Military ties improving, but close links unlikely, say analysts
Warming military ties between Beijing and Washington were highlighted by the visit by the commander of the US Pacific forces, but mistrust and fundamental differences over Taiwan will keep closer co-operation at bay, say analysts.
Ni Lexiong , a military expert from the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law, said that while Admiral William Fallon's visit could be seen as part of bilateral attempts to maintain peace, it also indicated both sides were trying to gauge each other's actual military strength.
Professor Ni noted that Beijing had agreed with a US proposal to conduct more military exchanges, which underlined the importance of Sino-US ties in China's diplomatic map.
Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan told Admiral Fallon at the start of his second China trip in nine months last Tuesday that Beijing wanted to 'step up military exchanges at all levels'.
But Professor Ni said: 'Compared with the US, China is less inclined to conduct frequent exchanges with the US due to its disadvantages, especially in military technology.
'The US is more interested in showing off its military might to Chinese military personnel, which former chief of the US Pacific Command Admiral Dennis Blair once stated was done in the hope that China would be scared away and thus reduce the possibility of a final showdown.'
Professor Ni said that even if exchanges became increasingly regular, Beijing's reluctance meant the two countries would not have full-fledged military co-operation.
Andrei Chang, a Hong Kong-based specialist in Chinese military affairs, said the visit showed both countries believed in the dialogue and containment policy, designed to prevent misunderstandings.
'China has learned to demonstrate its military strength to the US, which shows Beijing's confidence and determination while deterring a potential rival,' he said.
He said the new round of Sino-US military exchanges also highlighted the common goal of controlling Taiwan's independence-minded leader, Chen Shui-bian.
Both Professor Ni and Andrew Yang, a Taipei-based analyst, said Taiwan remained the unknown factor in Sino-US ties, making it difficult to define the state of military relations between the two.
However, Mr Yang, secretary-general of the Council of Advanced Policy Studies, a defence research group in Taiwan, differed with the two other experts about whether Taiwan had been partly targeted by the growing Sino-US military ties.
He noted the US harboured suspicions about China's rapid military modernisation and its refusal to give up non-peaceful means to resolve the Taiwan issue.
