Maritime Security Between China and Southeast Asia: Conflict and Cooperation in the Making of Regional Order by Liselotte Odgaard

Author:Liselotte Odgaard [Odgaard, Liselotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: International Relations, Political Science, General
ISBN: 9781351919814
Google: 6WFBDgAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 34477276
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2002-04-01T00:00:00+00:00

The US and China: Strategic Partners or Competitors?

During the Clinton presidency, it was assumed that the structure of deterrence might be a destabilizing factor unless it was supplemented by a policy of engagement aimed at controlling power projection in the region through US-Chinese consultations. Christopher Lane, a visiting scholar at the Center for International Studies at the University of Southern California, has pointed to the need to ameliorate the threat scenarios arising from a policy of deterrence towards China. He has stated that the US needs to find a middle ground between engagement and containment in formulating a policy towards China (The Los Angeles Times, 28.3.1999, quoted in Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Daily Report, 29.3.1999).

Top advisor to US President Bill Clinton on weapons proliferation, Gary Samore, had advocated that the US adopt a strategy of engagement towards China. According to Samore, the US should emphasize areas of cooperation and try to resolve areas of tension and dispute while China has not yet chosen its foreign policy course in the post-Cold War era.

I think they have decided that for their strategic purposes it is better to have a minimal force necessary to deter and retaliate than a force that could pose any first strike threat … [but t]here is no question they are keeping their options open. They have a long-term modernization programme in place, they have developed the basic technology so that if they wish they can pursue a much more capable force (Reuters, 17.3.1999, and The Los Angeles Times, 18.3.1999, quoted in Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Daily Report, 18.3.1999).

With this statement, Samore argues that the US still has the chance of inviting China to participate in the management of international affairs.

The US took steps in the 1990s to engage China under the heading of the doctrine of preventive defence, which implies regular discussions on strategic thinking and defence (Perry, 1996). Kurt Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs, Asian and Pacific Affairs under Clinton, characterized the engagement policy as a security dialogue aimed at narrowing differences on key foreign policy issues such as the overall US regional security strategy. A more practical side of the engagement policy is the relationship of the US Department of Defence with the PLA. In this venture, the principles of transparency, reciprocity and pursuit of mutual interests are used to prevent miscalculations and misperceptions that can lead to conflict. Examples of activities initiated within this relationship have been ship visits, defence university exchanges and routine senior level defence dialogues (Statement of Dr. Kurt Campbell, quoted in Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Daily Report, 16.4.1999). In 1998, the Military Maritime Consultation Agreement was established between the US and China. This dialogue process between the armed forces of the two countries was begun because both states recognized that the US and Chinese navies and air forces operate in the same areas of the Asia-Pacific (The United States Security Strategy for the East Asia-Pacific Region, 1998).

China welcomed the establishment

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