China and Russia have begun joint military exercises called "Peace Mission 2005" that will continue into next week. The two countries are bringing their main weaponry to the war games, and as many as 100,000 army, navy, air force, and special forces troops are participating. The exercise begins at the Russian Pacific fleet's command center in Vladivostok. Warships will go around the Korean peninsula and together with the Chinese military engage in an amphibious and paratrooper operation on the Shandong peninsula.
The exercises have several goals. To begin with one desired effect is to restrain independence moves by Taiwan, Xinjiang, and Tibet. Another goal appears to be preparing for an emergency situation on the Korean peninsula. The intention also looks like it is to establish a military alliance between China and Russia that can stand up to that of the US and Japan, and by doing so gain the ability to compete supremacy over the whole of Asia.
There's no saying China and Russia can't do joint military exercises when the US and Japan have long done the same. The US's offensive foreign policy has in some ways strengthened military cooperation between China and Russia. There is no shortage of cases in history where the right kind of military balance has supported peace.
However, having competition over military supremacy in Northeast Asia cannot be beneficial to anyone, because countries would go about wasteful muscle-flexing without anyone ever achieving overwhelming superiority. The region is already the last place where the Cold War continues, and it is the most overpopulated area militarily, with close to 5 million troops.
What the nations of Northeast Asia need to do is not go on an arms race, they need good-willed competition in all non-military areas and to establish a regime of peaceful co-existence. That will require not doing anything that could look threatening. Korea needs to take a leading role not only in resolving the North Korean nuclear issue, but in this matter as well.
The Hankyoreh, 20 August 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection (PMS)]
[Editorial] War Games & Peace in Northeast Asia |
