NEWSLINKS US EDITION SOUTH ASIA COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL DEAR REDIFF THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Chief of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has warned that China remains 'deeply sceptical' of US intentions in central and South Asia notwithstanding the fact that it has joined the US-led coalition against terrorism.
In his first testimony before the senate intelligence committee on Wednesday, CIA Director George Tenet said, "September 11 changed the context of China's approach to us, but it did not change the fundamentals."
Cautioning that China still cherishes hopes of becoming a major Asian power, Tenet said, "China is developing an increasingly competitive economy and building a modern military force with the ultimate objective of asserting itself as a great power in east Asia."
Stressing that Taiwan was the focus of China's military modernisation programmes, Tenet said, over the past year, Beijing's military training exercises have taken on an increasingly real-world focus, emphasizing rigorous practice in operational capabilities and improving the military's actual ability to use force.
China considers Taiwan to be a renegade province.
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