| | China builds up strategic sea lanes - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - January 18, 2005 (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-11) |
 | | China is building up military forces and setting up bases along sea lanes from the Middle East to project its power overseas and protect its oil shipments, according to a previously undisclosed internal report prepared for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. |
 | | "China is building strategic relationships along the sea lanes from the Middle East to the South China Sea in ways that suggest defensive and offensive positioning to protect China's energy interests, but also to serve broad security objectives," said the report sponsored by the director, Net Assessment, who heads Mr. |
 | | The report noted that the vast amount of oil shipments through the sea lanes, along with growing piracy and maritime terrorism, prompted China, as well as India, to build up naval power at "chokepoints" along the sea routes from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea. |
| www.washingtontimes.com /functions/print.php?StoryID=20050117-115550-1929r (1070 words) |