Pentagon chief Leon Panetta visit puts US 'pivot' in clearer shape
Visit by American defence chief Leon Panetta only highlighted China's fears of containment
When US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta told the ranks of People's Liberation Army troops at a crack army academy this week it would take to time to build trust between the two militaries, it was no exaggeration.
"Despite the distance … we have travelled over the past 40 years, it is clear that this journey is not yet complete, particularly for our two militaries," he told the Engineering Academy of the PLA Armoured Forces.
As Panetta left China after his first trip as Pentagon chief, it was clear to both sides that "this journey" would be a long road. While Panetta returns home with promises of deeper co-operation in a relationship that has traditionally fallen victim to the vagaries of Sino-US political tensions, strategic differences over Washington's so-called "pivot" are now sharper than ever.
For all the reassurances to China that it should not fear the US rebalance, but rather see it as an opportunity to deepen engagement over the region, there was no shortage of evidence the policy is rapidly gaining steam.
His three-day mission to Beijing was bookended by two acts, which show the pivot in action - and only highlight China's mounting fears of containment.
Firstly, just the day before he boarded the plane to Beijing, Panetta struck a deal with his Japanese counterpart Satoshi Morimoto to expand joint ballistic missile defences by building a second radar in southern Japan.
He was at pains to stress it was directed at North Korea, not China, but Chinese strategists are unlikely to buy that in the longer-term. Significantly, the move will free up US destroyers equipped with the Aegis battle computers to move out across East Asia - and possibly help expand defensive coverage of other friends and allies, particularly South Korea and Australia.