Resumed Sino-U.S. Military Ties Are a Good Thing

China and the U.S. have decided to reestablish military ties that were severed earlier this year. Defense ministers of both countries will meet on the sidelines of the inaugural ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) to be held in Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, beginning Oct. 12, 2010.

Military ties between the two countries have a long history. According to the Chinese academic Yang Kai’s analysis, since the establishment of Sino-U.S. relations in 1979, military ties between the two can be divided into three stages: 1) the “honeymoon” in the 1980s — facing the threat of the Soviet Union together; 2) the “rollercoaster” period (after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990) — the U.S. viewing China as a “competitor,” with security interests no longer tied together; and 3) the “critical” period into the 21st century — both countries having shared security interests in the Asia-Pacific region (maintaining regional peace and preventing regional military conflict have become key concerns of both countries).

Looking back at the 30 years of Sino-U.S. relations, it is not hard to realize that the relationship has not been smooth-sailing, but is rather erratic. Over this course, the U.S. has voluntarily severed ties; for example, when President George H. W. Bush announced sanctions against China on June 5, 1989, Defense Secretary Richard Cheney immediately suspended a previously planned visit to the U.S. by Chinese Navy Commander Zhang Lianzhong and then-Defense Minister Qin Jiwei. Military ties were suspended for five years, and communication only resumed between the military leadership with the mutual visits of the PLA’s Deputy Chief of Staff Xu Huizi and U.S. Defense Secretary William James Perry in 1994.

The most recent interruption to Sino-U.S. military ties was initiated by the Chinese. In January of this year, the Obama administration announced in Congress that the U.S. will be selling $64 billion worth of military equipment to Taiwan. This touched the core interests of China negatively, and China thus halted mutual military visits, citing “inconvenient timing” in rejecting U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ visit to China, leading to the suspension of military ties for almost 10 months.

Regretfully, during the suspension of military ties, several events in the Asia-Pacific region led to further tensions between the two countries. After the Cheonan sinking, the U.S. and South Korea announced a joint-military exercise in the Yellow Sea. Though this decision was made against North Korea, the military exercises were located close to Chinese waters. Hence, the PLA held artillery drills in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) in response, leading to escalated military tensions.

Also during this period, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that territorial disputes in the South China Sea are tied to U.S. national interests, triggering a diplomatic incident. Later, Japan detained Chinese trawler captain Zhan Qixiong, who was fishing in the waters of Diaoyu Islands (Senkaku Islands to the Japanese), an area of territorial dispute. Clinton, in a meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara on Sept. 23, explicitly pointed out that the Senkaku Islands fall under the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty.

It is not hard to deduce that if China and the U.S. continue along this state of rising tensions and not think of solutions, relations are bound to deteriorate. This is not only disadvantageous to China, who urgently needs a peaceful and stable diplomatic environment to continue economic development, but is surely viewed undesirably by the U.S.

Speaking at The Nixon Center in Washington in late July, Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg articulated that the lack of permanent Sino-U.S. military ties in the face of escalating tensions in Asia is the main challenge faced by both countries. He also said that ongoing disputes, along with the difference in opinions regarding the issue of free navigation in the South China Sea, meant that both parties necessarily have to embark on sustained and deep military talks.

The visit by National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon and Director of the National Economic Council Lawrence H. Summers to China in early September was viewed as a sign of reconciliation between the two countries. At the same time, the American media reported that the Pentagon was actively promoting dialogue with China, hoping to rejuvenate Sino-U.S. military ties.

China’s Ministry of Defense announced the day before that Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and the U.S. defense secretary will meet on the sidelines of the upcoming ADMM, clearly a positive response to the U.S.’ desire to restore Sino-U.S. military ties. Hopefully, substantive military cooperation that is advantageous to both countries and to regional or even global peace will develop, contrary to one camp of public opinion which believes that the upcoming meeting serves only to construct a favorable atmosphere for Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to the U.S. early next year.

The Soviet Union as a common enemy no longer exists. While terrorism and extremism are critical to global security, they are insufficient to unite China and the U.S. against an external threat. Thus, in developing long-term and stable Sino-U.S. military ties, the starting point can only be the consolidation and development of shared security interests. The Chinese “harmonious world” concept and the American “responsible stakeholder” or “G2” (translated in Chinese as “Sino-U.S. joint rule”) approach could, after reaching a consensus through discussion, become guiding principles in improving Sino-U.S. relations, including military ties.