The six-section white paper begins with a section about the profound changes which are taking place in the world and warns about destabilizing factors and uncertainties in the international security environment, saying that international security system and order are undermined by growing hegemonism, power politics, and unilateralism.
The Trump administration has brought the idea of great power competition back from the grave, which has led to a rise in strategic competition. The US National Security Strategy, the US National Defense Strategy, and US Vice President Mike Pence’s “China Policy” speech have all set the stage for more competition.
Realistically speaking,China’s military poses a serious challenge toUShegemony. This is why theUnited Statesis trying to containChinaand is increasing its military pressure onChina. However, this strategy has also increased tensions between the two giants and raised fears that a military clash is on the horizon.
Chinahas no intention to challenge theUnited Statesfor military supremacy.Chinais a rising military power, this is a fact, but its national defense strategy still is defensive in nature. Even in the face of an increasingly hostile Washington,Chinahas not adopted a radical national defense policy.