One of the new weapons system that China is developing is a new fifth-generation jet fighter aircraft called the J-20. Photos and video of the aircraft have been surfacing over the last month and many of the photos are from what is thought to be a runway taxi test of the prototype. The Pentagon stated previously that it thought China was years away from putting the aircraft into production and getting it into the air.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates recently clarified the concerns in the U.S. over the J-20. He noted during a press conference that China "may be somewhat further ahead in the development of the aircraft than our intelligence had earlier predicted."

Gates also said, "They [China] clearly have the potential to put some of our capabilities at risk and we have to pay attention to them, we have to respond appropriately with our own programs."

Another of the weapon systems that has analysts in the U.S. worried is the Chinese missile system capable of taking out an aircraft carrier in one strike. Gates noted at the conference that China was "fairly far along" in the development of the missile system. Taiwan is responding to the increase in Chinese military might with increases in its own arsenal. 

Taiwan has purchased the Patriot PAC-2 air defense missile system and the systems are being upgraded to PAC-3. Taiwan has also installed early warning radar along the coast facing China and developed the Tien Kung 3 missile system that can intercept missiles and aircraft in the air.