In recent weeks, senior Bush administration officials, including Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, have raised questions about China’s military modernization.
"Since no nation threatens China, one must wonder: Why this growing investment? Why these continuing large and expanding arms purchases?" Rumsfeld said in a June 4 address to a security conference in Singapore, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
Ten U.S. lawmakers are demanding that the Pentagon submit its annual report on Chinese military capabilities to Congress as soon as possible.
In a July 1 letter to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Rep. Randy Forbes, R-VA, and nine other members of the House of Representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, complain that the report — due to Congress on March 1 every year — hasn’t been delivered yet.
“Congress requires the annual report on the military power of the People’s Republic of China to execute its constitutional responsibilities,” the lawmakers wrote. “Additional delay will impair Congress’ ability to perform those oversight duties.”
Forbes is the co-chairman of the newly formed China caucus, created to focus Congress’ attention on China’s rise as an economic and military power. Seven other signatories of the July 1 letter are also members of the caucus.
The National Defense Authorization Act of 2000 requires the Pentagon to submit an annual report of its assessment of Chinese military capabilities.
"The annual DoD China Military Power report required by Congress is not yet ready for release, but we expect to be completed with it soon,” one defense official said July 7.
The official said a team of intelligence experts within the Pentagon is preparing the report by drawing on several in-house and outside resources.
In recent weeks, senior Bush administration officials, including Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, have raised questions about China’s military modernization.
"Since no nation threatens China, one must wonder: Why this growing investment? Why these continuing large and expanding arms purchases?" Rumsfeld said in a June 4 address to a security conference in Singapore, organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
