This is a realist strategic memorandum written for the American policy community—and an excellent one.
I find its central argument very insightful and persuasive. The course most consistent with American interests would be to abandon an excessively costly attempt at comprehensive containment and shift toward a narrower strategy with clearer objectives, tighter technological boundaries, and measures that allies are more willing to support.
China today possesses the world’s largest manufacturing system, world-class infrastructure, a deep pool of engineering talent, an enormous domestic market, and rapidly strengthening scientific and technological capabilities. The United States cannot isolate China as it did in the 1950s.
China’s strategic response has also been remarkably sophisticated: use technological self-reliance to compress whatever time advantage American controls can create; maintain economic openness to weaken Washington’s ability to assemble a durable containment coalition; and practise restrained economic diplomacy so that commercial partners are not unnecessarily turned into security adversaries.
This impressive survey is both illuminating and disappointing. Surely it is time to recognize that, its inconsistent with the human project to fool around with mutually assured destruction. What JFK and Khrushchev sought to achieve is the only viable objective. The idea of aggression and bullying as a means of containment and control is past its use-by date. It's the US military industrial complex that needs to be restrained.
This is a realist strategic memorandum written for the American policy community—and an excellent one.
I find its central argument very insightful and persuasive. The course most consistent with American interests would be to abandon an excessively costly attempt at comprehensive containment and shift toward a narrower strategy with clearer objectives, tighter technological boundaries, and measures that allies are more willing to support.
China today possesses the world’s largest manufacturing system, world-class infrastructure, a deep pool of engineering talent, an enormous domestic market, and rapidly strengthening scientific and technological capabilities. The United States cannot isolate China as it did in the 1950s.
China’s strategic response has also been remarkably sophisticated: use technological self-reliance to compress whatever time advantage American controls can create; maintain economic openness to weaken Washington’s ability to assemble a durable containment coalition; and practise restrained economic diplomacy so that commercial partners are not unnecessarily turned into security adversaries.
Thanks Leon!
This impressive survey is both illuminating and disappointing. Surely it is time to recognize that, its inconsistent with the human project to fool around with mutually assured destruction. What JFK and Khrushchev sought to achieve is the only viable objective. The idea of aggression and bullying as a means of containment and control is past its use-by date. It's the US military industrial complex that needs to be restrained.
Do not bring a dragon to protect you from a bear. That is the main lesson one needs to learn.