Fallon also criticized Taiwan for not spending enough on defense or to improving its defenses.
"To their credit," he said, "they appear now to recognize this. The military people get it and have taken steps, in my view, to start addressing some of these issues."
The admiral did not mention President Chen Shui-bian (
On another front, Fallon has been the target of a whispering campaign in Washington, where so called "China hawks" such as Michael Pillsbury, who consults widely on China, and Larry Wortzel of the conservative Heritage Foundation, a retired army colonel, have complained that Fallon's plans for exchanges with China give away too much.
To that criticism, Fallon responded: "I will do the things that I believe are correct. I certainly understand the policies of the administration. I certainly understand the guidance of my boss, the secretary [of defense]."
In reply to an e-mailed query, a spokesman for Rumsfeld, Eric Ruff, pointed to Rumsfeld's agreement with Chinese leaders and said: "Admiral Fallon is following up on these."
Richard Halloran is a writer based in Hawaii.
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