1.   Although deeply concerned by the Chinese missile tests near Taiwan, Japan and other countries in the region are carefully avoiding any strong criticism for fear of offending China.

2.   And any system protecting Taiwan would have to be crafted to neutralize those Chinese missiles.

3.   Bush played to this sentiment in a major campaign address on national defense in September by underscoring the need to counter the Chinese missile treat.

4.   But beyond that, this country must take steps to protect itself from a Chinese nuclear missile attack.

5.   But a classified Pentagon study concluded the review had helped Chinese missile capabilities and harmed American security, administration officials said.

6.   But Clinton was forced to slam the door because the Republicans were off on the Chinese missile technology spying caper.

7.   But would the Bush administration provide Taiwan, which faces a Chinese missile threat, with anti-missile systems?

8.   China is directly at issue in the question of defending Taiwan, which is threatened only by Chinese missiles.

9.   China is reported to have sold surface-to-surface missiles to Pakistan, while Iran and Syria have also reportedly received Chinese missile technology.

10.   CIA analysts warned a Senate committee Thursday that the same Chinese missile technology used to put satellites in space can also be used to deliver nuclear warheads.