Keating: Engagement With China May Clarify Its Military Intentions

“We have expressed to them our concern for their development of certain kinds of weapons: aerial-denial weapons and satellite technology and the growth of their submarine force, for example,” he said. “They counter by telling us they only want to protect those things that are theirs.”

“We at Pacific Command seek not just transparency, but clearer intention, expressed by our Chinese colleagues,” he said. “And it is our firm desire and intention to continue the dialog with our Chinese colleagues so as to develop an even better understanding of their intention.”

“They profess to seek a peaceful rise and harmonious integration,” he said, quoting Chinese leaders’ own words. “We are all for that. But they have to show us, in our view, how they intend to achieve that while developing these certain weapons. We think there is some contradiction in the stated goals vs. the practices we are observing.”

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