Two weeks ago, I posted a blog that talked about our new national security paradigm, focused specifically on the “4+1 construct.” This new way of looking at threats to our nation focuses on “four contingencies and one condition.” China is one of those contingencies.
China’s economic rise over the last several decades has been breathtaking, and has lifted hundreds of millions out of poverty. But China’s newfound economic prosperity has also enabled that nation to build a highly capable military. China has strong regional ambitions and is using its military to achieve them.
One thing we should ask is this: Since the “4+1 construct” was announced in the fall of 2015, identifying China as a nation we needed to be concerned about and be prepared to deal with from a military perspective, how have things been going? Are our relations with China getting better or worse?
First, there are longstanding issues between the United States and China. Among the most prominent:
- China’s self-declared “Century of Humiliation” at the hands of the West
- China’s economic boom that is fueling a rapid military buildup
- A strong belief that the United States is trying to “encircle” China
- Regional ambitions that are enhanced and enabled by military capabilities
But in addition to these long-standing issues, since the fall of 2015, China is behaving in ways that worry the United States. Among the biggest issues:
- Chinas aggressive actions toward smaller neighbors, some of them U.S. allies
- China’s relentless military buildup on South China Sea islands, rocks and reefs
- China’s demonstrated intent to flout international law, ignoring the Hague ruling
- China’s deployment of a PLAN aircraft carrier to the South China Sea
- China’s strong, negative, reaction to SECDEF Mattis on the Senkaku Islands
- The recent seizure of U.S. UUV in international waters of the South China Sea
- The new administration has denounced China’s maritime bullying
Worrisome signs from a nation that will soon eclipse our economy. Stay tuned to this blog over the next several weeks to learn more about other threats to our national security.
