Resolving Sino-U.S Naval Military Issues

Published in Chinanews
(China) on 28 August 2009
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Nicholas van Heyst. Edited by Robin Silberman.
The Sino-U.S. Naval Military Security Consultative Mechanism Special Conference was held in Beijing from August 26-27. China pointed out that there is a safety concern resulting from the U.S.'s frequent maritime surveillance and reconnaissance activities in China's exclusive economic zones, and that the only way in which this issue can be resolved is for the U.S. to reduce or put a halt to the activities of their naval reconnaissance in these areas. The U.S. indicated that they would like to use the Sino-U.S. Naval Military Security Consultative Mechanism as the principal tool to continue to discuss effective methods to resolve Sino-U.S. naval military issues. Both sides also agreed to use the mechanism as a means to conduct discussions and to incrementally resolve uncertainties. Today, China Central Television requested the expertise of specialists in Sino-U.S. naval military topics to help decipher what had taken place.

Why does the U.S. want to conduct naval and air reconnaissance activities in exclusive Chinese economic zones. How is it that they hope to benefit?

In response to this, Xu Guanyu, who is a well-known military expert and retired general from the People's Liberation Army, stated: “I believe that there are two aspects to resolving this issue. First of all, and very regrettably, Americans have a habit of practicing hegemony. Everyone knows Americans often say that the ocean belongs to the U.S., and so, they have a deeply rooted idea in their minds that, by the might of their nation, they will go where they want to go and they can do what they want to do. So this is the habit of practicing hegemony, and I believe that it is by no means a good habit for them to have. This is also a very important reason – they believe that whenever they feel like conducting exercises in China's South Sea, that that is exactly what they will do. They will not consider other factors. When I am not in your 12 territorial waters, I can act freely. Since the law governing international waters is a little bit ambiguous on the issue of exclusive economic zones, Americans often use this as a pretext to do things that they ought not do."

“The second problem, and a very important factor in the equation is that deeply in their psyche they have the point of view that China is an adversary. So even though at times they don't say it with their mouths, [but rather] say that China is not the enemy. The truth of the matter is that within the military there is a group of people who have this way of thinking. So, as soon as they see the way in which China has abruptly risen and grown strong, they will thereupon assume there is a Chinese threat, saying the Chinese military is not transparent, their military spending has expanded too rapidly, their naval strength has grown too fast and so on. And these types of reasons are behind their desire to conduct reconnaissance operations to gain a understanding of what is going on with the Chinese military, especially naval and air. So it is because of these two reasons that the U.S. does not consider the way that China feels on the issue and is not concerned that China's interests have been encroached upon when they do these things," he said.

Host: What kind of role will the Sino-U.S. Naval Military Security Consultative Mechanism play in the reduction or suspension of U.S. reconnaissance in our exclusive economic zones?
  
In response, Xu Guanyu said: “I think that China's position at this current consultation was fair and reasonable. I think that the U.S. should not be willing to take a big loss over such a small issue. What do I mean by this? Just that, it is not worth the effort to conduct naval and air reconnaissance – sonar or wireless reconnaissance – to get close to China's territorial waters, and extremely close to China's exclusive economic zones and operate in this airspace and these waters. After President Obama took office he expressed very clearly that he believes that at this time Sino-U.S. relations are the most important bilateral relations in the world. Since this is the case, more should be done to improve the relationship between China and the U.S.. And so, because of this surveillance reconnaissance activity, this naval military safety consultation was conducted in hopes of resolving this problem. Since the Americans showed up, it is testament to the fact that both sides have the desire to resolve the problems. I think this is a good thing – a good start. We start from a concrete position and establish a military mutual trust mechanism. There are many situations ascribed to the military mutual trust mechanism. We have done many things on both the Chinese and American sides; for instance, setting up a hot line, holding upper level visitations and interchange, etc. Also there have been many common simulation exercises (rescue simulation). Why not do more? So in my opinion, this meeting marks a very good start, a concrete beginning, to push forward the Sino-U.S. military mutual trust mechanism and improve Sino-U.S. relations.”


中新网8月28日电 8月26日至27日,中美海上军事安全磋商机制专门会议在北京举行。中方指出,美方在中国专属经济区海域及其上空频繁地海空侦察测量活动,是造成中美海空军事安全问题的根源。美方减少直至停止舰机侦察活动是解决中美海空军事安全问题的根本方法。美方则表示,愿通过中美海上军事安全磋商机制与中方继续探讨双方舰机安全的有效方法。双方也同意通过中美海上军事安全磋商机制继续对有关议题进行磋商,逐步来解决相关的问题。中央电视台今天请专家连线,对此次会议以及中美海上军事安全问题进行解读。

 美方在中国专属经济区海域和上空频繁地海空侦察测量活动,他们为什么要这么做?到底有什么样的利益?

  对此,著名军事专家、解放军退休将军徐光裕表示:我个人认为,可以从两个方面来解示这个问题,首先,非常遗憾,美国人有一种霸权主义的习惯。大家都知道,美国人经常声称,海洋是美国的,所以在他们的脑海里面根深蒂固的认为,作为美国这样一个强大的国家,他可以想到哪里就到哪里,想做什么就做什么。所以这是一种霸权习惯,我认为这个并不是一个好习惯。这是一个非常重要的原因,所以他认为需要在中国的南海采取一些行动的时候,他就采取行动了。他不会考虑到其它一些因素。反正我在你12海里的领海以外,我就可以自由行动。因为国际海洋法里面关于专属经济区的问题有一些模糊的地方,美国人往往利用了这个问题,来做他不应该做的事情。

  “第二个问题,很重要的原因是在他们的脑海里面根深蒂固的有一种观点,就是把中国当做对手。虽然有时候嘴上不说,说是中国不是敌人,有一些声音能够说这个问题,但实体上做为军方相当一部分人的观念里面有这个想法,所以当一看到中国崛起变得强大,于是乎就会所谓中国威胁论,中国军事不透明,军费增长过快,海上力量增长过快等等理由来摸底要了解要侦察中国军事方面的情况,特别是海上和空中。所以就这么两个原因造成美方不顾中国的一些感觉,中国的一些权益受到侵害而做的这些事情。”他说。

  主持人:中美海上军事安全磋商机制对于减少直至停止美军去侦察我们的经济专属区,它会有什么样的做用呢?

  对此,徐光裕说:我觉得这次的磋商,中方提出的观点是合情合理的,我认为美方不应该因小失大。什么意思呢?就是不要因为一个海上的一些空中的一些侦察,声纳也好,无线电侦察也好等等靠近中国领海非常近的距离上在中国的专属经济区的上空和海中做出这些活动,他得不偿失。因为奥巴马总统上台后已经说得非常清楚,他认为中美关系是当今世界上最重要的双边关系。既然如此,就应该多做有利于中美关系改善的一些事情。那么这次的海上的监测侦察活动我们做的安全防务的海上军事安全磋商这件事情就想要解决这个问题。既然美方也来了,证明双方都有这个意愿来解决这个问题,我想这是一件好的事情,好的开头。我们从具体的事情入手,来解决军事互信机制。军事互信机制的事情很多,我们在美方中美双方都已经做了很多事情,比如建立热线,高层互访,交流等等这些,还有共同的演习(救援的演习),已经做了很多。为什么不再多做一点呢?所以我的看法就是这次是一次很好的开头,就具体的事件入手,更好的推动中美的军事互信机制进一步改善中美的关系。
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