US Defence Secretary comments on China
(19 Jul 2005) 1. US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and Polish Minister of National Defence enter conference room 2. Wide shot, press conference 3. Various, Polish military officers 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence: "As I see it, China is on a path where they are determined to increase their economy, the opportunities for their people, and to enter the world community. They want the Olympics to go well. They're doing a number of things to leave the world with the impression that they are a good place for investment, and a good economic partner." 5. Wide shot, press conference 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Donald Rumsfeld, US Secretary of Defence: "It is clear that they have been, their economy's been growing at a good clip, their defence budgets have been growing at a good clip and they've been purchasing substantial numbers of modern weapons from a variety of countries, including Russia. They have been deploying additional capabilities.And, its simply a requirement by US statute that the Department of Defence supply this report. We are doing so." 7. Wide of press conference STORYLINE: China is gaining important new military capabilities from Russia and other countries, US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said on Tuesday, arguing that a European arms embargo against the Chinese should be kept in place. The new assessment of China's military, the latest in an annual series required by Congress, will be made public late on Tuesday, said Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld called it a straightforward account prepared by the Pentagon in close coordination with the CIA, the State Department and the White House's National Security Council. China has rapidly increased spending on defence. Its annual military budget, estimated last year by the Pentagon at between 50 (b) billion US dollars and 70 (b) billion US dollars, is dwarfed by the Pentagon's budget, estimated to exceed 400 (b) billion-US dollars. Regarding China, Rumsfeld confirmed that "their defence budgets have been growing at a good clip and they've been purchasing substantial numbers of modern weapons from a variety of countries, including Russia." China needs to be more open, politically as well as economically, Rumsfeld said, in order to be seen internationally as a more welcome trading partner. China is one of the few major countries that Rumsfeld has not visited during his 4½ years as Bush's defence chief. The potential for military confrontation is periodically highlighted by tensions over Taiwan, the island that split from the mainland in 1949 after the communist revolution. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to invade if the self-governing island declares formal independence or puts off talks on unification. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
