June 14, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1428

WASHINGTON, June 13: China's secretive transformation of its military power leaves the United States preparing for the worst eventualities, including over Taiwan, a Pentagon official said on Wednesday.About 900 Chinese missiles are in place opposite Taiwan, while China is also rolling out far more sophisticated long-range nuclear missiles, combat planes, warships and submarines, the Department of Defence official said.

Richard Lawless, the Pentagon's deputy undersecretary for Asia-Pacific affairs, said the US government urgently wanted to launch a strategic dialogue to discuss China's military intentions, especially over nuclear arms.

“I think if we had a true dialogue of depth... we might be able to constrain and put some of those issues of (Chinese) intent to bed,” he told a hearing of the House of Representatives armed services committee.

“Not being able to, we must plan and prepare for the worst,” he said. “It is an area of intense concern and we're giving it due attention from the highest levels of the Department of Defence and the inter-agency discussion.”

The United States and China have long been at loggerheads over Beijing's military build-up, although US Defence Secretary Robert Gates expressed optimism about future relations at a Singapore security conference this month.

Gates called for a more detailed military dialogue with China to avoid future miscalculations, while a top Chinese general said Beijing was prepared to open a “hotline” with Washington.—AFP