|
PRESS
RELEASE
For Immediate Release: March 5, 2007
Contact: Abigail Shilling (202) 225-6365
|
Forbes Statement on China’s 2007
Defense Budget |
WASHINGTON, D.C. –
Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) released the following statement on China’s recently
announced increase in military spending for 2007:
“The People’s Republic of China’s announcement of a 17.8 percent
increase over 2006 levels in defense spending is blurred by a lack
of transparency. We know that any reported defense spending is no
more than one-third of actual spending because it fails to include
important sectors such as weapons procurement and research and
development. Just last week, reports indicated that China is
constructing at least five new nuclear missile submarines as well as
an unspecified number of nuclear attack submarines. These
developments, combined with China’s successful anti-satellite weapon
test in January and the discovery that a Chinese sub emerged within
firing range of the U.S.S. Kitty Hawk in November, paint a bold
picture of China’s growing capabilities.
“Without transparency, this announcement only raises questions about
China’s intentions. The Congressional China Caucus will continue to
look at ways to efficiently improve the facilitation and development
of a multifaceted domestic policy with regard to China.”
# #
#
|
