Thursday, 10 January, 2002, 11:13 GMT China rejects US missile report China has been developing its missiles in recent years http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1752000/1752481.s tm China has dismissed as "baseless speculation" a CIA report which said it could quadruple its arsenal of nuclear warheads. The Central Intelligence Agency said that within 13 years, China is likely to have between 75 and 100 inter-continental missiles aimed at the United States. That is about four times the current number of missiles. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said China would strengthen its national defence "in accordance with its own needs". "I have no details on the specific report," he said, "but I think such matters are merely baseless speculation." The CIA also concludes that by 2015, both North Korea and Iraq are likely to have developed missiles that could hit the US. Chinese expansion China is keen to develop its missile force so it can maintain a nuclear deterrent against the US, which is planning a controversial multi-million-dollar missile defence system. The US says its missile defence programme is to protect itself against North Korea and what it calls "rogue" nations, like Iraq. But some of those proposed defences could in theory shoot down about 20 Chinese inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). However, the system could not handle the number of missiles the CIA estimates China will develop. China-US relations have warmed over the last year The CIA says China is already developing three new missile systems which could be ready by 2010. It is also developing the ability to fire missiles from mobile launchers and to equip them with multiple warheads. China already has about 20 silos with CSS-4 nuclear ICBMs capable of reaching the US, the report says. It also has a few medium-range, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and, it is thought, one submarine from which to launch them. China is also expanding its short-range ballistic missile force, and will probably have several hundred by 2005, the report says. These are armed with conventional warheads that could target Taiwan from the Chinese mainland. The CIA report also says North Korea's Taepo Dong-2 missile, which would have the capability to reach the western US, could be ready for flight-testing. Pyongyang has declared a moratorium on missile flight-tests until at least 2003. ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spXC Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
