Hearing of the House Armed Services Committee - China: Recent Security Developments

Statement

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And General Breedlove, I particularly appreciate seeing your Air Force uniform. My association with China is that my dad served in the 14th Air Force, the Flying Tigers, during World War II. It was life- changing for him. He truly appreciated and developed an affection for the people of China.

Additionally, I had the extraordinary opportunity of visiting with President Jiang Zemin, with Congressman Ortiz. When it was mentioned that I was the son of a Flying Tiger, he interrupted everything and announced that the American military is revered in China.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to lead a delegation for the 60th anniversary of V-J Day, where there were public celebrations, the erection of monuments. There were television programs and all types of exercises recognizing that it was the American Air Force that provided the security that saved millions of lives of the people of China. And President Hu, when I met him, again, as the son of a Flying Tiger, he immediately recognized the appreciation that the people of China have for the American military.

And so I share the view of Secretary Shinn that indeed China is a competitor. I don't -- it's a challenger. But I'm -- I don't believe it should be a threat or an enemy. In fact, I have seen firsthand the integration of our economies. It's mutually beneficial. In my home state of South Carolina recently we've had a number of manufacturing facilities being developed, creating jobs in South Carolina, with investment coming from, of all places, the People's Republic of China.

And so putting that in perspective, though, I am concerned. China is the second-largest energy consumer, following the United States, in the world, and the third-largest importer of oil. Has this dependency affected their defense policy and planning for the future? And has China used the sale of military technologies as incentives to secure energy deals?

For either one of you.

GEN. BREEDLOVE: Sir, I will answer to the extent that this forum will allow. I think certainly it has. I think we see China making friends around the world in peaceful ways like soccer stadiums, but also through arms sales, maybe not even sophisticated arms sales but less sophisticated arms sales. But they are making friends in many of the emerging areas of the world where energy is going to be big -- the Gulf of Guinea and other places, as an example.

And as we were talking before, sir, I think clearly their need and their vision to say that we're going to have to have clear naval lines of communications to transport this energy translates into the development that we see in their navy.

REP. WILSON: Another concern I have when you mention about arms sales with the U.N. resolutions 1747 and 1803, is China living up to the obligations of showing restraint for the sale of heavy arms and missile technology to Iran?

MR. SHINN: Sir, we're struggling because we don't know what we can say in this forum. Can we talk about that later this afternoon?

REP. WILSON: That would be fine.

Additionally, it's my view that China as a modern nation now, from my visits to Beijing and Shanghai, that they should have and they should know that we have a shared threat of terrorists who are against modernism. Is China being as helpful as they can be on the global war on terror?

REP. SHINN: Again, I think maybe we should go into the closed session on that. I think generally speaking, though, we have broad and shared interests with the Chinese with regard to terrorism. They have exhibited considerable anxiety, as you know, about not just the possible exposure of the Olympics to terrorism, but it's involvement more generally in some other broader areas. So, that is an area where we are, as the Secretary has said, partners and not competitors.

REP. WILSON: And particularly with the terrorist activity in the western provinces, it would seem like so clear that they should be working with us.

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