Pentagon to release Chinese military report

By Zhang Wen

The Pentagon Monday was expected to release its long-delayed annual report to US Congress on China's military, The Washington Times reported.

According to the report, the Pentagon notified the House and Senate Armed Services Committee on Friday that the new China report would be released after a closed-door briefing for staff members.

The newspaper cited US defense officials as saying that the China report would have a new name: "Annual Report on Security Developments Involving China," instead of "Annual Report to Congress: Military Power of the People's Republic of China."

There was also supposed to be a congressional briefing Monday on the new report, to be led by Michael Schiffer, deputy assistant defense secretary for East Asia and Pacific affairs, the report added.

Every year when the "China military power" report comes out, it draws criticism from Beijing.

A group of former US and Chinese military officials, known as the Sanya Initiative, have lobbied successive US administrations and Congress against the report, claiming it unfairly characterizes China's military modernization.

Some analysts say the US is trying to blur the focal point of this annual report by changing the name.

They have pointed out that, in the wake of the global financial crisis, China and the US are becoming more dependent on each other, and any conflicts between the two sides will harm the Sino-US economic relationship and bilateral trade, which is not what the US wants at this stage.

Gu Guoliang, a deputy director and research fellow with the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that because of recent tensions between China and the US regarding issues such as the US-South Korea military exercise and the US arms sale to Taiwan, the Pentagon might be more cautious in its releasing of the report.

"The report reflects Washington's concern about China's military modernization, especially with China's growing economic development. This essence will not change with a different name," Gu told the Global Times.

The annual report has two versions. The published public version is based on data and information drawn from media reports and public research institutions. Its function is primarily to influence public opinion. Some Chinese analysts have said that more sensitive content may be hidden in a confidential version submitted to the US government.

Agencies contributed to this story