AFP, BEIJING: The United States Wednesday rapped China for deploying so many missiles targeting Taiwan, saying it did nothing to reduce tensions with elections on the island just weeks away.
“We expressed our concern about the missile build-up across from Taiwan and made the point that we have important shared interests and don't think those interests are being served by the missile build-up,” said US Under Secretary of Defense Douglas Feith.
“That does not contribute to a reduction in tensions,” he told a press roundtable after the sixth annual round of Sino-US defense consultations.
The two days of meetings with senior Chinese officials headed by General Xiong Guangkai, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army, were dominated by the Taiwan issue.
But the US concerns appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
Asked if China had said whether they were prepared to withdraw any of the missiles, Feith said: “No”.
He added, in response to questions on whether he had sensed any change in the Chinese attitude: “I don't think so.”
Feith's visit comes after trips to China last month by Deputy US Secretary of State Richard Armitage and US chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard Myers.
The purpose of this week's meeting was to brief China on the realignment of the United States' global military posture.
“We wanted to make sure the Chinese understood the key thoughts that are shaping our thinking on how we want to realign our forces globally,” said Feith.
“And we wanted to give them a sense of the fact this is not only global but a very long term view that we are taking.
“Contrary to a lot of reports, it is not focused on any particular country and not on current events. It is a much bigger, longer term picture.”
Despite China's reluctance to withdraw its almost 500 missiles facing Taiwan, which it considers a renegade province to be reunified by force if necessary, Feith said both sides agreed everything must be done to avoid war.
“On the broader issue on the talks we had here of Taiwan and the danger of war, both sides made it clear that we have a strong interest in keeping tensions down and avoiding war,” he said.
“I don't think anyone should talk lighty about military action and that is an area where I think we have an important common interest. Nobody benefits from talk of war that will get everybody tense and increase danger.”
The United States is Taiwan's biggest weapons supplier and has made clear it will help defend the island if it is attacked.
Taiwan holds election next month, alongside a referendum in which Taiwanese voters will be asked whether the island should beef up its defenses against China's military threat, and whether Taipei should start negotiations with China for peaceful co-existence.
