The following editorial from Charleston's The Post and Courier sums up the growing military threat posed by a rising China.
Naval challenge from China
Monday, June 14, 2010
Frank exchanges between Chinese and American defense officials in recent weeks may signal a long-term, rising threat to freedom of navigation in waters off the Chinese coast and to the security of Taiwan. If so, the United States should rethink its plans for downsizing the Navy as well as its East Asia policy.
Reconsideration of the plans for an ever-shrinking Navy may have already started. Last week, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo., urged the Navy to slow its retirement of older ships and speed shipbuilding.
At 276 active ships, the Navy is smaller than at any time since before World War I. China, in contrast, has continued to expand its military.
Also last week, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was "genuinely concerned" about China's growing "expeditionary maritime and air capabilities."
And China's growing assertiveness drew a rebuke from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, speaking at a meeting in Singapore.
The "South China Sea is an area of growing concern," he said. "We ... oppose the use of force and actions that hinder freedom of navigation. We object to any effort to intimidate U.S. corporations or those of any nation engaged in legitimate economic activity."
The Chinese side has been equally blunt. The Washington Post reports that in a May 24 meeting with U.S. officials in Beijing, Chinese Rear Adm. Guan Youfei accused the United States of viewing his nation as an enemy. He singled out President Obama's recent decision to sell more arms to Taiwan for particular abuse.
In 1994 and 2001, China tested U.S. resolve to defend Taiwan. This time, so far, it has broken off U.S.-Chinese direct military talks and issued strong objections. But a more determined test may come. China sees the military balance tilting in its favor.
The Post reports that the president of a think tank run by the Chinese military, Cui Liru, recently warned, "For years, China has opposed arms sales to Taiwan among other things, but we were never strong enough to do anything about it. But our national strength has grown. And it is time that the United States pay attention."
China also has made claims to ocean resources and islands in the South China and East China seas.
If the United States wants to defend its interests and avoid an open fight with China, we had better start paying attention to the balance of military power.
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2010/jun/14/naval-challenge-from-china/
