Pentagon Cites Concerns in China Military Growth

Pentagon Cites Concerns in China Military Growth

www.nytimes.com

Senior Pentagon officials acknowledged that much of the Chinese military modernization program may reflect the rational ambition of a rising global power, albeit one that may be a worrisome rival to American interests in the Pacific region.

But across the American government — from the White House to the Pentagon to Congress — officials express concern that China’s lack of openness about the growth, capabilities and intentions of its military injects instability to a vital region of the globe.

China’s overall spending on national defense for 2009 was estimated at $150 billion, an

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Related News Links:
www.reuters.com

Can you blame them? The USA's military spending is 5 times more than China's measly $150 Billion. China has invested in nuclear submarines,long range missiles and many anti ship weapons which worries the Pentagon and US military. We already know that China is the second biggest economic power and possibly the top military power of the world (soon). I would say they are gearing up for the future because just like many other countries and investors,see a grim future with many wars in it. So the real question here is, does the Pentagon see China as the new enemy of the USA? Quote from Reuters article-

Beijing said gearing up to operate "far from its shores"

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 17-8-2010 by hawaiinguy12]

UK report

China has reacted strongly to what it sees as US posturing in the South China Sea after the Pentagon announced that it would deploy an aircraft carrier into the Yellow Sea as part of joint exercises with South Korea, despite Chinese objections. “The United States appears to want to declare to the world, ’The Asia-Pacific and the oceans remain under the United States’,” the People’s Daily said in a commentary on Tuesday. Chinese analysts say that the Pentagon continues to be stuck in a 'Cold War mode of thinking’ that exaggerates the threat posed by China for its own ends

hurray! WW3 here we come! second

Somewhere in China people are now reading an article called "PLA leadership cites concerns in US military growth".

Not that I'm particularly fond of the Chinese regime - I'd prefer the US any time over it - but these kinds of concerns are so eerily pre-WW1 that I'm almost out of words. It's like the British back in the 1900's... When you are the worlds superpower... Then you will have a hard time not to fall into a mindset where every rearmement effort in any corner in the world will in your view take on a nefarious character while in truth you are the one fuelling the arms-races.

The status of "Superpower" or "Full spectrum dominance" may be appealing on a prima facie basis, but in effect is is the most paranoid and unhealthy position a nation can take. You'll be caught up in chasing ghosts most of the time.

Or maybe this is just an eerie feeling and we will laugh about these stories like we laugh about those American pundits who predicted a Japanese-US war over world trade back in the 80's. Who knows.

World military spending percentage:

USA: 46.5%

China: 6.6%

www.globalissues.org...

(data as of 2010)

As I said, chasing ghosts, spending a fortune that could have hailed in the golden ages - that's what you get for being a superpower. Whatever spoils an empire may bring with it - it just don't seem wort it to me.

reply to post by NichirasuKenshin


Those are hilarious statistics. The USA is almost 50% of the military spending power OF THE WORLD. Sad really to even think China is a threat with a spending level like that but Im sure China has a secret military spending/program just like most countries of the world do

Originally posted by hawaiinguy12
reply to post by NichirasuKenshin

 

Those are hilarious statistics. The USA is almost 50% of the military spending power OF THE WORLD. Sad really to even think China is a threat with a spending level like that but Im sure China has a secret military spending/program just like most countries of the world do

Yeah, you can bet on that. But then again, the USA must have a pretty large black military budget too. In fact, it is provable that they do:

www.youtube.com...

But - as I said in my post above - this is not to blame the USA. It's quite logical to pursue this path once you're in that position. It's just a shame, that's all. Think of all the things we can could have done for the benefit of humanity with that money.... It's mind-boggling.

Eventually the Chinese will burst the 10% mark too, and even go on. But it seems the USA is at the end of the line - not much more to spend :-)

www.infoplease.com...

Year Spending
1946 $556.9
1947 52.4
1948 103.9
1949 144.2
1950 141.2
1951 224.3
1952 402.1
1953 442.3
1954 420.9
1955 376.9
1956 356.2
1957 $360.9
1958 352.9
1959 352.5
1960 344.3
1961 344.0
1962 363.4
1963 368.0
1964 364.4
1965 333.1
1966 356.2
1967 412.0
1968 $449.3
1969 438.1
1970 406.3
1971 370.6
1972 343.8
1973 313.3
1974 299.7
1975 293.3
1976 283.8
1977 286.2
1978 286.5
1979 $295.6
1980 303.4
1981 317.4
1982 339.4
1983 366.7
1984 381.7
1985 405.4
1986 426.6
1987 427.9
1988 426.4
1989 427.7
1990 $409.7
1991 358.1
1992 379.5
1993 358.6
1994 338.6
1995 321.6
1996 307.4
1997 305.3
1998 296.7
1999 298.4
2000 311.7
2001 $307.8
2002 328.7
2003 404.91
2004 455.91
2005 495.31,2
2006 535.91,2
2007 527.41,2
2008 494.41,2
2009 494.31,2
1. Figures do not include expenses for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
2. Figures based on requested defense budget or projections, not actual spending.
Source: Center for Defense Information.

(rough estimates, round numbers, but there's a trend....)


The world is a crazy place.

reply to post by hawaiinguy12



I am so sick of America acting as if it is the only country in the world which has the right to military power.

WT! - why has US got any 'interests' in the Pacific at all? 'Interests' meaning 'exploitation for US Corporate profit'.

This arrogance and stupidity has wreaked havoc and deadly chaos on the world already.

Time for it to STOP!

reply to post by hawaiinguy12



I am so sick of America acting as if it is the only country in the world which has the right to military power.

WT! - why has US got any 'interests' in the Pacific at all? 'Interests' meaning 'exploitation for US Corporate profit'.

This arrogance and stupidity has wreaked havoc and deadly chaos on the world already.

Time for it to STOP!