Beijing: America's strengthened military pact
with Australia is a figment of "Cold War thinking" that will
destabilise the Asia-Pacific region, China's Defence Ministry
said on Wednesday, in Booking's strongest criticism yet of a move
widely seen as intended to counter China's rising
assertiveness.
Ministry spokesman Gen Nanchang's comments at a monthly
news conference came short of the scathing attacks on the
agreement from China's nationalist press and outspoken
academics.
However, they reflected a harsher tone from the armed
forces, whose expanding budget and reach have rattled many of
China's neighbours and prompted them to seek strengthened
alliances with the region's dominant military power, America.
"Military alliances were created by history. We think
that all moves to strengthen and expand military alliances are
a product of Cold War thinking that run counter to the era's
trend of peace, development and cooperation," Geng said.
Despite that criticism, Geng said Chinese and US defence
officials will still meet for consultations December 7. Gen.
Ma Xiaotian, the People's Liberation Army's deputy chief of
staff, and US Defence Undersecretary Michele Flournoy will
be co-chairs.
Ma will then go to New Delhi for China-India defence and
security consultations on December 9, Geng said.
The US-Australia agreement, announced during a November
visit by President Barack Obama to Australia, will send
military aircraft and up to 2,500 Marines to northern
Australia for a training hub to help allies and protect
American interests across Asia.
Beijing's previous official responses, issued by its
Foreign Ministry, were a mild questioning of its
appropriateness.
Chinese hardliners have called recent US moves in Asia,
including strengthened military ties with allies Japan and the
Philippines as well as former enemy Vietnam, a new US
containment policy that must be resisted through more active
diplomacy.
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, November 30, 2011, 22:49