I believe we've reached (in the common vernacular...especially inside the beltway) a tipping point when it comes to the Pacific.
The approach that the US Navy is taking versus that of the Chinese is telling.
We (America) is doing the "politically correct" thing. Partnership missions. Military to military contact with China. Expressing the desire for greater visibility on defense systems and spending. Encouraging our allies to buy our equipment for greater interoperability....
China however is doing something else entirely. Over the past year their were dust ups between China and Japan, China and the Philippines, China and India...They've been hyper aggressive in their cyber espionage and reportedly have stolen the plans for our most important programs. And they've made alliances with everyone from Australia to Iraq and Iran, to various African nations for natural resources.
The US is involved in an untested, perhaps useless exercise in partnership missions while China doggedly attempts to increase its strategic reach, solidify its supply of natural resources and increase the effectiveness of its military.
Now tell me which approach do you think will be successful.
