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Global Times: Nuclear Arms û the Ultimate Card If U.S. Provocation in the South China Sea Escalates

Global Times (Huanqiu), a major CCP mouthpiece under People’s Daily, published an article proposing that China accelerate its nuclear weapons development to ensure China’s deterrence power in countering U.S. involvement in the South China Sea. The article stated that the U.S. instigates neighboring countries in the South China Sea to make trouble for China in order to suppress China’s rise. It is not difficult for the U.S. to succeed to some degree due to its mighty power. All this has made China very uncomfortable. The article suggested that if it were merely a diplomatic fight, it would be manageable. However, China has to prepare for the worst case in a military fight. The article claimed that China will not just retreat in the face of U.S. aggression. China cannot beg the U.S. for mutual respect. It can only be achieved by increasing China’s strength, particularly its military strength. 

“To let the U.S. have some deep concern so it does not act in the South China Sea at will, the U.S. has to worry as much as China does about the consequences of a possible Sino-U.S. fight. [To have such an effect,] China’s strength must reach the following level: American vessels and planes can only come to the South China Sea as a tool of a show of diplomacy. When they really threaten the security of Chinese locations, the U.S.’s risk of being attacked will become a reality and urgent. So will the U.S. military bases in the Asia Pacific. Wherever China is being threatened, the U.S. should fall into its own deep fears of insecurity.” 
 The article advised, “China’s capabilities are clearly in continuous development. This process needs to be further accelerated. It should be noted that, if the United States and China’s relations come to the worst case, nuclear power is the ultimate card to play. Therefore, China must unswervingly grow its nuclear forces to ensure that it has a strong and reliable second nuclear strike capability."

Source: Huanqiu, March 18, 2016 
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2016-03/8728661.html