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'China military is transparent, no threat'
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-04-04 07:17
China's military is transparent and not a threat, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
said on Monday after the United States and Japan criticized the Asia giant for
not being open enough about a build-up of its defense forces.
Australian opposition
leader Kim Beazley (L) meets with Premier Wen Jiabao in Canberra, April 3,
2006. [Reuters] |
During a visit to Australia on Monday, Wen said China had reduced its
military by 1.7 million over the past two decades, and its military spending as
a share of the gross domestic product and the government budget was fairly low
by international standards.
"The modest increase in Chinese military expenditure is
mainly for improving the welfare of its servicemen, strengthening its defense
capabilities and safeguarding national reunification," Wen told a lunch meeting
in Canberra. [full text of wen's
speech]
"Thus China will not pose a threat to anyone. China's defense policy is
transparent," he said.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro
Aso both recently expressed concern about China's military build-up and urged
Beijing to be more transparent.
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