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 China military is transparent, no threat: Wen   (Reuters)  Updated: 2006-04-03 14:07  
China's military is transparent and not a threat, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao 
said on Monday after the United States and Japan criticised China for not being 
open enough about a build-up of its defence forces. 
 During a visit to Australia on Monday, Wen said China had reduced its 
military by 1.7 million over the past two decades, and its military spending as 
a share of the gross domestic product and the government budget was fairly low 
by international standards. 
 "The modest increase in Chinese military expenditure is mainly for improving 
the welfare of its servicemen, strengthening its defence capabilities and 
safeguarding national reunification," Wen told a lunch meeting in Canberra. 
 "Thus China will not pose a threat to anyone. China's defence policy is 
transparent," he said. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Japanese 
Foreign Minister Taro Aso both recently expressed concern about China's military 
build-up. 
 
 
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