Congressional figures are now openly saying the real reason behind the United States' proposed missile defence shield is a perceived threat from China.

For several years the US has maintained that the shield is a response to unpredictable "rogue states" such as North Korea, Iraq and Iran.

But at a forum hosted by the Heritage Foundation think-tank in Washington on Wednesday, Mr Peter Brookes, the principal adviser to a Republican-dominated congressional committee on East Asian affairs, said the US was disingenuous in insisting that weak "rogue" states posed the primary threat to the US.

"The Clinton Administration fears mentioning the 'C' word: China," he said. "Washington should stop denying that there is a link between China's nuclear modernisation, conventional military build-up and proliferation practices and the requirement for ballistic missile defence."

The view concurs with China's angry charge that the $100 billion shield to shoot down missiles aimed for American shores is really directed at containing its burgeoning power in Asia.

Mr Brookes said the real issue was America's nuclear superiority in Asia, and China's future challenge of US dominance.

This is despite the overwhelming ballistic dominance of the US. It has thousands of warheads, compared to China's 20 long-range missiles capable of reaching the US.

"Washington must acknowledge the possibility of conflict with China, especially over the issue of Taiwan, or even North Korea, and plan accordingly to preserve and protect US national security interests and those of our friends and allies," Mr Brookes said.

"Parity or near nuclear parity with the People's Republic of China is not in the United States' interests."

The Republican view is significant because the party controls Congress, and its presidential candidate, Texas Governor Mr George W. Bush, has vowed an even more ambitious shield than that proposed by the Clinton Administration.

While the Administration has publicly tried to reassure Beijing the shield is not directed at China, the Republicans are beginning to disagree.

President Bill Clinton is due to decide soon whether to proceed with the shield.

Many of America's NATO allies, as well as Russia and China, are opposed to America endangering the nuclear balance through attempts to make itself invulnerable.

China fears the shield would neutralise its small nuclear force and extend protection over Taiwan, and says it would respond by increasing its own arsenal, sparking an Asian arms race.

Mr Brookes dismissed ally concerns, saying it was "not uncommon for new ideas to not be immediately embraced".

Mr Brookes, as well as Dr Richard Kessler, the Democrat staff director of the Senate subcommittee on international security and proliferation, said China had been modernising its arsenal for 15 years and would continue to do so whether or not the US went ahead with the shield.

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