Summary Remarks by Richard D. Fisher
Before The U.S.-China Commission
August 3, 2001

CHINA IS ACTING LIKE AMERICA'S ENEMY

I welcome this second opportunity to offer comments before the U.S.-China Commission. The issue outlined by the Commission, "U.S.-China ongoing relationship and strategic perceptions," offers the opportunity to in an honest fashion, the difficult reality that China is acting like the enemy of the United States. For sure, China does not want America to regard it as an enemy, and invests heavily in helping to shape a positive image in the U.S.. For my remarks here today, I would like to defend four propositions:

China views the US as its present and future enemy.

China requires "peaceful" relations with the U.S. today in order to obtain benefits like trade, technology, education and deference. However, the PC is led by a Communist Party that routinely defines the U.S. as the world's "Hegemon." This is a particular Chinese definition for totalitarian. But in reality, China wants to be that Hegemon and the U.S. stands in its way. China's Communist Party is also antithetical to democracy. "Peaceful coexistence" allows for war preparations under the facade of peace.

China is preparing for war over Taiwan, and to attack U.S. forces in that conflict.

China's Communist Party needs to subdue the people on Taiwan in order to justify and extend the life of their own brutal regime. Defeating Taiwan is a mater of power preservation. As such, it is undertaking all-around military preparations for a war that it hope will not have to be fought, but for it is preparing just the same. A critical part of these preparations is to be able to defeat U.S. intervention on Taiwan's behalf.

China is preparing for a longer-term conflict with the United States.

Absorbing Taiwan is just part of a larger PRC goal of dismantling U.S. alliance networks in Asia. The PRC-Russia alliance is also designed to weaken global U.S. influence. The PRC will also build new strategic military capabilities that will support PRC challenges to U.S. power in Asia and beyond.

America is not preparing with sufficient alarm for the war over Taiwan or the contests to come.

The United States is not responding to this challenge with sufficient alarm or counter-preparation, so that at a minimum, the U.S. can deter both a war against Taiwan, or a longer-term Cold War-like conflict with the PRC. To forestall such wars, the U.S. must more aggressively prepare Taiwan to defend itself, and take its own deterrent measures.

KNOWN AND PROJECTED PRC WEAPONS ACQUISITIONS By Richard D. Fisher, updated on August 2, 2001
Purchased or in Use	To Purchase
Russian EW and SIGINT equip.	RRSpey jet engines (80-90) (B)
S-300PMU SAM (R)	Ming SSK upgrades (R)
Su-27SK/UBK (78) (R)	One 636 Kilo SSK (R)
Su-27SK co-production (80-200) (R)	RR Spey engine co-production (B)
Su-30MKK (10) (R)	Sovremenniy destroyer (2-6) (R)
I1-76 (20+) (R)	A-50E AWACS (4-6) (R)
R-73 AAM (R)	Su-30MKK (68 more) (R)
R-27 AAM (R)
Kh-31 ASM co-production (R)	Reportedly Acquired or Acquiring
Sovremenniy destroyer (2) (R)	SSN technology (R )
Moskit ASM (R)	Aircraft carrier tech (R)
SA-N-7/12 SAM (R)	Share of GLONASS navsat(R)
KA-27 ASW Helicopter (4-6) (R)	Nuclear pump laser tech (R)
APR-3E ASW torpedo (R)	ICBM technology (R)
Kilo 887/636 SSK (4) (R)	Molniya FAC ship (R)
Shkval rocket torpedo (R)	T-80 MBT
Tor M-1 (SA-15) SAM (R)	BMP-3 IFV (R)
BMD Airborne IVF (R)	Attack helicopter technology (F)
Nona SVK APC (R)	Stealth aircraft technology
Laser guided artillery shells (R)	Tomahawk LACM (US via Afghanistan)
Smersh MLRS (R)	Delilah cruise missile technology (I)
Shmel thermobaric missile (R)	Stealth technology (US)
Thermobaric weapon tech (R)	U.S. nuclear warhead technology
Manned Spacecraft technology (R)	EW/ELINT technology (I)
Lavi jet fighter technology (I)
Python 3 co-prod (I)	Known Interest In Aquiring
Mi-8/17 helicopter (50+) (R)	Oscar nuclear SSGN (R)
Skymaster AEW radar (4-6) (B)	Akula SSN (R)
Microsatellite technology (B)	Klub ASM/cruise missile (R)
Dauphin helicopter co-prod (F)	Tu-22M (R)
Gazelle helicopter (8) (F)	S-400 SAM (R)
Ecureuil helicopter co-prod (F)	S-300V SAM (R)
Crotale SAM co-production (F)	ABM technology (R)
35mm AAA (Swiss)	ASAT technology (R)
Small Satellite technology (Germany)	Space Station tech (R and Europe)
Loral SAR technology (US)	Yakout ASM (R)
S-70 helicopter (24) (US)	RADARSAT tech (R and Eurore)
Solid Rocket Motor Tech (US)	Kh-65SE cruise missile (R)
Helicopter technology (Italy)	Aircraft carrier tech (F and Spain)
Imaging satellite technology (Italy)	Barak SAM (I)
Submarine sonar (F)	Ehud air combat training system (I)
Naval turbine engine technology (Ukraine)	Military Laser technology
Radio frequency weapon technology	Be-200 amphibious jet (R)
SRBM Communication vehicles (R)	Su-34 attack bomber (R)
Mig-31 interceptor (R)	SSK technology (F)
KH-31 ASM co-production (R)
B—Britain; F—France; I—Israel; R—Russia; US—United States; AAA—anti-aircraft; AAM—air to air missile; ABM—anti-ballistic missile; AEW—airborne early warning; APC—armored personnel carrier; AWACS—airborne early warning and control; ASAT—anti-satellite; ASM—anti-ship missile or air-to -ground missile; ASW—anti submarine warfare; ATBM—anti tactical ballistic missile; EW—electronic warfare; FAC—fast attack craft; FAE—fuel air explosive; LACM—land attack cruise missile; IVF—infantry fighting vehicle; MLRS—multiple launch rocket system; SAM—surface to air missile; SAR—synthetic aperture radar; SIGINT—signals intelligence; SSGN—nuke cruise missile sub; SSK—conventional submarine; SSN—nuclear submarine