weapon’s of mass destruction. Chinese officials later restated the country’s “no first use” policy and have privately played down Zhu’s influence. Some analysts have suggested China’s ballistic missiles could be partly in response to US plans to develop a National Missile Defense system.