China Should Take It Easy About Mongolia's Military Exercises With the US

August 22 (CRI) Japanese forces and US Marines are now in the western Pacific Ocean for a month-long military drill designed to deal with the scenario of taking back islands.

Meantime, nearly 90-thousand troops from South Korea and the United States are conducting their annual "Ulchi-Freedom Guardian" exercise.

As CRI's Su Yi reports, international relations experts suggest that it is not necessary for major regional powers, including China and Russia, to be too sensitive over those military exercises, as most countries are reluctant to jeopardize the peace and economic interests in the region.

The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing some 70 joint military exercises this year. Half of them are led by the United States.

Zhang Junshe, vice director of the Military Academic Research Institute of the PLA Navy, says although the US side denies this, many of those military drills are targeting China.

"The increase of both scale and frequency of the joint military drills the United States has conducted in the region so far this year is related to its strategy in Asia. They are aimed at increasing the US military presence in the region and boosting traditional alliances."

International relations expert Jin Canrong, a professor at China'sRenmin University, says the ongoing drills between Japan and the US have some significance in many ways.

"It demonstrates the Japanese military's capability of remote delivery, which is quite significant. Besides, their training subjects include island defense, which largely has something to do with the disputes with China over the Diaoyu Islands."

Some analysts even argue the recent military exercises could signal that Japan is gradually shifting the defensive nature of its military strategy.

However, some experts like Yin Zhuo, director of the Expert Consultation Committee of the PLA Navy, say there is no reason for major regional players to be too worried, as Northeast Asia is seeing west-led military exercises one after another.

Yin explains this by pointing out the example of a recent annual military drill between Mongolia and the United States.

"China should take it easy, as the country is used to a bilateral relationship in which Mongolia always respects its borders with China but again always wants to find a balance among major powers."

Yin suggests, in fact, while being closer with the US and NATO is one choice, it is also a fundamental strategy for Mongolia to keep its good relationship with its neighbor to the north, Russia and to the south, China.

Analysts say some other Northeast Asian countries have the same concern, which makes them very unlikely to form a political or military alliance against China.

Jin Canrong from Renmin University again, "For those countries, a NATO-like alliance in Asia targeting China will destroy the peace and development in the region. Besides, economically speaking, they will loss heavily without a doubt."

China is a major trade partner with the United States and most Northeast Asian countries.

Analysts say peace and economic interests, or confrontation – it is not a difficult choice.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi.

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