Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

People’s Liberation Army Navy honor guard lined up neatly. Reuters

[Editor's note]

scientist Robert Kaplan admits that U.S. strategy, the U.S. Navy’s long tradition of several centuries, far from the only 60-year-old Chinese Navy can match, the Chinese navy’s biggest weakness is the lack of effective practice of traditional navigation techniques and experience in the Navy. “Chinese people never like the Greeks, English, Venetian, as toward the ocean.”

If, over a hundred years ago in the Yellow Sea in Sino-Japanese naval battle, is China’s deadly neglect of sea power to punish . So, the current “Washington” provocative camel into the Yellow Sea aircraft carrier, it is the awakening of Chinese sea power in the sense of a mind humiliating slap in the face.

and 19th century American marine strategist Mahan at the same time China’s sea power ideology pioneer Yan Fu, worried about it, such as Kaplan put it, in the nation for thousands of years history, marine lackluster story. That is, 600 years ago, Zheng He’s voyages, and the Western countries for hundreds of years of unbroken history compared to the vast ocean, can only be short-lived.

then, the current Zheng of China on how to continue when the dream? Perhaps the opponent is the best teacher.

“International Herald Tribune” correspondent Liangjia Wen, YU Sheng-Nan from Beijing United States, “Washington” feint shot, the obstinate into the Yellow Sea.

think of 1994 when the U.S. aircraft carrier into the Yellow Sea, China may have a large number of fighters off guard, the submarine hidden in the sea, the shore-based missiles have to prove safety of the Yellow Sea area. Can expect, at the moment of the Yellow Sea will not be calm. Washington decision-makers sitting in the office, or Mahan to pursue the “Navy winning” theory, which promoted the Western “gunboat policy” and the impact so far.

current Chinese navy is constantly practice to work towards the dream of the blue water. Since the end of 2008, Chinese naval vessels have been continuously in the Indian Ocean on escort anti-piracy task. This year’s March to April, at least 19 ships pass through the “first island chain” into the Pacific Ocean. July 26, three Chinese naval fleet in the history of the South China Sea held the largest and most complex military exercises.

Air Force Colonel Dai Xu said, when his attention today, the Chinese navy tall mast, my mind is still shaking with Zheng He Fleet Sails. Zheng He’s fleet be? Hong Kong Baptist University history professor Zhou Jiarong answer than the current size of the U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups to be large.

However, maintenance of sea power block in China the biggest obstacle on the road, perhaps the current U.S. aircraft carrier battle group.

military strategy the United States at every step China Sea

5 18, U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a number of strategic experts with military backgrounds, release a China-specific research report – “Air Sea Battle – Battle of the concept of the starting point.” Report begins with reference to the China threat. Claimed that “the PLA is working to strengthen the anti-access capability, the U.S. military in the Western Pacific increased risk of delivery.”

A source in Washington to the “International Herald Tribune” said that one specifically for China’s “air and maritime war” theory, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been placed in the desk, and Gates has ordered the Navy to develop specific air “air and maritime war” concept, the Air Force Chief of Staff and Chief of Naval Operations has approved the this work.

If this new operational concept to be implemented in the military, then the recent “Washington” in the Chinese aircraft carrier battle groups repeated the waters surrounding the shuttle drill, and the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced fourth generation fighter F-Raptor 22 flew over the Korean peninsula, can be understood as the practice of this concept by the U.S. military’s efforts.

Washington game of chess has been laid out. An anonymous source told the newspaper the Chinese Navy, the United States have been in China’s Yellow Sea, South China Sea to play spoiler role, is an attempt to China’s maritime security in the Vital lay on the wedge. Chinese Naval Affairs who is familiar with the Japanese government think tank scholars that the Chinese navy to enter the ocean north and south a total of nine lines, of which six in Tsugaru, Osumi Strait and other Japanese two columns on the island or the area surrounding Japan, closely monitored by the United States and Japan the rest is through the Malacca Straits, three of the South China Sea.

obviously, August 8, “Washington” aircraft carrier battle groups near the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, joint exercises with Vietnam, Singapore, August 14 stops, and the Seventh Fleet flagship “Blue Ridge” August 4 visit to Manila, issued a warning to China are: the United States have the ability to blockade the South China Sea channel.

professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy Kaersaiye seems, because the U.S. military escalation of friction, China’s geopolitical situation in the oceans began to deteriorate. He told the newspaper, widely seen as China’s military has become more and more confident, they began to think that the strength of the United States weak. But in the United States, the United States can not allow that impression to the outside world continues to grow.

Thus, the U.S. needs to show strength. More sarcastic, Obama era U.S. military reach, its soft power diplomacy guide. The way to her wedding in the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were on visit to South Korea on July 21, 23, visited Vietnam after the U.S. and South Korea “indomitable will” large-scale military exercises, and exercises to follow and the United States and Vietnam to the sea.

diplomatic soft power, hard power with military support each other’s way, a comprehensive response to the rise of China’s sea, which is America’s new strategy. August 7, the U.S. has changed over the years the practice of ignoring Japanese invited to send Ambassador Ross was a high profile to participate in the atomic bombings of Hiroshima commemoration. In the United States under the influence of Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan has issued a statement, the Japanese colonial rule in Korea apologized. U.S. United States, Japan’s goal is to become the Triple Alliance, in order to create “Asian version of NATO” ready.

more difficult for China to break through to the ocean

China has used the U.S. war on terrorism of 10 years to achieve a leap in economic strength, military equipment upgrades, and successfully resolved In addition to all the neighboring countries of India, the land outside the boundary dispute. This to allow the Chinese look to invest in the ocean, to determine the next “building marine power,” maritime strategy, which create “active defensive ocean navy,” is to maintain an important sea power.

However, the direction of China to the ocean every step, are obviously staggered. Observers living in Singapore, said Professor Zheng Yongnian, China to the ocean, the only space through the South China Sea into the Indian Ocean, but if the U.S. actively involved in the South China Sea, China’s backyard will be on fire, the Chinese navy is going out, and may also face away the embarrassment of not come back.

China National Offshore direction on the road, not only face the risk of head with the U.S. military, but also encountered around “saliva ambush.” China has been shaped into “those who threaten regional stability” role, while the United States out of a play, “his help,” the Big Brother faces.

This makes China a very passive: on the one hand China is facing a strong military pressure imposed by the United States, on the other neighboring countries, taking advantage of the undercut. In the South China Sea issue, which is particularly prominent. South China Academy of Social Sciences researcher Li Guoqiang, experts told the newspaper, relying on U.S. involvement in South Vietnam in recent transactions in an attempt to contain China, to consolidate its vested interests in the South China Sea. “By the power outside the region involved in the South China Sea very dangerous, will lead the South China Sea more complicated, tension and conflict in the South China Sea region, it is a big country outside the region want to see.”

U.S. intervention on behalf of the South China Sea is to maintain high seas freedom of navigation, but China does not oppose the freedom of navigation on the high seas, that the United States in the end is based on what considerations? Australia Kaersaiye professor told the newspaper, the map of China, said the “Kau dotted line” ambiguous, if China has sovereignty over the South China Sea islands, then the majority of South China Sea will become China’s territorial waters, so China is likely to restrictions on foreign vessels in the past, this is the United States as a maritime power can not be accepted. “If the United States does not challenge China’s position on the South China Sea, then China could say they interpreted the South China Sea has been accepted.”

Hillary July 23 statement released by the South China Sea, is based on the above considerations, and not just is a simple “record straight.” Although the United States just a small test chopper, but it shook the South China Sea issue China has always adhered to the principle of bilateral negotiations. Kaerseye professor said that although the South American intervention will make the situation more complicated, but if they can promote the South China Sea talks between China and ASEAN mechanism to be solved, in line with the wishes of Southeast Asian countries.

but for China, it could mean the end of the principle of bilateral negotiations between the South China Sea. Outside observers believe that China’s response to the “China threat theory” to maintain “peaceful rise” of the international environment, increased the burden. China faces the sea for the passive situation, the United States the World Security Institute China Program Kongzhe Wen said that China’s problems lies not in the development of the Navy, but Navy’s international strategy is not clear, and obviously lagged behind the Chinese sea power and the interests of development.

even as strong as the United States, well aware of the grand strategy of sea power to take a “carrot and stick”, “pull and play with the” multiple means, the start was hard of China, but needs at every step, assess the situation, multi-logistics , multi-pronged approach.

to the United States a lesson for the U.S. division Yi Yi

the opponent is the best teacher. Coincidentally, the “Liberation Army Daily” published a commentary recently that China should not only see the United States and other military powers of the age difference between the technology, but also to see the concept in the era of cultural difference. It seems the BBC, the Chinese army shouted the slogan of the U.S. study.

aside ideological hegemony of the United States Marine, the U.S. Navy developed the idea of ??soft power and diplomacy as well as complementary way, China can learn from both places. 200 years ago, the newly independent United States in the “peace under British rule” era, the vast ocean cruising, and many British warships and merchant ships. The United States so as to expand the Pacific selected the direction of sea power, to recognize Britain’s sea power vested interest, to avoid the British edge.

current rising China, which faces major sea power and how to avoid the issue of conflict the United States? For a long time, China is pursuing the “Low” to a foreign policy to avoid direct confrontation with the United States, but with China’s economic strength, the expansion of overseas interests, China’s growing naval power, a large number of self-developed missile destroyers, frigates, submarines, etc. new weapons and equipment units, which caused extreme concern the United States.

Kaerseye professor of China’s sea power, advised the road. He told the newspaper that China must first determine that he is a land power or sea state. U.S. neighbors Canada and Mexico, all of the United States does not pose a military threat, while China has many continental neighbors, including Russia and India. If you decide to become a maritime nation, then you need to learn how to keep the Navy long-range combat capability, which requires strong logistics capabilities, if not overseas bases, we must have support of friendly countries overseas ports. In addition, China needs to give special consideration to countries with the United States and other sea power cooperation.

Chinese navy is a historical necessity to go out, not anyone can stop, she says. But the Chinese navy will select the “gunboat policy” will not expand indefinitely the power, the Chinese navy is intended only to protect their legitimate maritime interests to safeguard the security interests overseas. Chinese navy to send warships to the Gulf of Aden, off the Somali coast to escort, and other countries including the United States to safeguard the security of the world’s shipping, is that the Chinese navy blue peace to the template.