“Japan is transparent in its budget spending, and it wants China to be transparent,'' Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said during a question-and-answer session after speaking at an Asian Security Conference in Singapore today. “China's rise in military spending may not be only for self defense.''
Ishiba, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and People's Liberation Army Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian are among officials conferring in formal and informal sessions at the annual conference, known as the “Shangri-La Dialogue'' for the name of the hotel where it take place.
31 May 2008: Bloomberg
May 31 (Bloomberg) -- Japan urged China to make its defense spending more transparent, saying the military budgets of both nations should use common criteria and definitions.
“Japan is transparent in its budget spending, and it wants China to be transparent,'' Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba said during a question-and-answer session after speaking at an Asian Security Conference in Singapore today. “China's rise in military spending may not be only for self defense.''
Ishiba, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and People's Liberation Army Lieutenant General Ma Xiaotian are among officials conferring in formal and informal sessions at the annual conference, known as the “Shangri-La Dialogue'' for the name of the hotel where it take place.
Increases in military spending aren't necessarily bad, Ishiba said, provided common, transparent budgets criteria and definitions allow for thorough comparisons.
In response, Ma said determining whether a weapons systems is offensive or defensive is a subjective matter. A missile system termed defensive might also be considered an offensive weapon if it provides an ability to attack, he said.
Ma said China welcomed the Japanese government's efforts to aid in the relief of victims of the May 12 earthquake, even though it declined to have such aid transported by Japanese military aircraft. Ishiba earlier said his nation needs to consider cultural and historical sensitivities in providing help.
< © 2008 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.>
Go to Shangri-La Dialogue homepage
