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China's top military officer said Wednesday that his country lacked the equipment and directives necessary to challenge the U.S. militarily.
"Through my visit over the past couple of days in the United States, I am surprised by the sophistication of the U.S. military, including its weapons and equipment and doctrines and so on," People's Liberation Army leader General Chen Bingde said. "I can tell you that China does not have the capability to challenge the United States. As a matter of fact, the reconnaissance activities along China's coast by U.S. military aircraft and vessels are seen in China as deterrents."
For emphasis, the general added, "What I'm trying to say is that we do not have the capability to challenge the United States."
Chen made the comments at a joint Pentagon press briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, in response to a question about potential exaggerations in some U.S. media circles regarding China's military capability. The briefing followed two days of what both military leaders described as positive meetings about U.S.-China military relations.
The issue arose again later in the conference, when Mullen was pressed by Chinese media as to whether the U.S. has overhyped threats posed by China.
"I think part of the discussions, and General Chen spoke to this, is his view of how far ahead the United States is technically," Mullen responded. "I think the opportunity that is presented by virtue of us meeting and having discussions is to validate our assumptions about each other, and make adjustments accordingly."
Questioned why, if China in fact poses no threat, the PLA takes potentially aggressive actions like the stealth fighter test flight that occurred did during a January visit by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Beijing, Chen took his argument even further.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/20...est=latestnews
"Through my visit over the past couple of days in the United States, I am surprised by the sophistication of the U.S. military, including its weapons and equipment and doctrines and so on," People's Liberation Army leader General Chen Bingde said. "I can tell you that China does not have the capability to challenge the United States. As a matter of fact, the reconnaissance activities along China's coast by U.S. military aircraft and vessels are seen in China as deterrents."
For emphasis, the general added, "What I'm trying to say is that we do not have the capability to challenge the United States."
Chen made the comments at a joint Pentagon press briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, in response to a question about potential exaggerations in some U.S. media circles regarding China's military capability. The briefing followed two days of what both military leaders described as positive meetings about U.S.-China military relations.
The issue arose again later in the conference, when Mullen was pressed by Chinese media as to whether the U.S. has overhyped threats posed by China.
"I think part of the discussions, and General Chen spoke to this, is his view of how far ahead the United States is technically," Mullen responded. "I think the opportunity that is presented by virtue of us meeting and having discussions is to validate our assumptions about each other, and make adjustments accordingly."
Questioned why, if China in fact poses no threat, the PLA takes potentially aggressive actions like the stealth fighter test flight that occurred did during a January visit by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to Beijing, Chen took his argument even further.
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/20...est=latestnews