The sight of China flexing its fiscal triceps has given the US the creeps for quite some time now. Even so, China is now soaring towards becoming that perfectly toned – yet with bulging muscles – wrestler in this geopolitical WrestleMania, who is stuffed with daunting tissue-work all over his physique – enough to jolt one and all of his challengers. Hence, with Beijing regularly working out on and flexing its foreign policy muscles, there was always going to be a shift in Washington’s course of action – from the ‘avoid offending China’ to now the ‘Asia pivot’ – to make its presence felt in the region and on the globe.
In November last year, President Barack Obama announced this new move towards teaming up with China’s neighbours and to press the second-largest economy in the world to “play by the rules”. And of course it’s the US that has been scribing this rule book for a considerable time span now, and has funnily enough broken most of its basic constituents itself. The move also coincided with the US announcing its intentions of ‘wrapping up’ the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and taking a plunge towards the Far East, wherein the biggest threat in the way of its global hegemony is on an influence-expanding spree.
Beijing greeted this US manoeuvre by upping the ante on its defence budget, which has now taken its share in the region’s military budget pie to a mammoth 30 per cent. China had already been increasing its defence budget by 10 per cent per annum, but the recent retort has upped the temperature on this Asia-Pacific geostrategic oven by a good many notches. The superpowers concentrating their military strength in Asia is the logical corollary of the region’s precipitous ascent as far as economy growth is concerned and hence, it is also a no-brainer that Washington is eying the prospect of a geopolitical shift and is vying to cement itself as a veritable powerhouse in the Asia Pacific – even if the opportunity cost is, having to cut back elsewhere.
With the US seemingly losing out on the battle of the hefty wallets, it is imperative that Washington gives Beijing a scare in the battle of cannons, since China is possibly the only country that can give the US a run for its money as far as military and economic might is concerned. Add the fact that two of the most volatile regions, which appear to be hankering after an excuse to flare up – the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea – into the mix and you get Washington covering more than a few share of its bases via a single operation.
Then there is the small matter of stratagem with regards to Iran to consider in this little debate as well. For, if Tehran persists steadfastly in its quest of being that stubborn little devil for Washington with its unyielding policy on uranium enrichment, the US might have to keep a significant share of the militaristic wherewithal in Iran as well; and could have a massive bearing on both the timing and the strength of Washington’s martial manoeuvre with regards to China.
Keeping a worldwide military reach is crucial if you have your eyes set on meddling in the affairs of every single region on the planet. Nevertheless, it’s the Chinese dragon, with its flaring all-round clout, which is giving Uncle Sam a continuum of sleepless nights as of now; and is indubitably on the top of the angst list as far as Obama is concerned.
The writer is Sub-Editor,
Pakistan Today. He can be reached at khulduneshahid@gmail.com