Australia seeks to soothe China military friction

BEIJING, July 9 (Reuters) Australia's defence minister said today that his country sees China as a reliable partner and is not seeking to contain Beijing, days after Canberra said China's military build-up could upset regional security.

Speaking to People's Liberation Army officers in Beijing, Minister for Defence Brendan Nelson called China a ''regional partner'' whose help was needed to defuse North Korea's nuclear weapons plans, terrorism and other threats.

Nelson said Australia's recent strengthening of security ties with Japan, including cooperation with the United States on anti-missile technology, was not an effort to ''contain China's rise''.

''Let me assure you that nothing could be further from the truth,'' he said in prepared remarks issued to reporters.

Nelson was in Beijing to explain a defence strategy paper launched by Prime Minister John Howard on Thursday.

Australia, a close US ally, has regularly distanced itself from concerns in Washington that China's military and economic rise was likely to stir regional conflict. But the defence paper said China's military build-up ''could create misunderstandings and instability in the region''.

While noting ''potential for misunderstanding'', Nelson stressed hopes for greater security cooperation and transparency and pointed to North Korea as a ''key threat'' to Asian security.

''Australia and China share a vital interest in a stable global environment and regional order in which to pursue further economic development,'' Nelson said, noting cooperation in fighting terrorism and peacekeeping and a planned visit to Sydney by two Chinese naval ships in September.

China announced in March that it would boost defence spending by 17.8 per cent in 2007, spending 351 billion yuan (46 billion dollar) on the PLA.

Many Western analysts say Beijing's real defence spending is much higher, though it remains a fraction of US spending.

Nelson said greater candour by China about its defence plans could ''prevent misunderstandings and instability in the region''.

In a defence policy paper issued on Friday, Japan also voiced concern about lack of transparency on China's burgeoning military spending.

Beijing has not given a detailed reaction to the Australian paper. Asked about it at a regular briefing last week, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said: ''The Chinese government has repeatedly stated that China will be unwavering in taking the peaceful course of development.'' REUTERS SKB SSC1304