CHINA'S conspicuously low level of participation at the just-concluded Shangri-La Dialogue is a sign not only of its mistrust of the United States but also of a military not quite ready to link up with the world.
China sent only a deputy chief of the Asia department of its Foreign Affairs Ministry to the annual Asian security forum. There was no representative from its military.
This was no surprise to analysts who study the People's Liberation Army of China.
By Goh Sui Noi
CHINA'S conspicuously low level of participation at the just-concluded Shangri-La Dialogue is a sign not only of its mistrust of the United States but also of a military not quite ready to link up with the world.
China sent only a deputy chief of the Asia department of its Foreign Affairs Ministry to the annual Asian security forum. There was no representative from its military.
This was no surprise to analysts who study the People's Liberation Army of China.
'The problem with the Chinese military is that it's a secretive organisation which is highly bureaucratic and very conservative,' said Dr Li Nan of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies at the Nanyang Technological University.
Given that military spending is a sensitive and politically risky subject to talk about and that there are very few senior officials fluent in English, it is not surprising that the military is reluctant to make an appearance at an open, international forum like the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Dr Li also noted that the Chinese military was unsure about the forum's objectives.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld used last year's forum to attack the lack of transparency in China's military spending and raised the issue again this year.
Security analyst Wang Xiangsui of the Beijing Aeronautics and Astronautics University explained that the modernisation of the Chinese military had begun in earnest only in recent years.
It needed time to adapt to the notion of taking part in international security forums to explain its position, he said.
And there is some explaining to do.
There is a discrepancy between the internal discourse on the military and the official statements of the Chinese government, observed Dr Li.
Chinese military literature has talked about building a blue-water navy capable of operating far from the coastal waters of its home nation, thus allowing power projection.
Yet, the Chinese government's message is that it has a defensive military policy.
Last month, China's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao described as 'groundless' a Pentagon report that China's military build-up was increasingly aimed at projecting power.
'China is a peace-loving country which firmly sticks to the path of peaceful development and adopts a national defence policy of a defensive nature,' he said.
The country's build-up is aimed at safeguarding Chinese territory, including preventing Taiwan from declaring formal independence, he added.
However, said Dr Li, Chinese naval literature has focused on the issue of the security of sea-lane communications away from the coast of China.
The Asian giant's military modernisation has also shifted from the infantry and land forces towards building up naval, air and strategic missile capabilities.
'These are about force projection, not defence of China,' Dr Li said.
He noted that some weapons systems that China had acquired are quite advanced, including long-range anti-ship missiles that could damage US aircraft carriers.
Certainly, one strong consideration is the possibility of engaging the US over Taiwan.
But a new reason and focus of China's military modernisation is energy security and ensuring the safe passage of China's energy imports through the sea routes, Dr Li suggested.
Be that as it may, China is learning that as it globalises, security is no longer just a domestic affair but a regional and global one as well, says Prof Wang.
He believes that, in two to three years' time, China's military will be taking part in multilateral security forums to explain the country's stand.
And it would not be a moment too soon if it wants to allay concerns about its intentions in the region and beyond.
