On March 16, the Bush Administration released the new US national security strategy report, which coincided with the 3rd anniversary of the breakout of the war in Iraq. So what does this war imply for the United States in terms of national security strategy?

In September 2002, President George W Bush announced his first national security strategy report since he assumed the office. The report stressed three areas: cracking down on terrorists with preemptive means; expanding cooperation with large countries; and promoting prosperity and democracy worldwide. The new report does not make much change as far as these three aspects are concerned and there are no alterations at all to the section on preemptive strikes.

The new report again emphasizes two pillars. The first is "promoting freedom, justice, and human dignity"; The second is "confronting the challenges of our time by leading a growing community of democracies."

Nevertheless, two changes make the new report noteworthy. The report confirms that America "may face no greater challenge from a single country than from Iran." Iran has replaced Iraq to become the US' No.1 enemy. Second, the new report highlights cooperation with allies, putting more emphasis on multilateral channels in collective actions against terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and for so-called democracy worldwide. Of course the collective actions have to be under the leadership of the United States.

It is because of the second change that many experts believe the new report gives a fresh impression than those before it. The British Guardian cited a Clinton-era diplomat as saying it "declares the end of Mr. Bush's revolution". Its neo-conservative diplomatic policy would return to the Clintonism. In the future, the Bush Administration would rely more on cooperation and pay more attention to rebuilding the US image.

Through the two changes we can discern more clearly the readjustment of US policy on China and problems that might emerge in the future.

The 2002 report mentioned "China" 18 times while the new one mentioned 28 times - China's status has apparently been raised. The new report says if China keeps its commitment to reform and peaceful development, the US welcomes the emergence of a peaceful and prosperous China that cooperates with the US in addressing common challenges and safeguarding common interests. However, the new report also stresses the "uncertainty" of China, sharing similar tone with previous ones. The difference, though, is that the new report reiterates the "new concept" advanced by the Bush Administration last year, that China should be "a responsible stakeholder".

The report mentioned three concerns regarding China. First, it wants China to raise "transparency" of its military expenditure. Second, it says China has not been open enough in its way of seeking energy security around the world and market opening up. Third, it believes China supports resource-rich countries without regard to the "misrule" of those governments. Evidently, the three concerns are related to the abovementioned two changes and at the same time constitute issues most likely to emerge in the China-US relations in the near future.

The United States is the only superpower worldwide. Who is the US' arch rival? How does the US ensure its security? These issues will have great impact on global politics, economic pattern and other countries' bilateral relations with the US.

About three years ago, when the Bush Administration's first national security strategy report made debut, it exacerbated differences between the US and the rest of the world. Compared with the US' foreign policy right after the "9.11" incident, the new report, though still very much concerned about the so-called "axis of evil" and terrorism, seems to have less anger and show more reason.

The article written by Ding Gang, senior editor with People's Daily Overseas Edition, is carried on the front page of the newspaper on Mar.18 and translated by People's Daily Online