Beijing treats its policy of eventual reunification with Taiwan in almost orthodox religious terms. Last week's multibillion dollar US arms package for Taiwan, including submarines, was blasted officially. In Russia, official and independent experts alike are unhappy about the implications of a US missile shield. Most experts don't consider China's current nuclear capability threatening enough to require a missile shield deterrent. How quickly the Chinese plan to expand their nuclear arsenal is unclear.
Supporters say leadership requires making bold and controversial decisions.
The technology has advanced since the idea was first proposed under former President Ronald Reagan, and it's better to prepare now for a missile threat, than wait until it's too late, they say. Staff writer Ilene R. Prusher in Tokyo, and Fred Weir in Moscow, contributed to this report. The Monitor does not endorse the sites behind these links. We offer them for your additional research. The Christian Science Monitor.