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European weapons are
boosting China¡¦s might: expert
By William Lowther / Staff reporter in Washington
European nations are selling dual-use military technology to China that may soon
be used against Taiwan, a US congressional subcommittee has been told.
¡§All Chinese nonnuclear submarines and new combatant ships use European design
naval engines, largely German-designed engines,¡¨ said Rick Fisher, senior fellow
for Asian military affairs at the International Assessment and Strategy Center.
A similar situation exists with some helicopters, and the Chinese shipbuilding
industry has bought state-of-the-art 3D ship design software, made in Spain,
that is already helping Beijing ¡§develop better combat ships.¡¨
Fisher told a special hearing of the Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats
Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the sales were allowing
China to expand its military more quickly than it would otherwise be able to do.
Fisher said China was building its military ¡§tremendously¡¨ to wage war against
Taiwan and to conquer the nation ¡§perhaps early in the next decade.¡¨
Such an attack could possibly engage US forces and reduce the US¡¦ ability to aid
Europe against threats ¡§that are growing against them as well.¡¨
Asked about mounting Chinese aggression towards Japan and in the South China
Sea, Fisher said that if the US did nothing to counter the aggression, there was
a danger that allies could be defeated in skirmishes.
¡§If our allies are undermined, if they lose confidence in their alliances with
the United States, they have alternatives,¡¨ Fisher said. ¡§In my opinion they
will develop their own nuclear missiles.¡¨
Fisher said that Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and Australia could all go nuclear
¡§rather quickly.¡¨
If that happens, the prospect of a skirmish escalating into a nuclear exchange
with the US being drawn into a war is ¡§real,¡¨ he said.
Fisher said that Washington had to support its friends and allies.
¡§We have to be very clear to the Chinese about what we consider unacceptable
behavior,¡¨ he said.
¡§We have to make clear that we are there to back up our alliances, that we are
there to support our long-standing friendship with Taiwan by selling them the
systems they need to deter war,¡¨ Fisher said. ¡§If we fail to do this, we are
inviting conflict.¡¨
Chairman of the subcommittee Republican Dana Rohrabacher said the hearing had
been called to examine China¡¦s ¡§external posture¡¨ toward the states around it.
He said that Beijing had menaced, threatened and attempted to absorb Taiwan and
had clashed ¡§with virtually every bordering state.¡¨
Director of the Population Research Institute Steven Mosher said that he was
less worried about China¡¦s capabilities than its intentions.
¡§I am concerned that China, which lacks transparency in terms of its military
budget and in stating its intentions, is only emboldened by our careful and
measured and nuanced, and oftentimes too quiet, responses to acts of
aggression,¡¨ he said.
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