The U.S. - China Military Deep Freeze Continues

Gen. Ma Xiaotian, a Chinese military official, made some blunt remarks about the United States at a conference last week. Pool photo by Carolyn Kaster

Behind a Military Chill: A More Forceful China -- New York Times

BEIJING — If anyone ever doubted it, a testy exchange at a Singapore conference last weekend made it clear: Relations between the American and Chinese militaries are in a very deep freeze.

What is genuinely in doubt is whether that is but a burr in the two nations’ broader relationship, or a portent.

The verbal fusillade unfolded Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a meeting of the defense ministers of 28 Asia-Pacific nations attended by, among others, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Gen. Ma Xiaotian, the deputy chief of the general staff of the People’s Liberation Army.

Read more ....

More News On U.S. - China Relations

U.S., China Display Military Wariness -- Wall Street Journal
China, US trade barbs over military ties -- One India
US, China's 'verbal joust' -- Straits Times
Gates reaffirms no changes in U.S. policy on arms sales to Taiwan -- Focus Taiwan
U.S., China differ on nuclear posture -- The Hindu
China defends ban on top military links with US -- Financial Times
Who is to blame for strained China-U.S. military ties? -- Xinhuanet
Arms sales strain China-US ties -- Shanghai Daily opinion
Opaqueness at heart of Chinese military’s U.S. strategy -- John Lee, Korea Herald

My Comment: China is reacting like this not because of U.S. arm sales to Taiwan .... though that is an irritation point for the Chinese Government .... they are reacting like this to divert their own domestic audience away from the many problems that China is now experiencing. The economic boom is slowing down, the real-estate bubble may burst, coupled this with resentment of many in the countryside on the success and privilege that many in the cities are now enjoying, throw in pollution, unemployment, some inflation, corruption, social and political stresses .... the Chinese Government is looking for a diversion and the American boogeyman is a perfect one.

My suggestion .... let them stew with their own internal problems, and stay away from provoking them. But then again .... our own politicians and government view China as a perfect boogeyman .... and we have our own problems and discontent.