China challenges strength of US Navy and allies

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United States Admiral Robert Willard, stated on a trip to Japan that China is ready to begin implementing a long range anti-ship cruise missile into its arsenal. This missile differs from US Naval weapons currently in use because it can travel 1,000 miles to a target while US cruise missiles used for the same purpose have a range of 600 miles. The Chinese cruise missile can also travel a speeds that far exceed US missiles. The missile is believed to be a counter measure to aircraft carriers. The US Navy is currently planning to add 3 more carriers to its fleet in the next 10 years. While the United States maintains a much larger and generally more technologically advanced navy than China, this missile increases the range China could theoretically attack a US fleet or other ships inside or outside Chinese waters.

This development complicates the US commitment to defend Taiwan from a Chinese attack. If the US backs off in the Pacific this could only encourage more weapons development from China. It might also encourage US allies in the region like Australia, Japan, and Korea to try to fill the military gap the US would leave behind. Japan already announced this summer definite plans to expand its submarine fleet. Given the US's history with China and China's military recklessness demonstrated in the Hainan Island Incident in 2001, the training exercise incident in 2007, and the satellite incident in 2007, there's no reason why the US should consider stepping down in the Pacific and letting our allies down. In fact, a re-armament of Japan sounds like an appropriate measure at this point, and a reward for their loyalty thus far. Its understandable why China wants to grow powerful, but the US shouldn't back down from a nation that believes, "China is a big country and other countries are just small countries, and that's just a fact."

--Ray Treonis