Fears over China military build-up
By BBC News
February 15, 2007
China's recent missile test has raised fears about the country's growing military capabilities
The US and other nations all voiced their concerns about an arms race in space. There were also complaints from neighbours like Japan and Taiwan who worry about China's military power.
So why the fuss?
After all, the technology that China used to blast the ageing weather satellite out of the sky was not new: the US and the former Soviet Union had it 20 years ago.
And Beijing says that it only has peaceful intentions in space.
'Wake-up call'
But the test clearly demonstrates that China can compete in space - even though it is still a long way behind the US.
And that is enough to get Washington worried.
Senior Republican Senator Jon Kyl has called the test a "wake-up call" that underlined the vulnerability of US security and communications satellites in space.
China has already had two successful manned space missions and is planning a third, with long-term plans to eventually put a Chinese astronaut on the moon.
But its military space programme is top secret, with only a few senior government and army officials in the loop. That partly explains the long silence in Beijing after the January test - not everyone knew what was going on.
Military build-up
Regardless of who knew what and when, the test has once again underlined the growing power of China's armed forces.
China wants a powerful military to match its powerful economy.
Beijing may be a nuclear power with the world's largest army, but much of its military hardware is outdated. So it has been spending vast amounts of money to modernise its military.
Last year, China claimed to have spent $36bn (£18bn) on its armed forces. But the US and other observers believe that the actual figure may be two to three times that amount.
Beijing has defended this increase saying that its military spending is still only a fraction of the US defence budget.
China's bill comes to about 1.5% of its gross domestic product in 2006 - compared with US spending which is more than 6% of GDP.
'Lagging behind'
On top of that, China's military still lags well behind the US armed forces.
For example, the country's naval capability is still extremely limited, making it unable to project its power beyond coastal regions.
It still does not have an aircraft carrier, although one is now thought to be in development.
But that has not stopped the US and neighbours like Japan, India and Taiwan worrying about China's growing military strength.
Taiwan recently claimed that China now has 900 missiles pointing at the island.
Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province and has threatened to use force if the island declares formal independence.
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It's about time that the American people and our politicians wake up...because china is using the money it has from the huge trade surplus that it enjoys with the U.S. to launch one of the largest military build ups in recent history. China is already an Economic superpower and probably within the next 15 to 20 years will be a full blown military superpower as well. This country's very survival is at risk , because we are facing threats that are popping up all around the world , from China's build up, to Terrorism in the middle east , to Russia's recent announcement of their planned 8yr $189 billion military build up , to the Communist movement right in our own back yard in Latin America. The united States has many Enemies and all of them wish to inflict harm upon the U.S. if the American public doesn't wake up soon and demand it's leadership to pay attention to these threats then America may not have a future.
China has the most powerful Army in the World. in the long run China will win
China has the most populated army in the world. It is not powerful in the least. Would anyone consider 10 toddlers more dangerous than one armed Marine? Same goes for China. Big numbers, outdated equipment, mindless indoctrination... a basketball team with 500 players and zero skill. The thing that makes China dangerous is not its size but its insane rulers. In any war, China will resort to the most looney means to win, even if it means going full-nuclear and taking out the world with it. Communist pride knows no limits, and apparently knows no morals.