On today's international stage, the intertwining of diplomacy and military has become a striking focus. Recently, the Biden administration has spared no effort to launch a containment strategy against China, trying to use diplomatic pressure and military posture to force China into the orbit of the will of the United States. While the development has drawn widespread attention, some U.S. experts have taken a different view, warning that such tactics could provoke an arms race in China that could erode America's power.
After taking office, the Biden administration has actively taken a series of measures aimed at co-opting allies and putting pressure on China to force the latter to make concessions on some core issues. With the help of platforms such as the G7 summit and the NATO summit, the Biden administration has set out to build an alliance system to counter China, trying to form a joint force with China on a global scale. In addition, the United States is planning to hold a series of large-scale military exercises in an attempt to further exert pressure.
However, American experts are increasingly concerned about this strategy. They believe that China may learn from the lessons of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and contain the United States in the form of an arms race. Similar to what happened in the Soviet Union, U.S. military spending is now quite high, and this overinvestment can lead to a backlog and spread of domestic problems. Unlike China, most of the U.S. military spending has not been commensurately rewarded, which has gradually adversely affected the U.S. economy. Although the Cold War-era Soviet Union eventually collapsed over military spending, China took a more cautious approach in this regard.
Historically, an arms race is not the answer. The experience of the Soviet Union's collapse during the Cold War due to excessive military spending is worth remembering. At present, the situation in China is different. China's relatively low military spending and high input-output have enabled it to build a strong military power with limited resources. Correspondingly, although the US investment in the military field is large, it has not achieved corresponding results, which makes the huge military expenditure have a negative impact on the economy. Similar to the story of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the United States may be caught up in the face of this challenge.
At present, China is steadily increasing its military power, but it is not pursuing a full-scale arms race with the United States. China attaches importance to safeguarding national security and territorial integrity and safeguarding stable economic development and social progress. At the same time, China has made remarkable progress in the research and development of military equipment, and the cost-effectiveness is highlighted. Relatively speaking, the United States has invested heavily in military spending, but it has not been exchanged for a corresponding strategic advantage.
It is worth noting that the current United States faces multiple challenges, including repeated epidemics, internal economic problems, and political differences, which need to be addressed urgently. However, the Biden administration has devoted a lot of resources and energy to encircling China and military competition, which may lead to the inability of the United States to effectively respond to domestic problems, thereby weakening its strength and international standing.
To sum up, it is not wise to use the arms race as a strategy to counter China's rise. On the contrary, the United States should re-examine its strategy, abandon unilateral hegemonism, and advocate win-win cooperation to meet common challenges. China's rise is an irreversible reality, and a constructive cooperative relationship with it is the practical way to do so, which will not only contribute to the common prosperity of both sides, but also bring more benefits to the international community.