China's Treatment of the US Cannot Be Limited to 'Scolding'

Published in Huanqiu
(China) on 17 May 2014
by Kang Lin (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Nathan Hsu. Edited by Tess Chadwick.
Not long ago, two Chinese fishing vessels operating near the Spratly Islands' Half Moon Shoal were intercepted by the Philippine National Police, with one boat and 11 fishermen arrested and taken to Puerto Princesa in the Philippines' southern province of Palawan. In the space of a moment, ominous waves rose once more in the South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China, and many Chinese of every walk of life have focused their anger directly upon the man behind the curtain: the United States

China has long been critical of the U.S. regarding the contested region. Beginning in 1995 with the Meiji Reef incident and continuing to Hillary Clinton's 2009 speech in Hanoi, the U.S. has completed a full about-face from its former stance of not holding any position on issues of sovereignty and is now openly stepping into the South China Sea dispute. With a series of strategic moves including the "return to" and "rebalance of" Asia, the U.S. has been widely seen as reenacting a "siege" of China.

And as far as China is concerned, if the Philippines and other nations involved in disputes do not constitute a true threat due to a lack of sufficient combined might, and as such become no more than nuisances, then it is fair to say that the U.S., as the strongest nation in the world today, is hiding deeper problems.

The opprobrium surrounding U.S. involvement in the South China Sea dispute is primarily manifested within three distinct facets of the issue. First is the overt and traditional battle for security. Obama stayed only two days in the Philippines but brought what will be a decade-long Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with him. The action is very likely to set off a new round in the arms race in the South China Sea, with the implied targeting of China going unspoken, yet being abundantly clear. Second is the under-the-table, nontraditional battle for security. U.S. support and encouragement from behind the scenes cannot be overlooked as a factor prompting the Philippines to unilaterally submit its case for arbitration. Third is the more nebulous battle for leadership. From the formulation of codes of conduct to the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks, the U.S. is vying against China for the authority to lead in the political and economic arenas.

Indeed, there are many distasteful features of the U.S., but the censure of it is easily overstated at times, even to the point of exaggeration, leading many people to only focus on the negative aspects of the U.S. and ignore its potential for good. In fact, the U.S. can play a positive role in the South China Sea affair. First, the U.S. can act as a "guardian" of sorts. Whether it is the Philippines to the south or Japan to the east, they are both the "wards" of the U.S. to some extent. And as the prospective paterfamilias, the U.S. has the authority to "instruct" their behavior.

Next, the U.S. can play the part of peacemaker. As the sole remaining superpower and with the appellation of "world police," as long as it can maintain an objective and just stance, there is none better suited to the position. Finally, the U.S. can still serve as a proverbial punching bag when needed. China can chastise the U.S. for its favoritism while the Philippines and Japan, in a similar vein, can reproach the U.S. as a disappointment. Let the U.S. wallow a bit longer in these muddy waters until it is rendered completely ineffectual on all fronts, becoming a ripe target for everyone's frustrations — is this not ideal?

Perhaps today the U.S. and China still cannot be counted as true friends. However, an inability to become friends does not necessitate becoming enemies. In the ratings scale that China uses to evaluate the U.S., there exist more than the two options of "full marks" and "not making the cut." The daily barrage of criticism and mudslinging toward the U.S. is no help to the establishment of a new type of great power relations but will rather likely stir up nationalist sentiment within China.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has previously stated that the Pacific is vast enough to accommodate both U.S. and Chinese development. The two powers both living under the same Pacific roof, so to speak, is in itself a sort of shared destiny. Perhaps the U.S. and China both need to change their thoughts and views on the other and calmly sit down for an old-fashioned heart-to-heart.

The author works for the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.


近日,两艘在南沙半月礁附近海域作业的中国渔船遭到菲律宾海警的拦截,其中一艘渔船和11名渔民更是被抓扣拖拽至菲南部巴拉望省普林塞萨港市。一时之间,中菲南中国海之争再起波澜,而中国各路人马更是将枪口直接指向事件的幕后大佬——美国。

  在南中国海问题上,中国对美国的批评由来已久。以1995年美济礁事件为起点,至2009年希拉莉河内讲话,美国一改往日在主权问题上不持立场的态度,转而高调介入南中国海争端。随着“重返亚太”、“亚太再平衡”等一系列战略举措的实施,美国被广泛公认正在上演“围堵”中国的好戏。对于中国而言,如果说菲律宾等争端国因实力不济难以构成真正威胁,顶多只能算是癣疥之疾的话,那坐拥当今全球最强国力的美国就绝对称得上是心腹之患。

  对美国介入南中国海争端的批评主要体现在三个方面。其一是“明”的传统安全战。奥巴马在菲律宾仅仅呆了两天,却带去了长达十年的《加强国防合作协议》,此举极有可能引爆新一轮南中国海军备竞赛,针对中国的意味更是不言而喻。其二是“暗”的非传统安全战。菲律宾单方面提交南中国海仲裁案,来自美国的幕后支持和怂恿可谓“功不可没”。其三是“或明或暗”的规则主导战。从合格证书(COC)的制定到跨太平洋伙伴关系协定(TPP)的谈判,美国正在亚太的政治、经济等各个领域与中国争夺主导权。

  诚然,美国固然有许多“可恶之处”,然而,对它的批评有时也难免过头,甚至有些夸大,这就导致人们往往只看到美国的“负能量”,而忽视了美国潜在的“正能量”。实际上,美国在南中国海事务中是可以发挥积极作用的。首先,美国可以行使“监护人”的作用。无论是南中国海的菲律宾,还是东海的日本,他们都在某种程度上属于美国的看管对象,作为“准家长”的美国,有权对他们的所作所为进行“管教”。

  其次,美国还可以发挥“和事佬”的作用。作为唯一的“超级大国”和公认的“世界警察”,只要能够秉持客观公正的态度,没有谁比它更加适合这个角色了。最后,美国还能承担“出气筒”的作用。中国可以因为美国的偏袒而批评它,菲律宾、日本同样也有可能因为美国的“不给力”而埋怨它。让美国多搅一搅这些浑水,落得个出力不讨好的下场,成为各方发泄情绪与不满的对象,这不也挺好的吗!

  也许时至今日,中美两国还算不上真正意义上的朋友,然而,做不成朋友也不必然非要成为敌人。在中国给美国的评分标准中,也不是只有“满分”和“不及格”这两个选项。日复一日的对美国口诛笔伐,将所有“屎盆子”都一股脑扣在美国头上,这种做法无益于中美新型大国关系构建,更有可能引发国内民族主义情绪。

  中国国家主席习近平曾说,太平洋足够宽广,容得下中美两个大国共同发展。作为同在一个太平洋屋檐下的两个大国,这本身就是一种“缘分”。或许,中美两国都需要换个思维看待对方,心平气和地坐下来好好谈一谈了!(作者任职于中国南海研究院)
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