[CasearianDaoist]

You realize that China has only a 1 trillion dollar economy don't you? What is interesting here is that the EU is not running a deficit with China. Could this be because China wants to buy EU arms? Let us not forget that a great deal of those high tech arms incorporate American R & D.

It is time to get tough with China and the EU. I will believe it when I see it.

[snowsislander]

You realize that China has only a 1 trillion dollar economy don't you?

Actually, China's international trade figures alone exceeded 1 trillion dollars in 2004:

China's exports rose 35.4% in 2004 from a year earlier to $593.4 billion, while imports climbed 36% to $561.4 billion, the ministry said, citing customs statistics.

I think that the generally accepted figure for Chinese GDP is more like 3-5 trillion dollars, depending on how you like to count things.

[SunkenCiv]

China will dangle that carrot of the "huge" Chinese market as incentive to get those European arms. But obviously, if China sells much more to the US than the US sells to China, there can't be that much of a market for EU goods.

There's only one reason for China to be accumulating arms, and that is for a war against either its neighbors -- such as sovereign Taiwan -- or against the US.

My view is, the US needs a working missile defense, and a new class of sub-hunting subs, perhaps self-guided, unmanned, stealthy, small robotic subs.