China to Increase Military Spending

[cal04]

China will boost military spending by 17.8 percent this year, a spokesman for the national legislature said Sunday, continuing more than a decade of double-digit annual increases that has stirred unease in Washington and some of China's neighbors.

Underscoring such concerns, Jiang Enzhu also lashed out at the president of Taiwan, the self-governing island claimed by China, accusing him of manipulating Taiwan's political divisions to steer it toward formal independence, something Beijing has vowed to prevent using military force if necessary.

``If you want to bring about secession, you will not enjoy popular support. If you want to push for independence for Taiwan, you will not have success at the end of the day,'' Jiang said at a news conference at the Great Hall of the People, where the legislature, formally known as the National People's Congress, will begin its 12-day session on Monday.

However, Jiang said the $44.94 billion defense budget would mainly be spent on boosting wages and living allowances for members of the armed forces and on upgrading armaments ``to enhance the military's ability to conduct defensive operations.''

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070304/ap_on_re_as/china_politics

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. and we are OFF

cold war

[Tempest]

2. China's $44 billion vs. America's $500+ billion

Tell me again why we're supposed to be scared of them?

Other than the fact that China is funding our spending?

[George1984]

4. Efficiency

Is it possible that China can only spend 10% of what the U.S does and be armed enough to successfully DEFEND their country?? Without all of the lobbying and the government waste in a democratic society, one would think that $44 billion would go a long way.

Also keep in mind, that this total is what they are telling us about, it doesn't mean that's what they are actually spending. They could be using the same formula that Bush used when the said Iraq would cost $3 billion.

[roamer65]

7. Plus China really doesn't need much of a navy.

If they want the oil, they just march through Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan and they've got it.

[Edweird]

6. Remind us why all of our manufacturing jobs are headed to China?

Because they work for nothing. Their government has control of their raw materials and labor. Thanks to bu$hco, we have companies receiving TAX INCENTIVES to pack up their manufacturing machinery and ship it to china. They have our money. They have our factories and jobs. And they can surpass us militarily very easily. We are in deep dookey in the near future. And the best part is, they are funding our wars in the ME on credit.

[ClintonTyree]

3. Using our money to increase their defense spending...

if every good "murkin" thought about that the next time they shopped at Wal*Mart there might be a change of heart. Or not. Gotta' have those $1.79 tube socks! :eyes:

Just what the Pentagon needs, another excuse for an arms race. Or a perceived arms race. We can't let those "chi-coms" get the upper hand now, can we? :sarcasm:

[Eugene]

5. AP: Taiwan Leader Talks Pro-Independence

Taiwan Leader Talks Pro-Independence
By MIN LEE, Associated Press Writer
6:02 PM PST, March 4, 2007

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- President Chen Shui-bian made unusually strong pro-independence
remarks Sunday in a message apparently aimed at provoking rival China and shoring
up his base.

"Taiwan should be independent," Chen said to cheers at a banquet marking the 25th
anniversary of the Formosan Association for Public Affairs, a pro-independence group.

"Taiwan is a country whose sovereignty lies outside the People's Republic of China,"
he said, referring to the mainland Chinese government.

-snip-

Chen's remarks came after Beijing said Sunday it will hike military spending by 17.8
percent in 2007. The Chinese military budget is largely oriented toward any possible
conflicts with Taiwan and its increase has worried the island's leaders.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-taiwan-china,1,4486827.story

[hogwyld]

8. I think this is actually good

We need a counterweight to the "hyperpower" US. I would of course prefer that the US cut it's defense budget and fund Universal Health Care, but a multipolar world is preferable to a unipolar world with the criminal Americans at it's head.