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New US defense policy challenges trust

By Li Lianxing, Ma Liyao and Tan Yingzi (China Daily)

10:12, January 07, 2012

WASHINGTON / BEIJING - US President Barack Obama's revamped national defense strategy may challenge mutual trust with China, experts said.

While promising to make the US armed forces smaller and leaner, Obama pledged to shift the country's military focus to the Asia-Pacific region.

The nation's military review says that US economic and security interests are "inextricably" connected with the area and the US military accordingly will "of necessity rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific region", including strengthening Asian allies and investing in the strategic partnership with India.

Though Washington recognizes that the United States and China share common interests and stakes in the region, it fears China's rise will affect its economy and security in many ways and it worries about the strategic intention of China's military buildup, according to the review.

The assertive moves by the US may cause potential military tensions between China and the US, said Yuan Peng, an expert of American studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

"China has repeatedly explained its defensive policy, but the US keeps pressuring China. This may irritate China and lead to negative reactions if the US continues to do so," Yuan said.

"However, we need to be clear that the draft of the plan, as a whole, is not China-centered, though it is somehow offending that the document puts China in a similar position with Iran," Yuan said.

In the 10 primary missions of the US armed forces listed in the draft of the plan, published on the US Department of Defense website, China was mentioned with Iran - a country labeled as a member of "the axis of evil" by former US president George W. Bush.

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（Editor：张茜）

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Huaren at 2012-01-08220.255.2.*: The US Defence policy aims to prepare for war with China. It will be stupid and irresponsible of the PLA not to be ready to be prepared to win this ínevitable" war. The USA does not plan to repay all the money borrowed from China. They will look for any excuse to start trouble leading to war. As westeners like to say "to be fore warned is to be fore armed". Show the world that we, Chinese have risen and not to be taken as "sick men of Asia" ever again.
PD User at 2012-01-08120.18.237.*: It is just incomprehensible if the US chose to treat China as a threat from enemy. The only plausible answer to that is the US deliberately chooses to go mad, is ready to have a smash-up and escape the debt. The US is deep in debt and relies on printing money to go by every day. It desperately tries to maintain its national credibility in the world community by hook or by crook. Shoring up military credentials is the easiest way to maintain credibility by coercing nations around the world. The US has printed too much money. Once the credibility is lost to creditors, all US dollar notes will go home like a flood and the land of the US will be carved up to compensate domestic creditors and international creditors. Working against China will be the deadly mistake the US can ever make. Given the atrocity the US has committed worldwide in the name of democracy and human rights in the past 30 years, there will be many nations who can’t wait to finish the exhaustive US after its confrontation with China. Mexico will be the first one to do that.
Sam Teng at 2012-01-08175.136.180.*: Washington fears China"s rise will affect its economy and security in many ways and it worries about the strategic intention of China"s military buildup, according to the review. Such is the mentality of Washington towards Beijing all along. They do not trust China and so why should China trust them? It has been far too often and far too long that China image had been smeared by the US and its Allies. Such tactics are to create fear among the countries around China. China should be 100% prepared for all eventualities. The Chinese people had been bullied and humiliated in the past and it is time the Chinese government with the help of all Chinese people of course, start to salvage some pride for the Chinese people. China do not need to be arrogant or aggressive, but it just need to be humble, firm and transparent in order to win the support of the neighboring countries.
Dennis Anner at 2012-01-0765.211.97.*: The world have changed the last 50 years. At one time The US had to shared its influence on the world stage with the Soviet Union, but now China is the emerging power in the world. Yes is true that China has its influence in the China sea but the worlds sea lane are free to anyone . We cant understimate Chinas rises to power and to its people but at the same time we cant undrstimate The American will to freedom and the human spirit. The Pacific Ocean will always be there .....but power is limited to whoever used in a bad way. Dont evaluated the fall of the Us as gift to China, both nation will need each other in the next 100 years or so.
helen at 2012-01-07203.82.92.*: US Global Tyranny is now 101% targeted and focused on China and the Chinese people. When China did not have the atomic bombs, China was not afraid of the United States. Such "Paper Tigers"!. What more now when China has increasingly more and more nuclear weapons and advanced missile delivery systems. The modernisation of the PLA, especially its 2nd Artillery Corps, inter alia, must now be even more expedited.Seize the Hour! Seize the Day!And on the economic front, the United States is now 101% bent on undermining and sabotaging China economic development and co-operation with other sovereign nations.Opportune time to take steps to dismount the "Riding the Weimar US$ Tiger" and diversify trade and business away from the United States. The new leadership in 2012 in China will have to remove all Qing type leadership display and get on with the job of further improving the welfare of the Chinese people and the rapid modernisation of the PLA. China will triumph over the vile and evil schemes of the United States!The Chinese People Have Stood Up!