China has announced that it will considerably increase its military spending by 17.8 percent. China’s projections have been seen as way too vocal by the new US deputy secretary of state, John D. Negroponte. Others are simply projecting China’s military spending to be much higher than what the government is claiming it will be.
Military analysts in the United States and Europe say that China’s public military budget actually reflects only a fraction of its overall defense spending, and that the real figure is likely to be two to four times higher. Most defense analysts agree that China’s military focus is to build a force that would prevail in any conflict with Taiwan, which it regards as a renegade province, and also to be capable of creating a deterrent to American military intervention.
Congress Check also commented on the rapid military buidlup of China.
Source: http://www.congresscheck.com/archives/1027
China has recently completed the construction of more than fifty modern submarines. Five of the newly built subs are nuclear powered. It also owns the latest submarines with capabilities to launch intercontinental ballistic missile. These clearly demonstrate China’s plan to establish a global military presence.
The US has been fast in reacting to this challenge. The government has set out to make trade agreements of weapons with China’s neighbors.
…United States approved the sale of more than $400 million in air and ground missiles to Taiwan. The missiles are considered a defensive measure against the steady buildup of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan.
A hegemon is commonly referred to as a state that exercises economic and military superiority over the global system. While the US has filled in this gap for some while now, this may soon change if China continues to gain economic and military power over the rest of the global system. Its markets have been very fruitful and with greater military buildup and technological innovation, it may soon gain the ranking of a hegemon.
