In recent times, the United States has frequently held military exercises in the Pacific, Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia and other regions, which makes people feel that a strong smell of gunpowder is permeating the areas surrounding China. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s speech on the South China Sea issue once again muddied the originally relatively calm “water waters.”
Every “move” taken by the United States has its “justifiable” reasons, but it is not difficult for anyone with a little strategic thinking to see that behind these “high-profile moves” is the strategic game between China and the United States.
Some people believe that the United States’ global strategic focus is shifting to China, and it is encircling China in a half-moon or full-moon strategic strategy. Some predict that China and the United States may “turn against each other” or even erupt in a military conflict.
How to see the essence of a problem through phenomena and how to correctly judge the direction of Sino-US relations is not only very important to China’s national security and development, but also has an important impact on regional and world peace, stability and prosperity.
The United States’ “short attack” is intended to reverse its strategic decline. The recent series of actions by the United States can be described as menacing, but through its high-profile display of military power, its inner strategic weakness can be seen.
Military exercises are normal military operations of the armies of various countries. It is not the first time that the US military has conducted military exercises alone or jointly with the armies of other countries. Why has this series of military exercises led by the US military attracted so much attention? There are two important reasons here. One is the motivation for the exercise, and the second is the location of the exercise. On the surface, the United States and South Korea claim that this joint military exercise in the Sea of Japan is a “strong signal” directed at North Korea, hoping that North Korea will not engage in “provocative behavior” similar to the “Cheonan” incident. In fact, the United States and South Korea have their own needs for this military exercise – South Korea wants to rely on the powerful military power of the United States to show an advantage or pressure on North Korea; the United States wants to use the opportunity of joint military exercises to express its support for North Korea. It also sends a signal to other countries in the region: the United States is still the most powerful country in the world and still has an unchallengeable military advantage in Northeast Asia and even in the entire Asia and Asia-Pacific region. There is also an element of sending a signal to China.
It will take some time to find out who was the perpetrator of the “Cheonan” incident, but judging from the current situation, the United States is already the biggest beneficiary. It successfully “captured Japan”, “tightened South Korea” and “embarrassed China”. The purpose of consolidating and strengthening its dominant position in Northeast Asia and taking advantage of the opportunity to seek geopolitical dividends is obvious.
The location of the military exercises between the United States and South Korea was initially said to be in the Yellow Sea, but later changed to the Sea of Japan. Now the U.S. Department of Defense has announced that the next round of U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises will be held in the Yellow Sea, and the “George Washington” aircraft carrier will participate in the exercises. The subtext is that the United States will never yield to any pressure. It will do whatever it wants and can do. It has principles, determination, and capabilities. But the high-profile posture cannot hide the inner lack of confidence. If you want to demonstrate against North Korea, facing a country that is weaker than the United States, has backward equipment, and has not had major military operations recently, does such “killing a chicken with a bull’s-eye” mean that you have the strength? If it is a demonstration against China, it is even more wrong! When in the history of New China did it succumb to external pressure? The military power of China and the United States has not never competed on the battlefield. Moreover, China is no longer the China of the past, and it cannot be frightened by anyone who wants to. Sending large-scale combat platforms, including aircraft carriers, to China’s doorstep to show off their power is not in line with the consensus reached by the two heads of state to work together to build a “positive, cooperative and comprehensive Sino-US relationship.” It hurts the sentiments of the Chinese people and is not conducive to the interests of the United States. fundamental interests.