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US lambasts PRC missile deployment

The US yesterday rapped China for deploying missiles targeting Taiwan, saying it did nothing to reduce tensions with elections in Taiwan just weeks away.

"We expressed our concern about the missile build-up across from Taiwan and made the point that we have important shared interests and don't think those interests are being served by the missile build-up," said US Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith.

"That does not contribute to a reduction in tensions," he told a press roundtable after the sixth annual round of Sino-US defense consultations.

Feith was in Beijing for annual defense consultations. The two days of meetings with senior Chinese officials headed by General Xiong Guangkai (熊光楷), deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army, were dominated by the Taiwan issue.

Feith said the two sides "`discussed Taiwan at length" and Chinese officials brought up the planned referendum. But he said the Americans didn't discuss the vote because it wasn't a defense-related issue.

However, the US concerns about the missiles appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

Asked if China had said whether they were prepared to withdraw any of the missiles, Feith said: "No."

He added, in response to questions on whether he had sensed any change in the Chinese attitude: "I don't think so."

Feith's visit comes after trips to China last month by Deputy US Secretary of State Richard Armitage and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers.

The purpose of Feith's meetings this week was to brief China on the realignment of the US' global military posture.

"We wanted to make sure the Chinese understood the key thoughts that are shaping our thinking on how we want to realign our forces globally," Feith said.

"And we wanted to give them a sense of the fact this is not only global but a very long-term view that we are taking," he said.

"Contrary to a lot of reports, it is not focused on any particular country and not on current events. It is a much bigger, longer term picture," he said.

Despite China's reluctance to withdraw its almost 500 missiles facing Taiwan, Feith said both sides agreed everything must be done to avoid war.

"On the broader issue on the talks we had here of Taiwan and the danger of war, both sides made it clear that we have a strong interest in keeping tensions down and avoiding war," Feith said.

"I don't think anyone should talk lightly about military action and that is an area where I think we have an important common interest. Nobody benefits from talk of war that will get everybody tense and increase danger," Feith said.

But asked whether this week's talks have given US officials a clearer picture of how China might respond if Taiwan's referendum goes ahead as planned on March 20, he said, "You have to ask the Chinese."

The Chinese government had no immediate comment on either the talks or Feith's remarks.
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