THE Pentagon recently noted that China's expanding military capabilities were a “major factor” in altering military balances in East Asia. Since China's military weakness was displayed in 1995 during the Taiwan Strait crisis, it has been busily deploying hundreds of short-range missiles on the coast opposite Taiwan. It is also developing faster DF-21 (CSS-5) medium-range ballistic missiles, which would be harder for Taiwan's missile defences to deal with. And it is sprucing up its nuclear arsenal. Once, its strategic missiles could probably have been knocked out by America before launch. Now it is deploying six road-mobile, faster-launching intercontinental DF-31s. It is also believed to be developing DF-31As, which would reach any part of America, and submarine-carried (so more concealable) JL-2s.