US-China Relations - 161. page

“The U.S. is shifting the focus of the U.S.-China relationship from the economy to politics, the military and security,” according to a commentary by the China Review, citing the recent U.S.-Korea military exercises, Hilary’s statement and the appearance of the U.S. fleet in the Yellow Sea.

The commentary suggested that the shift was caused by the U.S. inability to have China change its currency exchange rate while China remains as the largest debt holder of the U.S. The recent actions taken by the U.S. in Asia were to take over its lost influence from China, increase its strategic pressure on China and limit China’s overseas expansion.

Source: China Review, August 25,2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/1/9/4/101419440.html?coluid=1&kindid=0&docid=101419440&mdate=0825001912

On August 21, 2010, China Review News published an article commenting on the one-week joint military exercises of the United States and Vietnam in the South China Sea that started on August 11.

According to the article, “the United States uses Vietnam to restrain China. Vietnam, on the other hand, relies on the U.S. to enhance its own position. Vietnam will regret this one day.” “China and the U.S. are highly dependent on each other economically. Even if the two countries have some strategic conflicts, the overall bilateral relations will not be affected. Vietnam is only a strategic chess piece the U.S. is using to return to Asia. Up to now, Vietnam still has not understood the whole situation. It will probably pay the price for its decision.”

Source: China Review News, August 21, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/1/5/5/101415524.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101415524&mdate=0821001000

Beijing reacted angrily Wednesday to a Pentagon report expressing worries about China’s burgeoning military capabilities, calling such concerns baseless.

“The report ignores the objective truth and accuses China for establishing its normal national defense and army,” said Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng. “The development of the Chinese army is reasonable and proper.”

This year’s annual Pentagon report on China’s military capabilities, delivered to Congress on Monday, outlined China’s moves to boost its military strength and warned that “the limited transparency in China’s military and security affairs enhances uncertainty and increases the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation.”

Source: Xinhua, August 18, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2010-08/18/c_12460035.htm

Huanqiu published an analysis of China’s advantages and disadvantages in a pro-U.S. Asian NATO environment. The U.S. does not have direct disputes over territorial and offshore interests with Asian countries. China’s rapid rise has caused distrust and uneasiness among its Asian neighbors. The U.S. has maintained several military bases and, coupled with its close economic ties and ability to deliver resources to critical regions, every corner in Asia feels the presence of the United States. Notwithstanding the above, China has its advantages. First, due to its close proximity, no one in Asia can afford the consequences of antagonizing China. Second, China’s rapid economic growth will bring more benefits to Asian countries than the U.S. Third, the issues and solutions in China are similar to its Asian neighbors, which leads to better political communication.

Source: Huanqiu, August 11, 2010
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Exclusive/2010-08/1007230.html

China Review News republished an article by China Youth Daily that analyzed the reasons for the U.S. showing off its aircraft carrier to China:

1. Mid-term Election Politics. As the election approaches, the Democrats are in a bad position due to a poor economic situation and a high unemployment rate. They are trying to change the focus to outside the U.S, and are therefore targeting China, the “frequent target for U.S. politics to attack.”
2. Strategic Anxiety over China. The recent issue of China’s “threat on the sea,” which the U.S. media “cooked up,” shows that the U.S. is anxious about China as China starts to build its sea power.
3. Using China to “Return to Asia.” U.S. strategists are using China as an excuse for them to stay or return to Asia. They did it successfully to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

Source: China Review News, August 16, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/1/5/1/101415194.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101415194&mdate=0816001022

China Review News recently published an analysis of the results of a search for the cause of the “issues” between China and the U.S. this year. The analysis identified an unusually high number of incidents that have happened since the beginning of the year, such as Google Leaving China, Arms Sales to Taiwan, the Dalai Lama Visiting the U.S., the RMB Exchange Rate, Intellectual Properties, and the South China Sea Conflict. The author of the analysis believes that the U.S. mid-term election has had a major impact on these events. He believes the events were triggered by U.S. politicians playing the “China Card” again to gain popularity, especially the Democrats, who are facing an uphill battle in the upcoming election. Senator Charles Schumer (D. NY) was used as an example, due to the fact that he has become a leading fundraiser by bashing China.

Source: China Review News, August 12, 2010
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1014/1/1/4/101411431.html?coluid=148&kindid=0&docid=101411431&mdate=0812003237

Xinhua republished an article from Huanqiu on August 12, 2010, saying that the United States Navy is worried about the reported “Aircraft Carrier Killer,” the Dongfeng-21D missile, made by China.

“Actually, the U.S. aircraft carrier ‘cruising around’ China makes the Chinese angry, but cannot frighten the Chinese. On the contrary, it is the U.S. media that, from time to time, worries about China’s ‘Aircraft Carrier Killer.’"

“Recently, a former U.S. Navy Commander in Chief Calasca (ed. Note: spelling is based on the Chinese pronunciation) described a hypothetical scenario in his article. In 5 years, a Dongfeng-21D missile armed with a penetrating warhead sinks the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, which then results in a “new era international order – the United States replaced by a risen China.”

Source: Huanqiu, August 12, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2010-08/12/c_12438087.htm

Huanqiu, China’s official newspaper, published an article commenting on the U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS George Washington, participating in the military exercises in the Yellow Sea on August 13, 2010.

“In recent years, the United States has repeatedly probed China’s strategic bottom line, attempted to limit China within the U.S. preset framework, and tried to block China’s progress by creating conflicts on the seas, supporting the separatists in China, and being provocative in trade and economics. This is considered to be the Pentagon’s regular strategy toward China. A growing China will definitely not tolerate this.”

“The biggest external obstacle to China’s rise is the United States. The Pentagon is making a big effort to activate the obstacle.”

Source: Huanqiu, August 13, 2010
http://mil.huanqiu.com/Exclusive/2010-08/1012159.html