Strengthening of US and China Military Interaction Is Right on Time

Liang Guanglie, China’s defense secretary and a member of the state council, currently visiting Washington D.C., expressed that he hopes to build “a new kind of military relationship” with the U.S. during a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. This type of military relationship he has in mind would be “equal, cooperative and mutually beneficial.” Guanglie’s statement asking for the establishment of an equal relationship reflects China’s increasingly strong national defense capabilities, as well as the military confidence that has arisen from the change. Examined from another angle, this has positive significance for the establishment of more substantial Chinese-U.S. military relations.

The U.S.’s strategy has already tacitly acknowledged China’s sudden rise. Obviously, this doesn’t mean that the two superpowers will stop playing diplomatic games with each other. Although China and the U.S. are more economically interdependent with each passing day and political contacts are also becoming more and more frequent, military cooperation has always been a weak link in the two countries’ relations. This, admittedly, has to do with the inherent sensitivity of military domain, for example the two countries’ military relations are often influenced by U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. It also can’t be ruled out that China’s military stance is relatively conservative because its national power as a whole still lags relatively far behind the U.S.’s.

One of the main obstacles for Chinese-U.S. military cooperation is America’s arms sales to Taiwan. The last time – in 2010 -- that the U.S. sold arms to Taiwan, Beijing broke off Chinese-U.S. military interactions in retaliation. Any other time that there is a contradiction or nervousness in Chinese-U.S. relations, China will often reduce their military interaction as a way to demonstrate their dissatisfaction. On the other hand, America has taken the initiative in regard to Chinese-U.S. military interactions. This may be because China is stingy in revealing defense information and the U.S. hopes that using military interaction will allow them to better understand China’s military development and, especially, its strategic intentions. For Washington, being familiar with its continually strengthening opponent is in accordance with the “know yourself, know your enemy” principle of military strategy.

Military strength doesn’t exist in isolation. Behind America’s global dominance lies an open society, free public expression, robust technological innovation, a risk-taking corporate mentality, active corporations, etc …. Benefitting from an extended period of double digit growth in military expenditures, China’s military power has naturally seen a corresponding increase. Guanglie’s request that America respect China’s military position and treat China as an equal could possibly have been a signal that Beijing is changing its conservative stance. The confidence that China displays in its military affairs is beneficial for the establishment of a more stable defense relationship between the U.S. and China.

Guanglie’s most recent visit to the U.S. took place just as China and the Philippines began a confrontation in the waters surrounding Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Although both the Philippine minister of foreign affairs and its defense minister had previously visited the U.S. together in order to launch a security dialogue, China’s diplomatic position towards the Philippines is becoming more and more forceful. On May 7, the Chinese Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Fu Ying warned that China is already prepared to deal with any escalations in the situation. A government spokesperson further stated, “China doesn’t have a refined ‘turn the other cheek’ attitude .… If one’s had all one can stand, there’s no need to stand for more.” America had previously announced a “return to Asia” strategy, causing people in all circles to fear an increased risk of Chinese-U.S. conflict. Because of this, a timely increase in U.S.-China military interaction might put people at ease.

The recent group visit to the U.S. by several high ranking Chinese officers included not only the leaders of China’s navy, army, air force and the leader of the strategic nuclear warhead second artillery, but also the commanders of both the Shenyang military district in the northeast and the Xinjiang military district in the northwest. This means that in addition to discussing global issues, the two sides likely also had thorough exchanges over such concrete issues as the North Korean nuclear problem, central Asian security and the war in Afghanistan. The U.S. has arranged for Guanglie’s delegation to visit a few army, navy and air force bases that have been opened up to China for the first time, as well as the West Point Military Academy and Southern Command, emphasizing the importance given to this delegation by their host.

History has made it clear that many military conflicts were, in fact, the result of insufficient information, leading policy makers to misjudge their opponent’s intentions. If they had had a command of the situation’s facts beforehand, they would be able to prevent the guns from going off unexpectedly. In this way, the U.S. and the Soviet Union, the two superpowers involved in the nuclear arms confrontations of the Cold War era, established a hotline for their leaders to directly engage in dialogue, despite using agents to fight proxy wars across the globe, in the event that a situation might suddenly get out of control as the result of a misunderstanding. Increasing military interaction and enhancing understanding between the U.S. and China serves the same purpose.

The Asia-Pacific region is an important engine for development in the current global economy, so we need to guarantee that the region continues enjoying a peaceful and stable environment. U.S.-Chinese cooperation plays a crucial role in advancing peaceful development in the Asia-Pacific region. In the same way, military interaction can promote mutual trust and reduce disagreements. Panetta has already accepted an invitation to visit China during the second half of this year and the U.S. and Chinese militaries are planning to take joint anti-piracy actions. A more equal military relationship is in the interest of both countries and the region in general.