The United States is afraid of China; it is not a military threat to anyone and is the least aggressive of all the major military powers.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Unlike Europe, China can't be intimidated. Europe backs down if the United States looks at it the wrong way. But China, they've been there for 3,000 years and are paying no attention to the barbarians and don't see any need to.
China is a major power in the Pacific and I think we are dealing with some common threats in that region: the whole issue of Korea and the stability of Korea, the whole issue of nuclear proliferation, the whole issue of providing free access to our ships that are operating in that area.
What frustrates U.S. officials is that China sometimes seems more comfortable accommodating a strong United States, as it did in past decades, than partnering with an America that's less dominant.
I visited the Chinese side last year. The Chinese are in a constant state of military readiness. They have all their nuclear weapons in the area, presumably trained on targets across the border.
That's the reason some schools of thinking don't rule out a destruction of the Chinese military potential before the situation grows worse than it is today. It's bad enough now.
China's island-building in the South China Sea poses a threat to U.S. national security interests in the region.
Only reform and opening up can develop China. We must not be afraid of any risks, and not be confused by any distractions.
I believe that if you treat China as an enemy, then it is likely to become one.
If you want to treat China as an enemy, you have a much better chance of making them an enemy than if you treat them as a potential friend.
We see China becoming an unstoppable force. It's a huge threat and a huge opportunity.