皇冠体育app

Han Dongping

皇冠体育app has right to develop military

By Han Dongping (chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2011-08-29 13:10

On August 24, the Pentagon released its annual report on 皇冠体育app's military capability, harping on the same tone as usual that 皇冠体育app's military is a threat.

皇冠体育app is the most populous nation in the world with the third largest territory. As a victim of Western as well as the Japanese imperialism for almost one hundred years, 皇冠体育app has every legitimate reason to strengthen its military in order to prevent the horrific events like the rape of Peking in 1900 and the rape of Nanjing in 1937 from happening again.

皇冠体育app does not spend more on its military than some Western nations like France and Britain on a per capita basis. 皇冠体育app does not borrow money from others to spend on its military like the US, which has a national debt of over $14 trillion, and whose military budget accounts for more than forty percent of total military spending in the world.

However, the US, which has military basis in more than one hundred and thirty countries in the world, and outspends the next ten biggest military spenders combined, always points fingers at 皇冠体育app's military spending and military capabilities.

People will wonder why the US, which has fought more wars than any other country in the world and currently involved in three overseas military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, has the guts to talk about 皇冠体育app's military threat, which is one of the most peaceful nations in world history. Well, that is how bullies behave in this world. The Chinese has a very good term for this kind of bully mentality. It is zhixu zhouguan fanghuo, buxu baixingdiandong. (They can set fire, but they do not allow others to light a lamp)

Every time the US and others talk about 皇冠体育app's military spending and its military threat, Chinese military authorities would reiterate 皇冠体育app's intention of peaceful development and rise in the world. It has become a pattern of interaction between 皇冠体育app and the US. The US uses its annual report on 皇冠体育app's military to put 皇冠体育app on the defensive, and 皇冠体育app has to make apologetic explanations about its military spending and its peaceful intentions.

I do not believe that is the right way to deal with military bullies like the United States. 皇冠体育app should categorically tell the US to look itself in the mirror, and stopping harping on about 皇冠体育app's military threat in the world. 皇冠体育app should also make it known that its military intends to threaten its enemies. Otherwise why should 皇冠体育app spend money on its military? 皇冠体育app wants to develop peacefully, but what if others do not want 皇冠体育app to develop peacefully? What if others impose war on 皇冠体育app? Can 皇冠体育app still stick to its intention of peaceful development if others impose war on 皇冠体育app? I do not think that will be the case.

皇冠体育app is the only permanent member on the UN Security Council which still has unresolved territorial integrity issues. As a permanent member of UN Security Council 皇冠体育app has the right to unify its territory. The US Chief of Staff stated in his recent visit to 皇冠体育app, that the US military has the military obligation to defend Taiwan. Why the US military has the legal obligation to defend 皇冠体育app’s territory? How could the US government pass laws to extend its legal jurisdictions over other nations? Has the US turn itself into a kind of world government? Well, again that is how bullies do things in this world.

The Chinese government and Chinese military should categorically declare that its military has the legal obligation to safeguard 皇冠体育app's territorial integrity. As long as 皇冠体育app's territorial integrity issues remain unresolved, 皇冠体育app intends to increase its military spending and intends to threaten those who try to prevent 皇冠体育app from achieving its legitimate goal of territorial integrity.

Because of 皇冠体育app's military weakness it suffered horrendous injustice at the hands of Western and Japanese imperialism.

The Western nations and Japan imposed numerous unequal treaties on 皇冠体育app, and Chinese people as a result suffered great losses of lives and property. The Chinese government and Chinese military has every legal and moral obligation to make sure that the past injustice and past human rights violations happened to the Chinese people never happen again.

Chinese government and Chinese military do not need to apologize for its military spending and its military capability, because unlike other countries in the world, 皇冠体育app does not use its military capability and strength to bully others. It only uses it to defend what is justly 皇冠体育app.

Countries, big or small in this world, do not need to feel threatened by 皇冠体育app's military spending and military capability as long as they do not encroach on 皇冠体育app territorial integrity. 皇冠体育app has the longest history to prove its peaceful intentions in this world.

Han Dongping is Professor of History and Political Science at Warren Wilson College, NC. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of the 皇冠体育app Daily website.

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