WASHINGTON-U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) cited specific threats China posses to U.S. National Security in an hour-long speech delivered on the Senate floor yesterday. Senator Inhofe’s floor speech was an update to previous speeches he has delivered on this topic and is the first of what will be a series of presentations intended to focus attention on the gathering threat America faces in China. Throughout his speech, Senator Inhofe references specific areas of concern including but not limited to:

Throughout his speech, Senator Inhofe references specific areas of concern including but not limited to:

Eight Chinese companies, some of which are directly connected to the Chinese military, were sanctioned last January for selling weapons technology to countries including Iran.

­ Well-documented facts that China continues to modernize and expand its military capabilities to reduce any leverage the United States may have in a conflict situation, particularly over Taiwan. Such advances include China's overwhelming increase in military spending over the past decade and it's high priority on developing highly advanced technology, including nuclear warhead designs and technology that would enable them to reach thru Continental U.S.

­ The People's Republic of China's skyrocketing energy consumption and seemingly unquenchable thirst for world crude oil has fostered the development of cooperative relationships with Iran and other problematic states. These bilateral arrangements improperly influence Chinese action in the U.N., and in some cases may involve weapons transfers.

In the midst’s of China's alarming military expansion, the European Union has proposed lifting its sixteen year arms embargo put in place after the massacre in Tiananmen Square of 1989. Additionally, even with the current embargo, Europe's sales to China recently doubled this past year to half a billion dollars.

Despite Justice Department and Homeland Security concerns, China's Lenovo Group is taking over IBM's PC manufacturing business, based in North Carolina. The $1.75 billion deal creates the third largest PC maker in the world. The concern being that there is a potential for Chinese computer experts to use this as a base for espionage.

­ China's continues to repress religious and human rights, and intimidate our Asian allies while expanding their influence in areas like South America and Africa. The recent Taiwanese “anti-secession” bill passed in China is further evidence of this hegemonic outlook.

­ Apparent dual use of legitimate U.S. Exports once delivered in China being converted for military or surveillance applications. Also, according to the FBI, cases of Chinese espionage in the United States are increasing at thirty percent annually in some places.

Senator Inhofe references throughout his speech the annual reports of the bi-partisan U.S. -China Security Economic Review Commission established by Congress in 2000. The committee has been holding hearings and producing annual reports establishing how our relationship with China affects our economy, industrial base, China's military and weapons proliferation, and our influence in Asia.

Senator Inhofe urges all Americans to investigate on their own and read the reports of the U.S. -China Security Economic Review Commission, which can be accessed at: www.uscc.gov

The full text of Senator Inhofe's China speech may be accessed on his website: www.inhofe.senate.gov and clicking on the sidebar button marked floorspeeches. You may also access Senator Inhofe's previous China speeches from that location.

As mentioned above, this speech is the first in what will be a series of speeches outlining the threat China poses to U.S. National Security and the reports of the U.S. -China Security Economic Review Commission. At the conclusion of the series Senator Inhofe will introduce a resolution to formally adopt the Commission’s recommendations.