China’s Fortune Cookie

August 25, 2011

Dear Members and Friends,

“In the next five years, our economy and society will develop faster, boosting comprehensive national power.  The developments will provide an even more stable material base to our defense and military buildup.”

-Peoples Republic of China Defense Minister Liang Guanglie

Though China retains and controls the largest amount of U.S. Treasury securities in the world, its military’s main strategic direction is to deter and influence Taiwan independence; in doing so, China is developing and deploying military capabilities to deny United States military support for and of Taiwan.  The balance of military forces and capabilities in the Taiwan Strait region between the U.S. and China continues to shift in China’s favor.  These military capabilities allow China to apply overwhelming numbers of ballistic missiles, air and sea platforms to deliver cruise and anti-ship missiles, sophisticated cyberspace attacks, outer space anti-satellite capability, and military tactics to deny access and information to areas for U.S. military operations.  This would specially include the denial of access to international waters and air space where United States Navy aircraft carrier battle groups and fleets operate to project power, stability, and influence in the Western Pacific, South and East China Seas, Philippines Sea, Strait of Malacca, and the Sea of Japan.  The United State’s Navy’s capability in fleets to deescalate and deter conflict through its presence helps brings stability to East Asia and provides freedom of the seas, which enhances our National and Global Security.

U.S. Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, first tested 19 years ago and now deployed in our Navy’s fleets, continues to be modernized and will have to play a prominent role in capability to defend U.S. Navy carrier battle groups and fleets from ballistic, cruise, and anti- ship missiles.

Attached below is the link for the U.S. Department of Defense’s 2011 Annual report to Congress of the Military and Security Developments involving the Peoples Republic of China.

Report Link

Resource Library