China offered to redeploy forces facing Taiwan: senator

(Reuters) - A senior U.S. senator said on Wednesday that Chinese leaders have offered to "redeploy back" at least some of their military forces opposite Taiwan in a move that could ease cross strait tensions.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65F4U720100616?type=politicsNews

But Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, who recently held talks with leaders in China, did not spell out what such a redeployment would entail and what types of troops or military assets could be involved.

"In my meeting with some of the leadership, it was mentioned that China had offered to redeploy back. Now I understand the word 'redeploy' isn't 'remove'. And I understand the nature of what's there and the number of troops," Feinstein told a Senate hearing.

She was responding to comments by Defense Secretary Robert Gates about what he called an "extraordinary Chinese deployment of all manner of cruise and ballistic missiles opposite Taiwan on the Chinese side of the strait."

(Reporting by Adam Entous; Editing by Jackie Frank)