MAC SOUNDS ALARM OVER PROGRESS IN U.S.-CHINA MILITARY EXCHANGES
ROC Central News Agency
2006-06-22 20:10:07
Taipei, June 22 (CNA) A recent U.S. invitation for China to observe its military drill in Guam may have an adverse impact on Taiwan-U.S. military exchanges in the long-term, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) warned Thursday.
The Cabinet-level mainland policy planner was referring to an invitation extended to China by U.S. Pacific Commander Adm. William Fallon to send officers to observe the June 17-19 U.S. military exercise, codenamed "Operation Brave Shield." To the surprise of some pundits, Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan accepted the invitation.
In its June report on the latest developments in China, the MAC said the engagement has not only ushered in a new round of U.S.-China strategic race in the Asia-Pacific but has also created room for China to impact U.S.-Taiwan military exchanges.
The event was also seen by major international news media as the most positive sign of improvement in U.S.-China military relations since the spy planes standoff over the South China Sea in 2001, the MAC report said.
According to the report, the U.S. invitation had at least three strategic purposes -- expanding bilateral military exchanges, hoping to secure a subsequent invitation from China to observe Chinese military exercises and gauging each other's military strength through the exchanges.
Most China watchers analyzed the U.S. invitation from the perspective of strategic competition between Beijing and Washington. Superficially, they said, the United States looked forward to avoiding conflict with China by enhancing mutual trust through military exchanges.
In reality, they said, the United States intended to get a direct look at China's military prowess and strategic goals, which they said may contribute to the U.S. evaluation of its East Asia military restructuring plan and its global strategic goals.
While the U.S. motives were understandable, the MAC report said, China's acceptance of the U.S. invitation came as a surprise. Beijing was fully aware the United States is unlikely to aid China in its military modernization drive. What the U.S. is concerned about is the "management" rather than "cooperation" of their security relations, the report said.
According to the MAC's analysis, the most important reason behind China's consent to the U.S. invitation lies in its hope that the United States will eventually cease military engagements with Taiwan, including sales of advanced weapons.
In the past, the report said, the United States has adopted a "parallel" strategy in dealing with military exchanges with Taiwan and China. Increased U.S.-China military exchanges might allow China to tilt the balance, enabling China to have a hand in "manipulating" Taiwan-U.S. military relations, the report said.
By all accounts, the report said, the U.S.-China "date" at the Guam exercise marked an important milestone in their bilateral military relations, which is worthy of Taiwan's attention and that of other neighboring countries.
Meanwhile, Yang Chih-heng, a Tamkang University associate professor, said the presence of Chinese military officers aboard a U.S. warship to observe a military drill indeed marked a significant breakthrough in U.S.-China ties.
Noting the main purpose of the U.S. invitation was to forge mutual trust, Yang said he believes that such a move has an even deeper strategic implication by inspiring their respective political leaders to improve bilateral military relations.
With the United States deploying its strategic missiles, submarines and bombers in Guam to reinforce its traditional security cooperation with Japan, with China as their "hypothetical enemy, " Yang said China has gained a rare opportunity to observe the latest U.S. military deployment in Guam by accepting the invitation.
Moreover, Yang said, China can also take advantage of the event as a form of goodwill gesture to East Asian countries in an effort to undermine the legitimacy of including the Taiwan Strait situation into the strategic goals of U.S.-Japan defense cooperation.
(By Sofia Wu)
enditem/diG
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
