The current state of the Pacific is becoming increasingly complex and delicate. Although the Pacific Air Force’s dedication to “working with our allies and partners to deter aggression, increase burden sharing, and maintain peace and stability.” is still being maintained, local state actors have made it increasingly difficult for restoring stability in the region, primarily the aggressive actions of China in the South China Sea. As stated in the U.S. Pacific Command’s Posture Statement, “Chinese coercion, artificial island construction, and militarization in the South China Sea threaten the most fundamental aspect of global prosperity - freedom of navigation.” This aggression has begun to concern many regional governments and illustrates Chinese
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and China, through the use of air, space, and cyberspace. The first viable option concentrates on developing a strong deterrence posture against further Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. By doing so, it will check the Chinese expansion and deter China from continued militarization of the South China Sea. The deterrence posture proposed will be tailored for defensive air operations, as well as counter attack capabilities; the presence of any first strike capabilities may raise red flags in Beijing, leading to increased hostility and risk for miscalculation. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has become increasingly modern in technology and has been described by RAND Corporation, a think tank for U.S. policy, as “becoming a modern, highly capable air force for the 21st century.”(RAND) Although the U.S. Pacific Air Force remains militarily superior in terms of technology, we lack the assets required to sustain a defensive air campaign if Chinese officials decided on the escalation of force against neighboring countries and U.S. allies. The …show more content…
Pacific Air Force, the PLAAF, and all other regional air forces. The cooperative training aims at creating transparency between all regional actors and attempts to open dialogue between China and concerned regional parties. Although, Chinese-U.S. military relations has been described as, “one of the weakest components of the U.S.-China relationship” (Metz), it remains crucial for promoting stability within the region. By opening dialogue through cooperative training, Chinese strategy may become better defined and U.S. policymakers can cooperate with Chinese officials in their pursuit of becoming a dominant power in the region through peaceful means. It may also improve the economic relationship between the two nations, increasing dependence and lowering the risk for total war between the U.S. and China. The training may also present an opportunity to analyze Chinese capabilities, which have been cloaked in mystery by Chinese officials. By doing so, we can become more aware of their actual capabilities when compared to the U.S. and gain a better picture of the military and technological competence of the PLAAF. Additionally, the cooperation between regional nations and China may be the first step in resolving the territorial issues that persist in the region. However, this training is a “double-edged sword” and may allow Chinese officials to analyze our weapon
and China, through the use of air, space, and cyberspace. The first viable option concentrates on developing a strong deterrence posture against further Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. By doing so, it will check the Chinese expansion and deter China from continued militarization of the South China Sea. The deterrence posture proposed will be tailored for defensive air operations, as well as counter attack capabilities; the presence of any first strike capabilities may raise red flags in Beijing, leading to increased hostility and risk for miscalculation. The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has become increasingly modern in technology and has been described by RAND Corporation, a think tank for U.S. policy, as “becoming a modern, highly capable air force for the 21st century.”(RAND) Although the U.S. Pacific Air Force remains militarily superior in terms of technology, we lack the assets required to sustain a defensive air campaign if Chinese officials decided on the escalation of force against neighboring countries and U.S. allies. The …show more content…
Pacific Air Force, the PLAAF, and all other regional air forces. The cooperative training aims at creating transparency between all regional actors and attempts to open dialogue between China and concerned regional parties. Although, Chinese-U.S. military relations has been described as, “one of the weakest components of the U.S.-China relationship” (Metz), it remains crucial for promoting stability within the region. By opening dialogue through cooperative training, Chinese strategy may become better defined and U.S. policymakers can cooperate with Chinese officials in their pursuit of becoming a dominant power in the region through peaceful means. It may also improve the economic relationship between the two nations, increasing dependence and lowering the risk for total war between the U.S. and China. The training may also present an opportunity to analyze Chinese capabilities, which have been cloaked in mystery by Chinese officials. By doing so, we can become more aware of their actual capabilities when compared to the U.S. and gain a better picture of the military and technological competence of the PLAAF. Additionally, the cooperation between regional nations and China may be the first step in resolving the territorial issues that persist in the region. However, this training is a “double-edged sword” and may allow Chinese officials to analyze our weapon