Military Review English Edition July-August 2016 | Page 101
DELUSIONS
containing, but how
could it work?
Balancing is
not about building
a bloc of nations
in Asia to counter China from a
military or economic perspective.
Rather, as Tellis
points out, creating balance in
Asia “would focus
mainly on restricting Beijing’s capacity to misuse its
growing national
capabilities in ways
that undermine
American power.”19
Instead of forming
(Photo by Mass Communications Spc. 1st Class Nardel Gervacio, U.S. Navy)
competing camps,
Se nior Capt. Wang Jianxum, deputy chief of staff of East Sea Fleet, People’s Liberation Army (Navy), and
balance would
commander, Escort Task Group, Chinese Navy Ship Jinan, gives a tour of the ship’s bridge to Rear Adm. John
push China toward Fuller, commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, 13 December 2015 during a
routine port visit to Hawaii.
conforming to international norms.
To implement a balancing strategy, the United States
growth for all nations in the Pacific Rim “to realize
must “buttress its Asian partners, redress the losses
their strategic potential and increase their mutual
… [the United States has] suffered because of China’s
cooperation” for the benefit of all.22 The policy should
participation in global trade, reinvest in sustaining
integrate all instruments of national power, with a
the military superiority necessary for effective U.S.
balance between diplomatic, informational, military,
power projection worldwide, and revitalize its naand economic instruments.
20
tional economy.”
Second, Tellis states, “the United States (and its
In sum, balance is about rebuilding American
friends) ought to engage China at multiple levels, both
strength while working closely with friends in the rebilaterally and multilaterally,” including industrial,
gion, building them up, and settling the fears they have social, military, and educational exchanges.23 In his
that could cause unnecessary confrontations. Thus, the analysis of Chinese perceptions, Zhang found a train
United States should be seen as redirecting its energy
of thought among some Chinese scholars that could
to solidify its own economy and strengthen friends
translate to support for the approach put forward
rather than seeming to seek containment of China.
by Tellis. This suggests there could be opportunity to
To make such a strategy of balance work, the
conduct meaningful engagement with the Chinese
United States first must conduct its efforts with 100
without stoking fears of encirclement.24
percent transparency.21 Transparency helps build
However, the United States needs to avoid contrust, and building trust is the only way to break down ducting engagements that add up to inconsistency
the suspicions held by the Chinese. Therefore, the
in overall policy. Inconsistency gives the appearance
United States should make a crystal clear statement
of weakness and a lack of integrity. Moreover, the
of its policy of balance, and its support for broad
military should not appear to be leading the policy
MILITARY REVIEW July-August 2016
99