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 Defense official said.
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(...) 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 Defense and the inter-agency discussion."
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Lawless alleged "a deliberate effort on the part of China's leaders to mask the nature of Chinese military capabilities," which he said could only ring precautionary alarm bells for the US and other governments.
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Lawless was briefing US lawmakers on an annual Pentagon report issued last month that questioned China's lack of transparency in its defense budgeting and suggested that it could be "planning for pre-emptive military options in advance of regional crises."
Hey, international lefties: Why do you want the nations of the Free World to dismantle their militaries but you turn around and play "the three monkeys" when it comes to the likes of evil, imperialist Communist China?
