Though it was not agreed in another thread that the US has interest in containing China and instead it was emphasised that it was in the US interest that China should grow. It was also debunked that the South China Seas is of no interest to the US. However, going by the posts here itself, it appears that indeed the growth and actions by China seriously jeopardises the US interests in the Asia Pacific region.
By geography, China is better placed in Asia, but the geostrategic compulsions places the US interests a few notches higher. If for nothing else, the rise and modernisation of China and its Armed Forces will leave the US vulnerable from the Pacific end. In WWII, Japan did not have the power projection capability to knock at the Pacific coast of the US, but the manner in which China is modernising the PLAAF and PLAN, it could be within China's reach.
Cynical and brazen as it may sound, but Han culturalism is a very potent force that unites the Han Chinese the world over. A visit to forums would indicate how Chinese origin non PRC posters react to anti Chinese posts. This proves the point. The manner in which Han Chinese (to include those holding non PRC citizenship) all over the world united against the opposition along the Olympic Flame route is another case in point as an indicator how local Chinese would react to any anti China activity by other nations pursuing their own national interests. Therefore, suffice it to say, leaving the Pacific unchallenged is not conducive for the US.
It is also correct that the US is no longer the unchallenged power that it was, owing to various factors. However, one does not see the US abdicating her pristine position anywhere around the world. In fact, it is parcelling out its 'power projection' activities to willing partners as in Libya and elsewhere to save on costs in terms of money as also in terms of spilling American blood (which has a serious domestic repercussion).
The prolonged Obama visit to Asia was also perfunctorily rejected in the other thread when it was suggested that it was basically to build bridges and concretise the ‘containment of China’. Notwithstanding, there is a school of thought in India that India has sold itself out to the US. I cannot comment on that, but what is observed is that there is a lot of military cooperation going on and more are on the cards. There is also a change in the Indian Armed Forces inventory that is moving West and the US is taking the chunk of the Defence Budget. It is also interesting to note that after Obama’s visit to India, Chinese media went bonkers about US plans to contain China. Some wonder how? And some also wonder why the senior military and political personage visited Vietnam soon after Obama visited India and why the Indo Vietnamese cooperation has seen a spurt in activities.
It is also a moot point as to why China has suddenly gone easy with India on her diplomatic snubs that were coming fast and thick after the Obama's visit?
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