The U.S. "Military Report" Highlighting the South China Sea Harbors Evil Intentions

The U.S. Department of Defense published its 2011 “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China” report. The main point worth mentioning in the report, besides the fact that it continues to support the theory that the Chinese military is a threat, is that it specifically emphasizes China’s naval strategy, making it a “special topic” and claiming that China’s military has a great influence on the situation in the South China Sea. However, China has indisputable sovereignty over the surrounding waters and islands in the South China Sea. The U.S.’s “military report” exposes the U.S.’s intentions of intervening in the South China Sea situation. America is using this South China Sea problem to contain China, which causes problems in the areas around China; this will only complicate matters. In light of the fact that a few countries in the South China Sea are “playing with fire,” the U.S. should not “get involved.”

Since 2010, the U.S. has been intervening and expanding its involvement in the South China Sea problem. First, once the South China Sea problem reached the “America’s interest at stake” level, the U.S. used this as an excuse to intervene. Second, it has been strongly involved in resolving the situation; it has supported the process of multilateral consultations and transparency. The U.S. is attempting to make the bilateral South China Sea problem into a multilateral international problem. Third, it has openly and strongly tried to deter China by repeatedly stressing that it is “opposed to any country using or threatening to use weapons; and is opposed to any country harming U.S. commercial interests in the South China Sea.” This is clearly directed at China.

This year’s U.S. report on China’s military strength highlights the South China Sea; it points out China’s desire to improve naval capabilities, talks about China launching its first aircraft carrier and states that China “will play a bigger role in protecting a wide range of interests.” On Wednesday, Aug. 24, at the Pentagon press conference, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia Michael Schieffer said that “the pace and scope of China's sustained military investment have allowed China to pursue capabilities that we believe are potentially destabilizing to regional military balances, increase the risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation and may contribute to regional tensions and anxieties."

However, China’s coastline is more than 18,000 km long. It includes more than 6,500 islands and more than 3,000,000 sq. km of maritime exclusive economic zones; these all require China to have sufficient naval capabilities to defend them. Without an aircraft carrier as a platform for mobile operations, China is unable to effectively defend its territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests. Researching modern aircraft carriers and protecting territorial integrity and sovereignty are merely ways for China to consolidate its national defenses; these are necessary requirements for maintaining its own development. Moreover, China’s construction of an aircraft carrier is for defensive purposes. It converted the Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, making the defensive and deterrent features more prominent.

The five permanent countries on the UN Security Council, China, the U.S., Russia, the UK and France, all have aircraft carriers. The U.S. currently has as many as 12, which is more active aircraft carriers than the other ountries combined. In 2010, the U.S. spent close to $700 billion on the military, accounting for 40 percent of the total global military expenditure. However, China currently only has one aircraft carrier; it is not nearly enough for China to protect its sovereignty over territorial waters and maritime rights and interests. The U.S.’s military report has irresponsible remarks regarding China’s only aircraft carrier and its maritime aspirations. This is a typical example of a double standard.