The new annual pentagon report on PRC military power is out

Dongfeng

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Had a quick look and it doesn't say much that we didn't already know. Actually it is pretty same as the 2005 version.

Early reports on PRC military used to have some insight and now it is getting more and more shallow. Have they lost the plot?
 

MIGleader

Banned Idiot
China strongly protests Pentagon report
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Thu, 25 May 2006, 00:54


BEIJING: China has strongly protested against a Pentagon report which claims Beijing's rapid miltary build-up poses a credible long-term threat to the United States.

"The US Defense Department's report, which exaggerates China's military strength and expenditure and continues to spread the 'China threat theory', is based on 'Cold War mentality' and ulterior motives," said foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.

"This seriously violates principles governing international relations and rudely interferes in China's internal affairs.

"The Chinese side expresses strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to this," the spokesman added, in a statement posted on the ministry's website late Wednesday

The Pentagon warned in its annual report Tuesday that the pace and scope of China's modernization of its strategic forces and other surprising military developments could pose a credible long-term threat to the United States.

China's ability to sustain military power at a distance is limited, but it has the greatest potential of any nation to compete militarily with the United States, according to the executive summary of the Defense Department report.




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Looks like the Chinese side has something to say...
Its not like this report is anything new, the U.s side has been saying this stuff about China for years, and China has been renouncing the cliams as fast as they come out.
 

Roger604

Senior Member
There are a number of surprises in this year's Annual Report.

It talked about the Super-10, with "improved weapons, engines and radars". This is of course consistent with what's been posted on defense sites.

On page 7, it mentions that China has invested in "next-generation torpedoes"! This is totally surprising as I had not read anything on the defense sites that talk about this. This is probably some kind of Skyval type rocket torpedo with guidance.

It confirms the very contentious reports we've seen about the antiship ballistic missile program and says that China must first improve its C4ISR (with space based and over-the-horizon senors) to make it work.

It says that DF-31A's will be operational in 2007. Before, many western sources predicted end of decade or later.

It says that China has a microsatellite program and that China seeks to "improve its situation awareness in space" and develop ASAT weapons like a ground-based dazzling laser.

It talks about military use of computer hackers. But the unclassified version does not discuss their most obvious use -- attacking civilian systems like stock exchanges.
 

adeptitus

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MIGleader said:
BEIJING: China has strongly protested against a Pentagon report which claims Beijing's rapid miltary build-up poses a credible long-term threat to the United States.

There's little point in having a military, if it cannot offer credible threat to deter others.

What the Pentagon really wants is to maintain the existing balance of power and not have someone tilt the status quo. What China is doing is TILTING the status quo and that worries the US.

I call it the pyramid (or king of the hill) syndrome. The person on the top thinks it's natural for him or her to be there and it's to the benefit of everyone else under him that the pyramid structure is maintained to prevent chaos. The ones on the bottom wants to flip the pyramid because they're sick of being on bottom of the food chain. However in the few instances where the bottom does flip to the top, they find that there's too many of them on the top and too few on the bottom, so the upside-down pyramid collapses and forms another right-side up pyramid.
 
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Nethappy

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Having a credible threat to deter others and having the power to tilt the status quo is two very different thing.

China building a credible threat to deter others is very true, it the whole point of having a military in the frist place. But it the PLA really as alarming or a major world threat the Pentagon report try to cliams it to be. The answer is no.

What they are really worry about is China abilites to tilt the status quo, as adeptitus said king of the hill. China military forces combine with it rapid growing economical is what the US is worried about.

Being the king of the hill need both military and economic power. USSR during the cold war was a military threat but not a economically, Japan in the 70's was a economical threat but not a military. China is the frist nation in last 50 years to have the capablity to challlage US in both power. This is what US is really worry about, the lost of it status. More improtantly China History of being the most power country in the world for a long pierod of it history, sure hunted the mind of some of the people in the US goverment.

How much the Pentagon report is true, it not really up to me to jugde. But I am sure any Pentagon exaggerated white paper is design to back It claim to the US congress for more money.

IMO; The US goverment really have to fix up some of it own problem before it start talking about other people problem. One reason why the Chinese Goverment is gaining ground in reason years is because the increase of thing the US do. Every nation including US and anciete China be come argonace once they been up their for too long. If China do get up there some time in the future, I hope it have learn from it past. Or History will happen again
 

Phead128

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Moderator - World Affairs
China poses 'increasing' military threat to American Asiatic sphere of influence.

China poses an increasing economic threat to most foreign powers, not only Ameriac.


It has been repetitively stated within CIA report that China's military capabilities are severely limited to homeland defense. Currently, the Chinese army, airforce, and navy have rapidly deployed increasing numbers of tanks, destroyers, frigates, and fighters capable of penetrating deeper into Asiatic sphere than ever before.
 

bd popeye

The Last Jedi
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Currently, the Chinese army, airforce, and navy have rapidly deployed increasing numbers of tanks, destroyers, frigates, and fighters capable of penetrating deeper into Asiatic sphere than ever before.

This statement maybe somewhat true. The PRC does not have the logistical capablity to maintain such a force.

This assesment is probaly based on these facts...

The PLAN lacks replenishment ships and foward bases.
The PLA lack heavy lift/transport and attack helos..
The PLAAF lacks large numbers of transport and tanker aircraft.
 

Nethappy

NO WAR PLS
VIP Professional
This statement maybe somewhat true. The PRC does not have the logistical capablity to maintain such a force.

ThIA assesment ois probaly based on these facts...

The PLAN lacks replenishment ships and foward bases.
The PLA lack heavy lift/transport and attack helos..
The PLAAF lacks large numbers of transport and tanker aircraft.

True, true, true. This just back my point on Pentagon BS.

China poses an increasing economic threat to most foreign powers, not only Ameriac.

China economic is growing. In an economic point of view do country see China as a threat or an opportunity really depend on the country. Nevertheless as a whole China provid more oportunity to other country then it's a threat. Many domestic economic problem was actually cause by bad governing by the country government and who most likely point it finger at China.
 
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