US and China's verbal duel
Earlier this year, the US and China engaged in a duel of human rights reports. The US Department of State released a report on human rights in China, followed by China publishing its own report on human rights in the United States.
Now we have a semi-sequel. The US defence department has just released a report on ""[pdf link].
Among the 78-page report's conclusions...
"Over the past several years, China has begun a new phase of military development by beginning to articulate roles and missions for the PLA [People's Liberation Army] that go beyond China's immediate territorial interests, but has left unclear to the international community the purposes and objectives of the PLA's evolving doctrine and capabilities. Moreover, China continues to promulgate incomplete defense expenditure figures and engage in actions that appear inconsistent with its declaratory policies. The limited transparency in China's military and security affairs poses risks to stability by creating uncertainty and increasing the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculation."
China has delivered its response, which can be summarised in four words: mind your own business.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Qin Gang, told a briefing that the Pentagon's report was a "gross distortion of the facts and an interference into China's internal affairs... Stop making groundless accusations against China".
The verbal duelling between the two countries goes to the heart of a fundamental issue: how do two powers with global military ambitions co-exist?
In particular - following this month's - is there enough room for two military powers off the coast of China?
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