The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday that China’s buildup of sea and air power appears to be aimed at the US, Reuters reported. Speaking in Washington, Admiral Michael Mullen said that while China had the right to meet its security needs, the US would have to work with its Pacific allies to respond to China’s increased military strength in the region. He said that China’s maritime and air expansion was “very focused on the United States Navy and our bases that are in that part of the world.” China in March revealed an official military budget of US$70.2 billion for 2008, a continuation of nearly two decades of double-digit increases in military spending.
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