America's Future Update on China

Update on China's Military Rise

The annual report from the U.S. Defense Department to Congress, "Military Power of the People's Republic of China 2009," catalogs efforts by Communist China to supply its armed forces with weapons that can be used to intimidate and attack Taiwan and blunt the superiority of U.S. naval and air power. The report describes how China's military modernization has continued over the past year, with a particular focus on Taiwan, which China considers a renegade province.

The Chinese military appears to have embarked on modernization programs that would allow it to fight and win short conflicts fought with new weapons along its periphery. To blunt traditional U.S. advantages, China has invested in new technologies for cyber- and space-warfare, in addition to modernizing its nuclear arsenal, and expanding and improving its fleet of submarines. China also plans to build several new aircraft carriers.

Rep Ike Skelton (D-MO) expressed concern at the purpose of China's military modernization and missile buildup. He said that "China's military budget continues a trend of double-digit increases, and questions remain about China's strategic intentions." New York Times, 3-26-09

Update on China's Poisoned Milk

A Communist Chinese court finally agreed to consider a lawsuit by parents of a sick child against a maker of chemically tainted dairy products. It is not known whether this is the opening blast of litigation against the poisoned products that killed at least six children and sickened 300,000 more last year. The children were sickened after middlemen laced diluted milk and infant formula with melamine, a dangerous chemical that fooled inspectors into concluding that the milk was high in protein. In fact, melamine causes kidney stones, kidney failure, and other health problems. It will take another month for the court to decide whether to hold a trial.

The milk scandal exposed yawning lapses in the regulation of more than half a million Chinese food processing companies.

The 22 dairy companies that sold the poisoned products have agreed to compensate most of the affected families, paying amounts ranging form $290 to $29,000. Some 600 families refused to accept the offers, saying they were entitled to more damages for more emotional suffering. New York Times, 3-26-09

Update on China's Role In the World

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has moved aggressively to secure a stronger role in what she called the world's most important relationship: U.S. dealings with China. The problem for the U.S. is that Communist China is America's biggest foreign creditor, holding an estimated $1 trillion in U.S. government debt. In Beijing in February, her first foreign trip as Secretary, Clinton said she and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner "will both be fully engaged" in discussions with China. With the world economy in danger, the U.S. Treasury Department will continue to play a top role in dealings with China.

Clinton then pleasantly surprised China by saying that Obama will not let human rights concerns interfere with cooperation with Beijing. Elizabeth Economy, Asian studies director at the Council on Foreign Relations, said, "The United States usually comes to China with a pretty long list of what we want to do, and, for the most part, what China wants is to be left alone." One might ask: Left alone to spend U.S. dollars building up its modern military? apnews, 3-27-09