Beijing ? China is raising global suspicion about its military intentions by failing to acknowledge the true size of recent increases in its defense spending, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said.

On his first trip to China as President Bush’s Pentagon chief, Rumsfeld is meeting with government officials and military leaders in advance of Bush’s planned visit next month.

In his first scheduled event of the three-day trip Rumsfeld lectured China on the lessons of democracy. He urged more political openness and cautioned against the fast pace and secretive nature of China’s military expansion.

Rumsfeld urged China to be more transparent about its military buildup and said history suggests that greater openness in the military and economic fields is eventually tied to openness in the political sphere.

In an interview with reporters Tuesday, Rumsfeld said the United States and other countries would like to know why the Chinese government has understated its defense spending.

He mentioned no figures, but the Pentagon said last summer that China may be spending $90 billion on defense this year – three times the announced total.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told reporters that China has published defense reports to elaborate on its policy objectives and defense expenditures.