Eying China

The Defense Department was not surprised by published reports over the weekend that China would boost its defense spending by 11.2 percent, according to Pentagon Press Secretary George Little. The Associated Press reported that China's defense spending would increase in 2012 to $106.4 billion.

"This is not something that was unexpected," Little told reporters today. "They have continued to try to advance their military capabilities. This is not a surprise. The important thing for us, of course, is to continue to forge ways of developing an even-more-cooperative mil-to-mil relationship with Beijing." The recent visit to the Pentagon by China's vice president, Xi Jinping, was an important step, Little said. Xi is slated to be China's next president. DOD believes there is a strong chance that the two militaries can develop greater cooperation, Little said.

The department also wants China to increase transparency about its military investments, Little said, reiterating a mantra that U.S. officials have stated repeatedly in recent years. The Associated Press reported Chinese defense spending may be 50 percent higher than claimed given China excludes outlays for nuclear missiles and other programs. Little could not say whether China is under-reporting its planned military investments at roughly $106 billion. "We assume that number is correct," he said. "I'll leave it to others to make that judgment though."