View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 2009-03 Implications of China's growing military diplomatic clout for the United States: cooperation, competition or conflict? Li, Steven X. Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/4915 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS IMPLICATIONS OF CHINA’S GROWING MILITARY DIPLOMATIC CLOUT FOR THE UNITED STATES: COOPERATION, COMPETITION OR CONFLICT? by Steven X. Li March 2009 Thesis Advisor: Alice L. Miller Second Reader: Christopher P. Twomey Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED March 2009 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Implications of China’s Growing Military Diplomatic 5. FUNDING NUMBERS Clout for the United States: Cooperation, Competition or Conflict? 6. AUTHOR(S) Steven X. Li 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING N/A AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) China’s military capabilities are growing and so is Beijing’s ability to employ its military in diplomatic capacities. Since the Chinese military’s power projection capabilities still remain limited, the preponderance of its activities still fall within Asia. This thesis uses a three-step process (comparing, analyzing and extracting implications) to assess if increased levels of Chinese military diplomacy will shift the Sino-U.S. military relationship towards competition, cooperation, or conflict. This research effort finds that differences in U.S. and Chinese capabilities and political interests lead disparities in military diplomacy activity level, selection of strategic partners, and preferred diplomacy tools. However, despite these differences, the potential for increased Sino-U.S. military cooperation remains high. In order to capitalize on such potentials, policymakers should endorse a contingent-based cooperative approach to building military-to-military relations between the United States and China. This type of an approach encourages China to become more of a “responsible stakeholder” and exert positive influence in Asia through its military interactions. 14. SUBJECT TERMS People’s Republic of China, United States, Military Relations, Military 15. NUMBER OF Diplomacy PAGES 145 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited IMPLICATIONS OF CHINA’S GROWING MILITARY DIPLOMATIC CLOUT FOR THE UNITED STATES: COOPERATION, COMPETITION OR CONFLICT? Steven X. Li Major, United States Air Force B.S., United States Air Force Academy, 1998 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN SECURITY STUDIES (FAR EAST, SOUTHEAST ASIA, PACIFIC) from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL March 2009 Author: Steven X. Li Approved by: Alice L. Miller Thesis Advisor Christopher P. Twomey Second Reader Harold A. Trinkunas, PhD Chairman, Department of National Security Affairs iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT China’s military capabilities are growing and so is Beijing’s ability to employ its military in diplomatic capacities. Since the Chinese military’s power projection capabilities still remain limited, the preponderance of its activities still fall within Asia. This thesis uses a three-step process (comparing, analyzing and extracting implications) to assess if increased levels of Chinese military diplomacy will shift the Sino-U.S. military relationship towards competition, cooperation, or conflict. This research effort finds that differences in U.S. and Chinese capabilities and political interests lead disparities in military diplomacy activity level, selection of strategic partners, and preferred diplomacy tools. However, despite these differences, the potential for increased Sino-U.S. military cooperation remains high. In order to capitalize on such potentials, policymakers should endorse a contingent-based cooperative approach to building military-to-military relations between the United States and China. This type of an approach encourages China to become more of a “responsible stakeholder” and exert positive influence in Asia through its military interactions. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................1 A. MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTION................................................................1 B. IMPORTANCE................................................................................................1 C. PROBLEMS AND HYPOTHESES ...............................................................3 D. LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................4 E. METHODS AND SOURCES........................................................................11 F. THESIS OVERVIEW ...................................................................................13 II. MILITARY DIPLOMACY IN ASIA.......................................................................17 A. ENGAGEMENT PATTERNS......................................................................17 B. ENGAGEMENT TOOLS .............................................................................20 1. Strategic-level Activities ....................................................................20 2. Regional Activities .............................................................................22 3. Professional Military Education Exchanges....................................24 4. Non-traditional Security Cooperation .............................................26 5. Summary.............................................................................................29 III. GENERAL TRENDS ANALYSIS ...........................................................................33 A. OVERALL ACTIVITY LEVEL DISPARITY ...........................................34 B. STRATEGIC PARTNERS ...........................................................................36 1. U.S.-Japan Security Relations ..........................................................36 2. U.S.-Korea Security Relations ..........................................................38 3. U.S.–Philippine Security Relations...................................................42 4. U.S.-Singapore Security Relations....................................................45 5. U.S.-Thai Security Relations.............................................................47 6. China’s Strategic Partners................................................................50 7. China-Pakistan Security Relations...................................................51 8. China-Russia Security Relations ......................................................52 9. China-Burma Security Relations......................................................54 10. China-North Korea Security Relations............................................56 11. Summary.............................................................................................59 C. PREFERRED TOOLS ..................................................................................59 1. Consultations and Strategic Dialogues.............................................60 2. State-to-State Military Protocols......................................................61 3. Regional Forums ................................................................................61 4. Peacekeeping ......................................................................................65 5. Summary.............................................................................................66 D. THE CAVEAT TO MEASURING SUCCESS ...........................................67 E. SUMMARY ....................................................................................................68