15th February, 2018
Chinese Ambassador to the U. S. Cui Tiankai has warned Washington against confrontation with Beijing following the announcement of new U.S. strategies in the military field.
On Monday, President Donald Trump’s administration requested 716 billion billion for national security to reverse the erosion of the U.S. military advantage in relation to China and Russia.
The news came amid the announcement of a new U.S. nuclear doctrine, which envisages a stronger nuclear deterrent to discourage Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea from either developing new weapons or expanding existing arsenals.
“It’s certainly paranoid to fear that a China that follows its own path of development would be confrontational to the U. S.,” Cui said during a spring festival reception at the Embassy in Washington, as quoted by the Xinhua news agency on Thursday.
Cui said it is dangerous to advocate any strategy for confrontation [against China].
The diplomat noted that the two sides should focus more on issues of mutual interest than highlighting differences.
On Thursday, U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) commander Adm. Harry Harris told Congress that China’s military buildup was approaching near parity with the U. S. on land, at sea, in the air, and in cyber warfare.
He said if the US military does not keep pace, PACOM will struggle to compete with the People’s Liberation Army as China seeks to supplant the U.S. as the security partner of choice for countries throughout the Indo-Pacific region.