Although the Obama administration delayed issuing an annual report on China's military capabilities by almost six months, Beijing predictably responded with hostility to the Pentagon's latest account of China's growing military power. Last Wednesday, two days after the release of the report, defence ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng insisted that 'China's military development is reasonable and appropriate, and is aimed at protecting its national sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, as well as keeping pace with the rapid military development in the world'. The report had 'ignored objective facts', exaggerated China's military strength and was 'not beneficial to the improvement and development of Sino-American military ties', he said.
The foreign ministry, too, opposed the report and said that 'China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development' as well as a 'defence policy that is defensive in nature'.
However, neither pointed to any factual errors in the report, which was released only after five Republican senators wrote to US Defence Secretary Dr Robert Gates expressing concern about the Pentagon's failure to submit the report, which was due on March 1.
If the Obama administration had hoped not to incur China's wrath by delaying the report - just as it had delayed a report on whether China was manipulating its currency - it failed miserably. Beijing, in fact, told the US to stop issuing such reports because they damage the Sino-American relationship.
In the report, the Pentagon said that although cross-strait ties had continued to improve, the mainland's military build-up opposite Taiwan 'continued unabated'.
Moreover, the People's Liberation Army had begun a new phase of military development that goes 'beyond China's immediate territorial interests'. Of special concern was the development of an anti-ship ballistic missile capable of attacking aircraft carriers 1,500 kilometres away. Such missiles could make it difficult for US carriers to be deployed in the vicinity of Taiwan.
The report, without accusing Beijing, said that last year 'numerous computer systems around the world, including those owned by the US government, continued to be the target of intrusions that appear to have originated within the PRC'. It pointed out that developing capabilities for cyberwarfare is 'consistent with authoritative PLA military writings'.