Sino-US military relations form an integral part of the two countries’ new type of relations, but they lag behind other areas of cooperation between both sides. On one hand, we should accelerate construction of Sino-US military relations and make them an impetus for pushing forward overall relations between both sides. On the other hand, the new type of Sino-US military ties have faced hurdles in establishment and promotion. Academic research based on theory, strategy and mechanisms is urgently needed to consolidate military relations.

Asymmetric military relations

Asymmetry of Sino-US military relations is mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Asymmetric interest intensity

Defining national interests promotes the formulation of diplomatic policy and military strategy of a country, while orientation of national interests determines the basic direction of national development. Intensity of national interests determines whether and how military force should be employed to achieve national interests.

China's national core interests are defined as state sovereignty, national security, territorial integrity and national reunification. China's political system as established by the Constitution values overall social stability and basic safeguards for ensuring sustainable economic and social development.

By contrast, US national core interests are ever-changing and defined by President Barack Obama’s administration as security, prosperity, value and international order. On September 24, 2013, Obama noted in his speech at the UN General Assembly that US core interests include confronting external aggression against allies and partners, ensuring the free flow of energy and dismantling terrorist networks that use weapons of mass destruction.

Both countries define security and development as their core national interests, but they obviously differ in regards to interest intensity. This indicates that their mutual interests demand is complementary and also determines that both sides need more tolerance instead of confrontation in accommodating each other’s core interests. There is a need to strengthen asymmetric interdependence instead of tentative contact on the basis of mutual trust in seeking to develop common interests.

Asymmetric construction of military force

Information warfare is escalating and the US military continues to innovate combat theories and change combat modes. By contrast, the Chinese military is always an active participant in the world’s new military revolution. According to the strategic concept of “three-step” construction of national defense and military modernization, the Chinese military should achieve significant progress in its construction of institutionalization and informatization by 2020.

Asymmetric defense resources investment

US military spending tops the world, while Chinese military spending is compensatory. China’s defense expenditure only accounts for around one-fifth of the US and per-capita defense expenditure on military personnel is less than one-eighth of the US.

Asymmetric military technical advantages

The Chinese military is still accumulating technical advantages, while the US already has great advantages in fields such as information technology, biotechnology, new materials, aerospace engineering and marine technology. Arms exports represent a concentrated reflection of its military technical advantage.

Asymmetry in both sides’ militaries has led Sino-US military relations to be characterized by coexistence in sensibility and significance, vulnerability and adaptation, and cooperation and competition. Only throughmutual trust and cooperation can the new type of Sino-US military relations achieve fruitful development based on asymmetric interdependence.

Washington’s defense strategic guideline entitled "Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense" pointed out that US economic and security interests are closely linked to the development of an "arc." China, as an emerging great power, will have potential to influence the US economy and security. The statement indicates from a strategic level that the US has realized deep interdependence between both sides is essential to ensuring Asia-Pacific security.

Construction strategy of new military relations

The new type of Sino-US military relations should be constructed in the following ways.

Elimination of trust barriers

Military distrust between both sides is a severe obstacle to the promotion of the new type of military relations. US distrust lies in questioning China’s military transparency. The Chinese military’s transparency will be increased with the progress of its military force construction.

Currently, there are three major obstacles to the construction of Sino-US military ties. These are arms sales to Taiwan, US naval ships’ and aircraft’s reconnaissance missions in Chinese waters and airspace, and bills limiting bilateral military exchanges with China, such as the Fiscal Year Defense Authorization Act (2000).

The former two obviously involve China's core interests, while the latter explicitly conveys distrust. Eliminating the three obstacles may promote mutual trust and help advance construction of the new type of Sino-US military ties.

Limiting the impact of external environments

With military trust between two militaries being enhanced, national governments on both sides should release information through relevant official channels in a timely manner and engage in direct dialogue and exchanges when crises or accidents occur. They should ensure each other’s intentions are clear and try to limit the impact of external environments, such as third-party, international and domestic public opinions.

Speeding up external communication

Mutual understanding is hazy between the two militaries, with the Chinese military knowing more about the US army than vice versa.

There are three reasons for this disconnect in perception. The first is the difference in ideology. The Chinese military always emphasizes seeking common ground and shelving differences, but the US side doesn’t always uphold this principle. The second is that more initiatives of world opinion are held by the US media. The third is that China’s image-building in military diplomacy should be enhanced. the promotion of China’s military culture and contact with politically and militarily influential figures will result in a clearer image of the Chinese military in American people’s minds.

Striving for major-power military status

China develops military force to achieve self-protection rather than militarism. It should accelerate its process of military modernization based on its unequal military status in comparison to the US. China should strive to be a robust country as well as a major economy, which is fundamental for the construction of the new type of Sino-US military ties.

Mechanisms in new military ties

By December 2012, many dialogue mechanisms related to military and security cooperation had been established between China and the US. These include the Sino-US Maritime Military Security Consultation Mechanism and Sino-US Strategic Security Dialogue Mechanism under the framework of Sino-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Military exchange mechanisms are of significance to the construction of the new type of Sino-US military ties.

Existing mechanisms between both sides are only restricted to negative military cooperation for evading conflicts and resolving crises. The two sides should push forward the establishment of mechanisms in an proper order, further achieving the development room for deep exchange and cooperation.

The author is from Nanjing Political Academy.

　　Translated by Yu Hui

　　Revised by Tom Fearon