World
US defence secretary Robert Gates called China's military modernisation programme "opaque" and stressed that, without the US military presence in Japan, China "might behave more assertively towards its neighbours".
Updated : Nov 21, 2013, 01:44 PM IST
Advances by China's military in cyber and anti-satellite warfare technology could challenge the ability of US forces to operate in the Pacific, US defence secretary Robert Gates said in prepared remarks on Friday during a visit to Japan.
Just days after meetings in China meant to bolster ties with its military, Gates expressed renewed concerns about a buildup by the People's Liberation Army, which flexed its muscle this week with its first-ever test flight of a stealth fighter jet.
Gates called China's military modernisation programme "opaque" and stressed that, without the US military presence in Japan, China "might behave more assertively towards its neighbours".