A nuclear Iran is an even better test than North Korea, because it's out of the region and China doesn't have the same immediate involvement. |
Bush mentioned shared strategic interests three times in his speech. The Chinese see this as important because it's high- level recognition from the global superpower of their status as a rising great power. |
China will probe for signals from Rumsfeld and DOD [Department of Defense] on the extent to which the U.S. views China as a major regional security threat. |
So it's seen as a test in many ways of the type of policy the Bush administration will adopt towards China, |
The Aegis-equipped systems certainly have the capability to be upgraded and equipped at some point with theatre missile defense technologies that would provide Taiwan with defense capabilities against Chinese missiles, |
This is a persistent and glaring weakness, |
Without a doubt, the direction Chinese military modernization has taken in recent years absolutely represents a growing threat to the U.S.. |