U.S. urges China to open up on defense build-up

By Lindsay Beck

BEIJING (Reuters) - The head of U.S. forces in the Pacific pushed China on Tuesday for more transparency over its military build-up and suggested its growing might was aimed at Taiwan, the self-ruled island Beijing claims as its territory.

Admiral Timothy Keating, on his second visit since taking the helm of the U.S. Pacific Command last year, said he was concerned about China's development of new military hardware, including long-range cruise missiles and anti-satellite technology.

But he said Chinese officials insisted their military development was not aimed at any third country.

"The Chinese military officials with whom I had discussions emphasized their desire to protect those things that they think are theirs and nothing more," Keating told a news conference.

Beijing and Taiwan have faced off since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, and China has vowed to bring the island back under mainland rule, by force if necessary.

"They (the Chinese) specifically have no hegemonic intentions, they do not have any expansion strategy, they advocate a peaceful rise," Keating said.

But he added that he was not entirely satisfied by China's explanations and wanted further exchanges to better understand the reasons for its military growth.

"Increased transparency can lead to greater trust that reduces the potential for misunderstanding. Misunderstanding can lead to conflict or crisis and that is very much not in our interest," he said.

Keating said he had also emphasized in his talks with Chinese officials Washington's adherence to the "one-China" policy.

The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to mainland China in 1979, recognizing the one-China principle. But it remains Taiwan's biggest arms supplier and Beijing recently expressed irritation over U.S. plans to help the island upgrade its missile system.

Keating's trip follows a dip in relations over China's refusal to allow the USS Kitty Hawk and its accompanying strike group to make a long-planned port visit to Hong Kong during November's Thanksgiving holiday.

Beijing later changed its mind and said the ships could dock, but by then the aircraft carrier and its flotilla were heading back to its home port in Japan, via the Taiwan Strait.

Keating said he had discussed the issue, defending the decision to transit through the Strait to avoid typhoons in the South China Sea.

"We don't need China's permission to go through the Taiwan Straits in international waters," he said.

Chinese officials offered him no explanation for the Kitty Hawk incident.