“Washington and Beijing are already sliding toward rivalry by default.” To escape this, White makes a strong argument for a “concert of powers” in Asia, as the best — and perhaps only — way that this looming confrontation can be avoided.
Funny enough, China's efforts to dominate their neighbors--who seek our help to stop that--should be met with a strategy of giving China other nations to dominate.
But not to worry, China only wants East Asia:
The danger of conflict does not stem from a Chinese desire for global leadership. Outside East Asia, Beijing is sticking to a very cautious policy, centered on commercial advantage without military components, in part because Chinese leaders realize that it would take decades and colossal naval expenditure to allow them to mount a global challenge to the United States, and that even then they would almost certainly fail.
The guy just told us that if we give China their neighbors that China really has no more territorial ambitions. Well, not for many decades anyway. Then we could fight and then we would win. Why we'd fight then with fewer allies and why we'd naturally win if China organized a compliant East Asia is beyond me. Perhaps we can count on France and Germany to fight with us at that point.
Why should we accept retreat from the region and essentially give East Asia to China?
For most of its history, China has dominated the region. When it becomes the largest economy on earth, it will certainly seek to do so.
Well then, if China has long dominated others, who are we to think China's neighbors can escape that fate? If the Middle Kingdom between freaking Heaven and freaking Earth seeks to once again require all around them to pay tribute, who are we to object?
But ultimately, contemplate what the author is advising us to do: surrender allies and hope that China doesn't get so powerful that they can come after us after digesting their neighborhood. Heck, it isn't like we've had Hawaii for that long.
We won't like a world run by China's rules and China's rulers. The fact that China's neighbors--who've experienced that Chinese domination for most of their history--are eager for our help to balance China should be a clue. If we wait to see how China runs "just" East Asia, it may be too late to stop them.
