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Chinese media slam Pentagon report

Chinese state media yesterday blasted a Pentagon report on Beijing's defence plans as misleading and insulting and said China had to pursue military modernization to avoid falling further behind the US.

The US Defense Department report released on Friday said that while Beijing remained focused on the Taiwan Strait as a potential flashpoint, it also appeared to be looking to project its growing military strength elsewhere.

Beijing has yet to give a formal reaction to the report, but the Chinese Communist Party's newspaper and other state media signaled China's rancor.

While Beijing and Washington have been cooperating on North Korea and other international crises, the tough words underscored the distrust that overshadows military perceptions on both sides.

"This report continues to make outrageous comments about China's security and military strategy and its military capabilities, and attacks China's defense and military modernization," a commentary in the People's Daily said.

"The report ignores the facts, deliberately exaggerates the so-called Chinese military threat, and is totally unsupportable," it said.

The Pentagon's annual report to the US Congress on China's military power said Beijing maintained its traditional focus on the Strait.

But the report stressed that China was looking beyond this issue in making and buying weapons and crafting strategy.

"Analysis of China's military acquisitions and strategic thinking suggests Beijing is also generating capabilities for other regional contingencies, such as conflict over resources or territory," the report said.

The report said new Chinese missile units could be used for crises not involving Taiwan and advances in China's air force would allow extended air operations over the South China Sea.

The Chinese counter-blast said Beijing was far from feeling militarily secure.

"The report even more insultingly says that China, out of concern for energy needs, has been enhancing ties with countries that violate human rights, support international terrorism and engage in nuclear proliferation," the People's Daily said.

"The 2007 annual report again seeks to mislead international opinion by using erroneous claims," it said.

"Our overall deterrent and war-fighting capabilities are still far from being able to suit national needs in responding to traditional and non-traditional security threats and challenges," it said. "To a large extent, China's military gap with developed countries is not shrinking but continuing to expand."

In March, China said it would boost defence spending by 17.8 percent to approximately US$45 billion this year.

But the Pentagon report cited US intelligence estimates that China's total military-related spending for this year could really be between US$85 billion and US$125 billion.

The Bush administration requested US$484.1 billion for defense in the fiscal year starting from October.

"The United States is advancing its military transformation with great fanfare, seeking an absolute military advantage," the People's Daily said.

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