A US defence department report has claimed that the growth of China’s military is shrouded in secrecy which could give rise to “misunderstandings and miscalculations”.
The annual Pentagon report was published amid frictions between the countries over US arms sales to Taiwan, US naval drills with South Korea and China’s growing confidence in the South China Seas.
“Despite modest improvements in the PLA’s openness, the limited transparency in China’s military and security affairs enhances uncertainty and increases the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation,” the Guardian quoted the report, as saying.
It also added that China has been upgrading its land-based missiles, expanding its submarine force and nuclear arsenal, and claimed that the country has extended its military advantage over Taiwan.
Experts however feel that China would never be able to fulfil Washington’s expectations on “transparency”. "Although China has steadily increased its military transparency over the past few years, it’s currently impossible for China to reach the level that the US demands," China Daily quoted But Shi Yinhong, an expert on Sino-US relations at Renmin University, as saying.
"Anyone who understands basic international politics knows there is no absolute transparency, especially between non-allies" he added. The report also said that China is developing a ballistic missile capable of attacking aircraft carriers more than 1,500 kilometres away.