AFP: Cheney warns on China military build-up, NKorea deal

Cheney warns on China military build-up, NKorea deal

16 minutes ago

SYDNEY (AFP) - US Vice President Dick Cheney warned China Friday that its swift
military build-up worried the world and said Washington was not blindly trusting
North Korea to implement a landmark nuclear deal.

On the first full day of an official visit, Cheney also used a speech to a group of
prominent US and Australian citizens to assail unnamed critics who he said want
the allies to "turn our backs" on places like Afghanistan or Iraq.

In some of his most extensive remarks on the North Korean pact, Cheney praised
Beijing's help but said China's swift military build-up and recent anti-satellite test
clashed with its stated goal of being a peaceful power.

"The Chinese understand that a nuclear North Korea would be a threat to their own
security," he told the Australian-American Leadership Dialogue, but "other actions
by the Chinese government send a different message."

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