Cold War mindset harms peace
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When the long-established global strategic pattern changes to the US' disadvantage, Washington's adherence to the Cold War mentality and its excessive dependence on military means to resolve international disputes will lead the superpower to bigger strategic setbacks.
The US' stubborn adherence to its decision to dispatch aircraft carriers to the waters off China also exhibits the intractable "security dilemma" as far as bilateral ties are concerned. If this is not eliminated, it will be unfavorable to regional peace, security and prosperity.
How to extricate the two countries from this deep-rooted security dilemma, especially in the maritime arena, will not only determine how stable and healthy the relationship will be, but is also relevant to the stability of Northeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.
It is up to the US to take some initiatives to change its long-established position for the sake of better bilateral ties. Washington should discard its deep-rooted Cold War mentality and concepts of maritime hegemony. It should also not consider China's normal military buildup, especially that of its naval forces, as a challenge or threat to itself.
Any blockade or containment will fail to stop China's military from advancing and making strides in the region, an irreversible move aimed at safeguarding its national interests and contributing to regional and world peace, security and prosperity.
The adoption of a cooperative approach to cope with the world's common security challenges, rather than embracing zero-sum games, will help promote healthy interaction between the two countries' military and shape stable and harmonious development of bilateral ties.
At the same time, China should continue to stick to its established national strategy of pushing for a harmonious world and not pursuing a hegemonic position in world affairs.
While maintaining its national interest, China should actively contribute to world peace and development. To ease mutual strategic and security misgivings, clear strategic exchanges between China and the US are badly needed.
China should send an unambiguous message to the US that it would not pursue maritime hegemony either in the region or globally, and that the country's normal military development will contribute to world peace and stability.
And, on its part, the US should earnestly assume its responsibility as a superpower to pursue world peace and exercise caution and restraint in showing off military forces.
There is wide scope for mutual cooperation between the two naval forces, especially in shared efforts to deal with non-traditional security challenges, if the two powers really want to avoid confrontation.
The author is a Rear Admiral and former director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the People's Liberation Army National Defense University.
