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