Is America's Diplomatic And Military Rebalance To Asia A Threat To China?

US: Diplomatic, Military Rebalance to Asia No Threat to China -- Voice of America

STATE DEPARTMENT — U.S. officials say shifting more diplomatic, commercial, and military assets to the Asia-Pacific region is not a threat to China. Stepped-up Chinese naval exercises are partly a response to the Obama administration's diplomatic and military rebalance to Asia. But U.S. officials say it's not about confrontation, it's about stability.

"In this respect, the success of the rebalance hinges on having a positive and productive relationship with China. So absolutely the rebalance is not about China. What China does, though, of necessity does impact how we think about the region," said David Helvey, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia.

With growing threats from North Korea, the United States must continue to reassure its allies, says George Mason University professor Janine Davidson. "As tensions rise on the Korean peninsula or in the South China Sea, the reaffirmation of this security guarantee can prevent a destabilizing arms race among nervous countries in the region," he stated.

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My Comment: When compared to China .... the U.S. military presence in Asia in both numbers and capability is quite small. But the U.S. is taken seriously because it has the ability to quickly marshal forces and to bring them to bear on a foe that makes the U.S. military the effective force that it is.

Everyone in Asia knows that U.S. presence in places like South Korea, Japan, etc. is that of a "trip-wire" .... that once triggered will result in the quick mobilization of U.S. military might. The Chinese are also aware of this .... which is why they are leery of this new U.S. pivot that is now expanding and modernizing American military logistic capabilities in the region. For the moment .... because the numbers are small .... this U.S. pivot is not a threat to China .... it is more of a calculated obstacle that is just large enough to convince the Chinese that it is not in their interest for them to confront right now.