US Defense Secretary Sounds Softer Note on China's Military Build-up

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has softened his county's rhetoric about China's military buildup, telling a regional security conference in Singapore that he sees "reason to be optimistic" about the U.S.-China relationship. Trish Anderton filed this report from Jakarta.

Robert Gates (file photo)

Gates told the Asian security conference that the United States is still concerned about what he called the "opaqueness" of Beijing's military spending.

But Gates's tone Saturday was softer than that of his blunt-talking predecessor, Donald Rumsfeld, who expressed concern over China's military buildup. Gates emphasized the common ties between the world's only superpower and the rising Asian giant, and expressed hope for better mutual understanding.

"We have increased military-to-military contacts between all levels of our militaries … As we gain experience in dealing with each other, relationships can be forged that will build trust over time," he said.

China has said its defense spending will grow by nearly 18 percent in 2007. A Pentagon report, however, concluded last month that Beijing spends two or three times more on defense than it has publicly acknowledged.

Speaking after Gates, Chinese Lieutenant General Zhang Qinsheng told the conference that Beijing is telling the truth about its budget. He said the increased spending is for items such as uniforms, training, and higher salaries and pensions.

But Zhang, too, appeared to reach out in cooperation, saying the two countries would set up a hotline to improve communication between their militaries.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the host of the conference, said most Asian countries do not see China's spending as a threat to regional security.

Nevertheless, Singapore and other Asian nations want a continued U.S. military presence in the region as a guarantee of stability and a counterweight to rising Chinese influence.

Secretary Gates sought to reassure the audience that the U.S. would not be distracted from its responsibilities in Asia by the military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We are an Asian power with significant and long-term political, economic and security interests. Our commitments elsewhere notwithstanding, we will fulfill our commitments in Asia," he said.

He called on Asian nations to increase their aid to Afghanistan and the former Soviet states of Central Asia, arguing that if those countries were allowed to flounder, they could become breeding grounds for terrorism.

Statistical Communiqué on China 2006 National Economic and Social Development

In 2006, under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, the people of all nationalities of China, taking as the guidance of Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thought of "Three Represents", adhered to the scientific approach to the economic and social development, endeavored to build a socialist harmonious society, carefully carried out various measures set by the central government aiming at enhancing and improving macro-control and made remarkable achievements in the national economic and social development. The major problems existing in the economic and social development are the extensive mode of economic growth and outstanding relationship within the economic structure.

Detailed in the Article: http://www.stats.gov.cn/

U.N.'s Brief Assessment of China's Development Challenges

In China, in which the population is increasing by ten million people a year, it is inevitable that demands on the infrastructure and the environment are intense. At the same time the form of governance is changing from a central planning system to a socialist market economy. In the process, disparities arise in the equity of development, for example, discrepancies arise between the coastal regions and the poorer interior provinces, between males and females, between the demands to sustain a still increasing population and the capacity of the environment and natural resources to accommodate an estimated 1.5 billion people by 2030.

Overall access and coverage of a range of basic social services has improved during the last two decades with notable progress towards, for example, reduction of infant and under-five mortality. There is almost equal enrolment of boys and girls in primary school; a rapid increase in housing stock and living space for families; and increase in access to potable water resources, to name but a few impressive achievements. Some important initiatives are also underway with respect to fuller realisation of the rights of children and women and the prevention of desertification and land degradation.

On the whole, there is more that is similar than dissimilar with other developing countries in the kinds of strategic challenges China faces in achieving various goals and implementing provisions of conventions. Some of these challenges include:

How to accelerate achievement of more regional equity and reduce inequities;

How to maintain economic growth and avoid destruction and pollution of the natural resource base;

How to expand the progress made in increasing access to basic services into higher quality and more widespread coverage;

How to bring about the consistent implementation of existing laws and filling gaps in present legislation;

How to better match gains in development of technical expertise with greater progress in managerial and regulatory competencies.

At the same time, however, there are some more systemic and probably deeper challenges associated with the overall stresses incurred in China's social and economic transition from a centrally planned economy to a socialist market economy. There are a number of instances in which national policy changes are underway or could benefit from major improvements, for example national health and nutrition; prevention and control of HIV/AIDS; environment and energy and social protection.

China is wedded to an overall purpose of increasing the well being of its people. Changing economic and social conditions over the next decade, partly spurred by leaps in technological applications, will open many possibilities for improvement in both societal and personal well being. However, there remain a host of important national goals, partly inspired by global initiatives, the sustainable achievement of which would bolster both national and international development efforts.

Poverty of China (Current situation of Poor)

10% of Chinese live in poverty

Around 48 million Chinese live below China's domestic poverty line, accounting for 3.7 % of the total population. Based on international standards, 135 million Chinese live below the general poverty line, or 10% of the population.  

The numbers come from the "Report of the Development of an Overall Well-off Society (2006)," China's first blue book to be published on building an overall well off society, Beijing Evening News reports.  

The report reveals there are 26 million needy people in China's countryside. Another 22 million living in cities subsist below minimum subsistence levels , or the poverty line. These 48 million people account for 3.7% of the total population in China.  

According to international standards, however, the needy refer to those whose personal daily expenses average below $1.  

The World Bank estimates about 135 million of Chinese live below the international poverty line. These people are the key group China should show concern for in building an overall well-off society.

Migrant workers earn monthly income of 120 dollars

Migrant laborers in Chinese cities earn an average of 966 yuan (US$120.75) per month, much more than the average farmer, but still very low compared to urban residents.  

The per capita monthly income for half of the migrant laborers is less than 800 yuan, with 19.67 percent below 500 yuan, according to a latest survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).  

Ten percent of the 29,425 migrant workers surveyed have a monthly income of 1,500 yuan.  

Migrant workers are mostly poor farmers who leave the countryside to find jobs in cities. There are more than 100 million migrant workers in China.  

The average income of Chinese farmers is about one fourth that of the urban residents earn.  

The shrinking of farmlands are producing a bigger army of migrant workers in the country and has caused many social troubles.  

The survey shows that jobs in east China are the most lucrative for migrant workers, who earn an average of 1090 yuan per month there, compared with 880 yuan and 835 yuan in the central and western regions.  

Migrant laborers spend an average of 463 yuan per month; 72 yuan on accommodation, 235 yuan on food and 47 yuan on recreation.  

To improve their professional skills, half of the respondents received vocational training , while 24.1 percent were self-taught.  

Of the 5,065 respondents who brought children with them to the cities, only 1.05 percent had seen their children drop out of school, and 49.2 percent had to pay an average registration fee of 1,226 yuan in addition to regular tuition fees.