Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3020541/china-and-us-should-boost-military-understanding Comment
China and US should boost military understanding
- The nation may lag behind the United States, but that does not mean its capabilities can be ignored; doing so would risk unintended consequences
A PLA airforce J-10A fighter in training last year. In appealing for more reforms and greater investment, China’s defence white paper stressed the nation was still lagging far behind leading militaries. Photo: Xinhua
China’s defence white papers have not been renowned for shedding light on the nation’s military capabilities and ambitions.
Their focus has been on the need to modernise a military acknowledged as having outdated equipment and not being a match for rivals.
But the 10th and latest document titled “China’s national defence in the new era”, is striking for its detail and clarity, particularly towards the perceived threat posed by the United States.
There is an equally clear understanding, though, that there are risks to competition and the last five pages are devoted to improving regional cooperation, a point the administration of US President Donald Trump would do well to pay attention to.
Trump is, after all, the reason for the white paper having so sharp a focus.
It touches on most key points made by the latest reports by the US Defence Intelligence Agency and the defence secretary’s office, both of which called China and Russia strategic rivals.
There has since been a significant increase in American military spending with resources sought for cyber, nuclear, missile and outer space programmes, sparking concern of an arms race.
Beijing certainly needs to boost the nation’s military capabilities; China, with an economy that is the world’s second biggest and growing at a rate of 6.2 per cent despite the trade war with the US, has vast domestic and international interests to protect.
In appealing for more reforms and greater investment, the white paper stressed the nation was still lagging far behind leading militaries and called on the People’s Liberation Army to “adapt to the new landscape of strategic competition”.
Among the challenges highlighted were separatists in Tibet and Xinjiang and the threat from pro-independence forces in Taiwan.
Another sailing by a US warship through the Taiwan Strait prompted Beijing last Wednesday to accuse Washington of undermining global stability.
China may lag behind the US, but that does not mean its capabilities can be ignored.
Rivalry and competition bring the risk of misunderstanding and that has to be avoided. Dialogue and cooperation between the militaries have to be strengthened.