By James R. Holmes
The U.S. should not take too much solace in the fact that China’s defense spending lags behind its own.
Admiral Foggo has set me the impossible task of describing the strategic challenge China poses to the United States … in 5-7 minutes.
Since a complete rundown is impossible, let me instead posit a few ways China could get the best of America and its Asian allies in the strategic competition presently underway. Such an excursion could be the beginning of wisdom.
Asia-watchers sometimes contend that China cannot match the United States and its allies militarily. Some point to Chinese hardware, claiming it lags decades behind ours. Other commentators look at raw budget numbers. Because the United States outspends the next X countries combined, they say we’re “Number One” for the foreseeable future. Get out the big foamy finger!
Such observations could be true but not especially relevant to the competition. In fact, the godfather of strategic theory, Carl von Clausewitz, sees three ways a lesser competitor can prevail over a stronger one. It can do so while using little if any force, and without unduly disrupting the regional or global order.
Read the full story at The Diplomat