China tipping military balance: Pentagon

China's military buildup could pose a long-term threat to other regional armed forces, including Taiwan, but currently, it does not pose a "direct threat", the Pentagon said in its annual report. According to the report, China's defense spending is estimated to be up to US$90bn this year, or two to three times greater than Beijing states, making it the largest in Asia and the third largest in the world after the US and Russia. The report also said Chinese intercontinental-range missiles are "capable of striking targets across the globe, including the United States."