Why China would want to strengthen its military
Ironically, China's best efforts to increase its security by developing powerful military capabilities and asserting its interests more vigorously may only render its leaders more insecure. Other Asian countries are moving closer to the United States, and each other, to balance growing Chinese power. President Barack Obama is reorienting the United States' military posture away from Europe and the Middle East in ways that reinforce, rather than diminish, the U.S. leadership role in Asia. - Daniel Twining
It's an interesting observation because it's also one that, if reversed, would be rejected by a broad swath of the U.S. defense and foreign policy establishment (to say nothing of the political establishment). The idea that building up one's military strength and forcefully interjecting oneself in the affairs of others is destabilizing and ultimately results in greater insecurity is a concept that really doesn't have a lot of traction in American policy-making circles. Instead, there is the belief (not unfounded) that American security lies in an overwhelming preponderance of power and a coalition of allies to maintain favorable regional balances around the world.
We shouldn't be all that surprised to see China mimic this strategy as its own power grows.
A more interesting question to ponder is whether Twining is right about the sources of Chinese insecurity and, if he is, what lessons that poses for U.S. strategy.
