US, not China, stands at strategic crossroads

[Solve_et_Coagula]

US, not China, stands at strategic crossroads: report

The United States, instead of China, seems to be the one standing at strategic crossroads, the China Daily reported Wednesday.

An article of the newspaper's "viewfinder" stated that recently the United States has been trying to strategically position China in a variety of ways, with new words and new concepts popping up frequently.

"In the Pentagon's view, China is at a 'strategic crossroads', a saying which first appeared in the 2005 China Military Power Report and repeated in the recently released 2006 Quadrennial Defence Review," the article said.

The new report said China has "the greatest potential to compete militarily with the United States and field disruptive military technologies that could, over time, offset U.S. military advantages absent U.S. counter strategies".

"The speedup of China's military modernization has its own logic, which is completely reasonable," explained the article.

"It is a necessary step for a major power in a new phase of development, just like the United States did at the end of the 19th century and the beginning the the 20th century when it invested heavily in its naval power. It is also an act of preparedness in response to the escalating trends of 'Taiwan independence',"

"At the same time, it reflects a readjustment in military concept and strategic thinking that takes into account new military dynamics in post-Cold War world and regional trends," the article said.

"Compared this year's report with the previous two versions, one can see the United States is increasing its strategic vigilance towards China," noted the article.

"It is also revealing its strategic preparedness from its previously thinly veiled stance. In the 1997 report, China was to be a 'potential strategic competitor' with comparable clout, but was grouped with Russia,"

"China's move is not only honorable, but, in terms of speed or scale, not ahead of regional powers like Japan or India. Its gap with US military technologies is even widening," the article said.

The article also introduced China's foreign policy, saying the policy of "peace, development and co-operation" and regional policy geared to 'maintaining peace and friendship with its neighbors and helping them prosper' are gaining increasing support.

"Its Taiwan policy of 'peaceful reunification' and 'one country, two systems' is showing more signs of peace and reconciliation, bringing its relations with the island back to the track of stability," said the article.

China is active in co-operation with the United States, the article added, saying China's co-operation with the United States on a wide range of issues, from anti-terrorism, Korean Peninsula nuclear issue to non-traditional security, demonstrates China's continued rationality, pragmatism and commitment in its "constructive co-operation" with the United States.

On the contrary, the United States seems to be the one standing at strategic crossroads, the article considered. "Its foreign strategies are wavering between full-brunt anti-terrorism and challenges among big powers, between handling traditional and non-traditional threats," said the article.

"It all indicates an anxiety on the part of the United States that borders on illusionary. And paradoxically, the anxiety was caused by a state of uncertainty because it finds itself at 'crossroads'."

Source: Xinhua

http://english.people.com.cn/200602/08/eng20060208_241074.html