China's military buildup a threat to Asian security

Rumsfeld rebuked China at a regional security conference here, saying it was pouring huge resources into its military and buying large amounts of sophisticated weapons despite facing no threat from any other country.

The Pentagon chief's remarks signalled a harder line against China from the Bush administration, which has criticised Beijing over trade and human rights issues but not directly challenged its military buildup.

The director of the Asia bureau of China's foreign ministry, Cui Tiankai, was in the audience for Rumsfeld's speech and reacted strongly.

"Since the US is spending a lot more money than China is doing on defence, the US should understand that every country has its own security concerns and every country is entitled to spend money necessary for its own defence," Cui told The Associated Press after Rumsfeld's remarks.

Rumsfeld said the Pentagon's annual assessment of China's military capabilities shows China is spending more than its leaders acknowledge, expanding its missile capabilities and developing advanced military technology.

China now has the world's third-largest military budget, he said, behind the United States and Russia. He did not say how large the US believes China's military budget is.

"Since no nation threatens China, one must wonder: Why this growing investment? Why these continuing large and expanding arms purchases?" Rumsfeld said at the conference organised by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a private, London-based think tank.

Cui responded sharply to Rumsfeld during a question-and-answer session.

Meanwhile, Rusmfeld conceded yesterday he had no idea how North Korea might be persuaded to resume negotiations on its nuclear weapons programme as allies debated the next steps if Pyongyang continues to shun six-party talks.

"I have no way of knowing what might conceivably finally persuade the people in the North to behave in a way that is more consistent with the behaviour of other countries in the world," Rumsfeld told an international conference on Asia security.