Sino-American Military Frictions

After the Taiwan-Strait crisis in 1995-1996, China accelerates to build up military forces; its air and navy forces have achieved remarkable expansion. Recently, the development of aircraft carriers, like the other significant military developments in China, once again attracts world’s attention, especially America’s vigilance. The potential threat posed by China’s military buildup can severely injure the U.S. interests in Asia-Pacific region.

 According to the U.S. Defense Department analysis, one of the significant goals of the PLA’s expansion is pursuing strategic interests beyond China’s territorial boundaries, to be specific, controlling the sea lanes to secure the access to oil and defending interests in South China Sea. Nowadays over 80 percent of China’s oil is transported from Africa and the Persian Gulf through sea lands. Thus, the sea lane which is from the South China Sea through the Strait Malacca, across India Ocean, to the Persian Gulf is a significant strategic interest to China. But the America’s naval activities in these seas which are also vital for American interests are challenging China.

China’s claims that it has the largest portion of territory in South China Sea - an area stretching hundreds of miles south and east from its most southerly province of Hainan lead to  hot dispute from Vietnam and the Philippines; these two countries also declare their sovereignty in South China Sea. China’s challenge in the South China Sea directly threatens America’s allies and freedom of the seas which is a non-negotiable interest of the United States. The U.S. is the world’s preeminent seafaring nation and half of global shipping and most of Northeast Asia’s energy supplies transit through South China Sea. At the same time, the America’s shared interests with Vietnam in safeguarding peace and security in the western Pacific and in balancing growing China’s regional clout are also challenged by China’s claims. Another crucial goal is to deter Taiwan from independence. China has deployed many advanced military systems towards Taiwan and had more than 1000 conventionally armed short-range ballistic missiles directly targeting Taiwan. According to an analysis conducted by AEI, China has already had the ability to complete an air war to Taiwan before the U.S. and Taiwan’s air forces fired a shot.

Territory of South China Sea that China claimed

The modernization and expansion of China’s military forces can weaken the U.S. and its allies’ defending capabilities. China has enough power projection to threaten the U.S. and allies’ defense deployment in the “first island chain” and “second island chain”. Besides, in terms of the strategic nuclear force, as Pentagon reported, China has improved its strategic missile force in quantity and quality which enhances China’s nuclear deterrence and strike ability.

China's Strategic "First Sea Chain" and "Second Sea Chain" to US

Based on the American interpretation of China’s military force buildup, the U.S. is trying to impede China from possessing military advantages in Asia-pacific region by developing the “Joint air-sea battle concept” which integrates all military domains to contain China’s military expansion. Moreover, the U.S. uses three “island chains”, from Japan to Diego Garcia, from Guam to Australia and from Hawaii to Alaska to weaken China’s nuclear projection.

America’s hard response and its "Back to Asia" actions alert China and influence China’s perspective of the current condition in Asia-Pacific region. In “National Defense White Paper 2010”, China explicated that the profound unfavorable modifications are taking forms in Asia-Pacific strategic landscape mainly due to America’s increasing reinforcement regional military alliances and involvement in Asia security affairs; considering its own interests, even though China is pursing to build mutual trust with the U.S, it will continue to build up the military force. Such concern will be the biggest barrier for building mutual trust. Two governments has been promoting senior level military dialogues and meetings between China and the United States and achieved progress on some degree, but America’s army sales to Taiwan and other uncertain elements in military communications set a lot of challenges for both countries.

Even though Chinese military build-up could be a friction for Sino-American relationship, due to economic interdependency, the suspicion or conflicts on military area will not become hot wars or serious confrontations. They would try to deal with disputes through mutually respectful dialogue and cooperation as what they are doing now.