China Increases Military Spending, Makes Uncle Sam Sweat

A recent announcement by Chinese government officials of a 17% hike in China’s military spending in its budget has, as Simon Elegant put it, effectively thrown “the fox into the dovecote.” This action by the National People’s Congress has ruffled feathers across the Web: on one hand, people are warning of Chinese hegemonism, and on the other hand, there are those who brush this news aside, saying that China wouldn’t be stupid enough to follow the U.S.’s example and willingly plunge into war.

I believe that these people (like Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and U.S. Marine Gen. Peter Pace) who are caught up trying to unravel the intent behind China’s budget hike, are wasting their time. Whether the increase in spending is truly only for defense, or whether China is itching to start a brawl in the Taiwan Strait, the U.S. is jumping the gun by even poking its nose into China’s military affairs. Why? Because Uncle Sam is literally on his knees to China both politically and economically. He’s not only an inextricably partner in trade (the deficit with China surged 12% to $21.3 billion in 2007), but he’s also on his knees in front of China when it comes to reigning in North Korea. To make a rough analogy, does the U.S. have the right to play policeman and investigate the shady donut shop when he and his friends are scoring cheap coffee and Boston Creams? Basically, China is acquiring economic and political power (which may or may not require building a better military) and if it decides to have fun with its shiny new war gadgets, the United States will find itself positioned between a rock and a hard place. If the U.S. acts and starts a war with China, it will find itself dragged down by the fall of its adversary, connected by what Emanuel Pastreich calls the “Frankenstein Alliance.” If the U.S. wants to protect not only its coveted title of the world’s superpower, but also its independence, it should start finding ways to become less dependent on a potential rival.