A column of Chinese military honor guards stand in formation during aceremony in Beijing. Claro Cortes IV / Reuters
China's Secrecy 'Could Affect Region', Angus Houston Warns
-- The Australian
-- The Australian
CHINA'S excessive secrecy over defence spending and its shooting down of a satellite in January could trigger regional instability, the Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston, has warned.
Beijing should be more forthcoming about its reasons for expanding its military forces, Air Chief Marshal Houston said yesterday.
It had also failed to explain why it needed a capability to blast satellites out of space.
"That was something we didn't think was helpful in maintaining stability in our part of the world," Air Chief Marshal Houston said.
Now, he said, the bigger worry appeared to be Canberra's lack of knowledge about the growing capability of China's armed forces.
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My Comment: Australia has recently put their naval forces on a 2 month "vacation", and they are now expressing concern on China's military. It is very hard for me .... as an outsider .... to take this Australian "concerns" seriously.
Everyone knows the Chinese are on a massive military modernization program. I have been going to China since the mid-80s, and I have seen for myself on how much they have changed .... and I am not affiliated with any military or security organization. If I ... a lay person .... has seen the obvious with my own eyes .... my question is .... what is Australia's Intelligence organizations doing. Or better still .... what is Angus Houston, Chief of the Defence Force thinking.