It seems as if China's rising economic status has finally gone to its head. As if asserting its dominance in global trade no longer satiates its hunger, China is now developing in another area — its military.
When Defense Secretary Robert Gates paid Chinese military leaders a visit on Monday, Chinese defense minister Gen. Liang Guanglie said the U.S. was perhaps overreacting to China's efforts to modernize.
But with China's secret test flights of the new radar-evading fighter jets, the U.S. can hardly be blamed for its paranoia. To counter China, Gates said the U.S. has amped up its investments in weaponry and technology.
But countering China's arms buildup with our own may not be the best idea. We have every right to do so, and America should prepare to defend ourselves in the worst-case scenario. But we must also keep in mind that this is not a race, nor is it a competition — yet.
Remember the Cold War that occurred only a few decades ago? This current, tense situation may end the same way if we choose to react aggressively. We won't know much until President Hu Jintao meets with President Barack Obama in Washington a few days from now.
Even after the meeting, we still may not know much about China's intentions or what it plans to accomplish with its new weaponry. But until we do, it's important not to assume.
Vigilance does not have to be belligerence, and we shouldn't be too eager to keep up. There are some parts of history that we wouldn't want to repeat.
