Rumsfeld wary of Beijing’s buildup

BEIJING — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Chinese military officials today that China’s expansion of its strategic missile forces and a lack of information about the buildup is a concern to the United States and other nations.

During remarks to members of the Chinese Academy of Military Sciences, a top military school, Mr. Rumsfeld said the missile force expansion allows strategic weapons “to reach many areas of the world beyond the Pacific region.”

“Those advances in China’s strategic-strike capability give us questions, particularly when we have an incomplete understanding of such developments,” he said during the last day of a two-day visit here.

Mr. Rumsfeld said China can decide how much it wants to say about its nuclear intentions but that providing “clarity” on the issue would promote “greater certainty” among nations in the region.

“A number of countries with interests in the region are asking questions about China’s intentions,” he said.

The defense secretary said the United States wants China to emerge as a peaceful partner in the international system but noted that success in closer ties will require “both cooperation and candor.”

Yesterday, China’s strategic missile forces commander told Mr. Rumsfeld that his country is not targeting U.S. cities with missiles and would not be the first to use nuclear arms in a conflict.

The commander, Gen. Jing Zhiyuan, made the comments in an effort to clarify recent statements by a Chinese general who said Beijing is prepared to strike hundreds of U.S. cities with nuclear weapons if the United States defends Taiwan from an attack by the mainland.

“There have been suggestions of late that China is targeting other countries. This is completely groundless,” Gen. Jing said, according to U.S. defense officials at an unprecedented briefing on Chinese strategic forces.

The comments by Gen. Jing, along with a Power Point slide presentation by another officer, marked the first time that senior U.S. defense officials were briefed inside the Chinese military’s Second Artillery Corps headquarters at Qinghe, north of Beijing.

The briefing for Mr. Rumsfeld mentioned strategic missile training, organization and weapons, including the two versions of the new road-mobile Dong Feng-31 missile — the longer-range DF-31A and the submarine-launched JL-2.

One defense official said the strategic nuclear forces discussion was an encouraging start.

“This is an opening we’ve been looking to get into for a long time,” he said.

At the military school today, Mr. Rumsfeld repeated earlier concerns that China is hiding its military buildup by publishing inaccurate spending figures.

“To the extent that defense expenditures are considerably higher than what is published, neighbors understandably wonder what the reason might be for the disparity between reality and public statement,” he said.

Story Continues →