China `ready for nuclear war' over Taiwan

By Wu Zhong

STORY: BEIJING is prepared for a nuclear war against the United States if Washington ``would dare to stand in the way'' of China's reunification, a military-backed weekly has warned.

In such a possible Sino-US war over Taiwan, Washington would be subject to tremendous losses in human casualties as well as in its global and regional interests, warned an article in the latest issue of the Military Review weekly.

The magazine is an official publication with retired People's Liberation Army generals _ including former Chief of General Staff Yang Chengwu _ operating as its honorary publishers or advisers.

The article quoted unnamed military experts as saying that China would use nuclear weapons if the US ``dared to stand in the way'' of the country's reunification.

``China, to safeguard its national interests, has prepared for a nuclear war against the United States,'' it said.

Although China's weaponry in general could not match Washington's, it had its strong points, the paper said.

China had world-class spy satellites and its space ship-launching technology would enable its missiles to break through the US' National Missile Defence system (NMD) to strike US territory.

China also leads the world in miniaturisation of the neutron bomb. Such bombs would be very difficult for US aircraft carriers to defend against, the article said.

When the PLA launched war games and test-fired missiles into waters off Taiwan in mid 1995 to early 1996 to intimidate the island's voters before the first presidential election, the US responded by sending two aircraft carrier battle groups to the area.

In a war without boundaries the US would suffer unbearable human casualties, it said.

When such a Sino-US war started, China would then no longer honour its commitment on non-proliferation. ``And then if countries like Iraq, Iran or North Korea obtain missile technology from China, the US would be under global threat,'' it said. ``The enemy's enemy is our friend.''

China would then ally with countries which had been bullied, such as Iran, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Libya and Cuba.

It would even be possible for China to form a military alliance with Russia, and perhaps India, the article said.

It also warned Japan not to provide logistical support to the US military in a Sino-US war over Taiwan. If they did, Beijing would see it as Tokyo's declaration of war against China and then Japan would become part of the battlefield.

The US would also suffer great economic losses in the region as the mainland's market ``is far more important to the US economy than Taiwan's.''

http://online.hkstandard.com/today/default.asp?PageType=afr3

-- - (x@xxx.com), April 11, 2000

Answers

"The US would also suffer great economic losses in the region as the mainland's market is far more important to the US economy than Taiwan's."

Wake up folks. I check every country orgin before I purchase.

Tommy R

-- Tommy Rogers (Been there@Just a Thought.com), April 11, 2000.

The article said,

"Although China's weaponry in general could not match Washington's, it had its strong points, the paper said. "

Yes it does. Especially the parts they got FROM Washington courtesy of their employee Klinton.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), April 11, 2000.

I think they would opt for the "new" weapons first Cyber war dump investments on wall street, dump bonds, seize assets, a little mainland terrorism that sort of stuff before they went nuclear. Although they could probably pull of a first strike and get no retaliation. I read somewhere that reunifacation of N/S Korea and a combined effort of getting the US out of the theater could usher in a new "reunifacation era" and world opinion could be gung ho.

Also China can almost do anything they want simply because of the potential market they represent for global comapnies.

-- Johnny (Not@anymore.net), April 11, 2000.

My last chance to comment for a while. I now have to board the plane. Where do you get these ideas? I have a number of friends in China. They are not stupid. A war of this sort would lead to the destruction of China. Have you been there? Talked to the folks in power. No-no. This is fringe stuff. They will not make the mistake that Iraq made. The plane is now boarding. See you.

Best wishes,,,,,

-- Z1X4Y7 (Z1X4Y7@aol.com), April 11, 2000.

When the Chinese started lobbing verbal missles months ago,I'll admit I was scared. But if actions speak louder than pissing and moaning, you can see where this is all headed. And Putin seems to have finally shut up too. All of which means... I guess it's time for Saddam or Quaddafi to start showing their a** again.

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), April 12, 2000.

One thing that may increse the rederick more is if the US approves sending Tiawan the new weapons that they have requested. Other than that watch china continue to be threatening and building news arms as relations move towards summer. US may try to provoke a showdown, Probaly over human rights.

-- boo (boo@home.com), April 12, 2000.

That would be "rhetoric".

No flame, I just couldn't figure out what you were saying...

-- --- (---@---.---), April 12, 2000.

Wake up folks. I check every country orgin before I purchase.

Tommy R

Wake up Tommy,

Many things you buy that say made in the US can have up to 100% China made and manufactured parts in there as long as the FINAL assembly and testing is done in the US it can be declared as made in the US

So you better make it yourself or join the rest of the crowd on being dependent on China.

Emerson Electric a company that owns many US manufacturers of electronic goods for the industry and consumers owns 6 large plants in mainland China where people work for pennies a day to produce 90% of the parts and assemblies needed for operations.

Those parts are shipped into the US and the final assembly and testing is done here. Products for the rest of Asia are assembled in the Philipines. All of the products for the North American and Europe marked carry the sticker " Made in the US ". This is fully legal as the final assembly for those markets are done in the US.

The US economy bubble would burst in an instand if this practice would stop.

-- RickJohn (rickjohn1@yahoo.com), April 12, 2000.

China assails U.S. again for explanation of embassy strike

'Thorough' inquiry sought, but U.S. says case is closed

Tuesday, April 11, 2000

THE NEW YORK TIMES

WASHINGTON -- China yesterday again rejected the official U.S. explanation for the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade during NATO's air war against Yugoslavia last year and demanded a "thorough and comprehensive" investigation.

U.S. officials, however, declared the matter closed.

A spokesman for China's foreign ministry in Beijing, Zhu Bangzao, criticized as inadequate the CIA's dismissal of a midlevel officer blamed in the attack. He reiterated China's demands that the Clinton administration "punish those responsible."

China's response indicated that its government remained deeply suspicious of U.S. assurances that the bombing May 7, which killed three Chinese and wounded at least 20 others, was a mistake.

"We expect we're going to have to agree to disagree on this," a senior administration official said yesterday, adding that there were no plans to further investigate the bombing.

Late last week, the CIA dismissed one officer and punished six others for their roles in identifying and approving the target, which officials have said was intended to be a military supply headquarters.

The agency insisted in a statement that the bombing was "a tragic accident," which officials have blamed on mistakes made by the dismissed officer in locating the supply headquarters on a map.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman disdained the official U.S. explanation yesterday. "To pretend that the United States did not know the position of the Chinese Embassy in Yugoslavia is not credible," Zhu said in a statement.

What officials have said was the intended target, the Federal Directorate of Supply and Procurement, was nearly 1,000 feet from the embassy in the New Belgrade section of the capital, and Zhu said the two buildings did not resemble each other. "It was impossible for the U.S. side to mix up these two buildings," he said.

State Department spokesman James Rubin responded yesterday that the investigations had been "thorough and complete." He said the administration had gone to great lengths to explain to the Chinese the circumstances leading up to the bombing and to describe the dismissal of the agency officer and the punishment of six others as "appropriate steps."

In December, the United States agreed to pay $28 million to compensate China for damage to the building. It had previously agreed to pay $4.5 million to the families of those who were killed. China agreed to pay $2.8 million for damage to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing caused by demonstrators.

http://www.seattlep-i.com:80/national/emba11.shtml

-- - (x@xxx.com), April 12, 2000.