Australia dismisses fear of China military build-up

TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) Australia's foreign minister dismissed concerns about China's military build-up as overdone, but urged tighter security ties with Japan to cope with regional threats such as North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes.

Downer and Australian Defence Minister Brendan Nelson were to meet later today with their Japanese counterparts, the first such ''2+2'' meeting since the countries' leaders agreed in a joint declaration in March to strengthen security ties.

''I don't think anything drives the Chinese leadership more today than their desire to lift people out of poverty and to make China a prosperous country. I think that is the true driving force of Chinese public policy,'' Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said after a speech in Tokyo.

''That is the central goal of their policy. It's not territorial expansion. It's economic growth,'' Downer added.

''And so, I don't think any of us need be unduly concerned about Chinese military expenditure and I think expressions of concern are much exaggerated.'' Staunch US allies Australia and Japan agreed in March to expand cooperation in such areas as counter-terrorism, peacekeeping and preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

''Both governments have worked hard in recent years to develop this strategic partnership. But I think we can do even more together,'' Downer said in his speech at the Japan Institute for International Affairs, a Tokyo think tank.

''For instance, Australia and Japan share the view that North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and its provocative action in testing those weapons and long-range missiles poses a real threat to the security and stability of the region,'' he added.

Nelson said yesterday that Canberra was studying whether to take part in a US-Japan missile defence system aimed at rogue states such as North Korea, but he added that no decision had been made.

Australia is keen to soothe concerns by major trading partner China that Canberra is joining Washington and Tokyo to try to contain Beijing's growing clout.

TALKS ABOUT TALKS Downer's remarks echoed comments earlier this month by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who said China had been showing greater transparency about its intentions.

The shift in the Pentagon's tone appeared intended to ease tensions and encourage Beijing to be clearer about its military spending - a matter of great concern to Japan as well.

The U.S. Defense Department said in a report last month that while Beijing appeared focused on the Taiwan Strait as a potential flashpoint, it also appeared to be looking to project its growing military strength elsewhere.

Beijing regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and have threatened to attack the island if it moves too far toward formal independence.

Beijing has said it would increase defence spending by 17.8 per cent to about 45 billion dollars in 2007, but US intelligence officials say China's total real military-related spending for the year could be between billion and 125 billion dollars.

Downer also said Canberra was interested in exploring whether six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear arms programme could evolve into a broader, informal Northeast Asia security mechanism that included more countries.

''It's an idea that has been canvassed. It's an idea whose time may or may not come, but it's an idea that's worth flagging,'' he said. The six-party talks bring together the two Koreas, China, the United States, Russia and Japan.

REUTERS KN ND1636