奥巴马：美国不怕中国

choi

(1)
(a) 中国怀疑美澳军事合作针对中国. BBC Chinese, Nov 16, 2011.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/si ... hina_security.shtml

Note: Darwin, Northern Territory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin,_Northern_Territory
(Population: 124,800(2009); capital and the most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory; Dutch visited Australia's northern coastline in the 1600s; In its third voyage, British navy survey ship HMS Beagle on Sept 9, 1839 saw and named the port after Charles Darwin, who was with the ship in the second voyage; Darwin has a new deepwater port at Darwin East Arm, which is capable of handling Panamax sized ships)
(b) 美国与澳大利亚达成军事部署协议. VOA Chinese, Nov 16, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/n ... ALIA-133944618.html
(澳大利亚总理"吉拉德说，根据这项协议，200到250名美国海军陆战队队员将驻扎在澳大利亚北部，实行每6个月的轮流部署。吉拉德说，这支美军在一段时间后将增至2500名军人的完整编制。她还说，这项协议还把澳大利亚的基地向美国飞机开放")

(2) 美澳高调纪念双边军事联盟建立60周年. VOA Chinese, Nov 16, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/n ... bama-133927788.html
("美国和澳大利亚以及新西兰之间的协约是1951年9月在旧金山签署的，那时正逢冷战高峰")

Note: ANZUS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ANZUS
(The Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty; previously a full three-way defense pact, but following a dispute between New Zealand and the United States in 1984 over visiting rights for nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered ships of the US Navy to New Zealand ports, the treaty may have lapsed between the United States and New Zealand; Formation Sept 1, 1951)

(3) 希拉里访问菲律宾强化联盟关系. BBC Chinese, Nov 15, 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/si ... _clinton_asia.shtml
("在为期两天的访问行程中，希拉里将出席在马尼拉湾停泊的美国海军导弹驱逐舰'菲茨杰拉德号'上举行的象征性仪式，纪念美国与菲律宾签署安全条约60周年")

Note:
(a) Mutual Defense Treaty (US–Philippines)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_Defense_Treaty_(U.S.%E2%80%93Philippines)
(signed on August 30, 1951 in Washington, DC)
(b) This treaty was forgotten until two months ago when in the face of an assertive China, the Philippines removed it from the attic and brushed off the dust. It was deemed a desperate move (the nation had not warship--or one that is barely operational). To my surprise US is responding to Filipino overtures.

(4) 奥巴马：美国不怕中国. VOA Chinese, Nov 16, 2011
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/n ... ment-133958593.html
(中国人民大学美国问题专家时殷弘教授对美国之音说，"从哲学的角度讲，(中国)希望大家少搞点军事同盟。在亚太多建立一些非军事的，非同盟的合作，包括政治合作、经济合作、外交合作")

My comment:
(a) A look at the title or the text of the report is alarming. However, if one reads the transcript, Pres Obama's remark is not only reasonable but what I would say. Context is the key, especially when asked if or why US appears to be afraid of China. In my view, Pres Obama's reply is to the point, middle-of-the-road.
(b) The pertinent portion in the transcript:

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Gillard of Australia in Joint Press Conference. Parliament House, Canberra, Australia. Nov 16, 2011.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-pr ... stralia-joint-press

Quote:

(i)
"Q    You and Prime Minister Gillard have outlined what is for us a significant new U.S. troop buildup.  How much of this is because you're (inaudible) of China?  And as of today's deal, U.S. Marines will be for the first time conducting exercises by themselves on Australian soil.  Why is that, and what will they be doing?

"PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, first, with respect to these new initiatives, this rotational deployment is significant because what it allows us to do is to not only build capacity and cooperation between our two countries, but it also allows us to meet the demands of a lot of partners in the region that want to feel that they're getting the training, they're getting the exercises, and that we have the presence that's necessary to maintain the security architecture in the region.

"And so, as Julia mentioned, this is a region that’s becoming increasingly important.  The economy in this area is going to be the engine for world economic growth for some time to come.  The lines of commerce and trade are constantly expanding.  And it’s appropriate then for us to make sure that not only our alliance but the security architecture of the region is updated for the 21st century, and this initiative is going to allow us to do that.

"It also allows us to respond to a whole host of challenges, like humanitarian or disaster relief, that, frankly, given how large the Asia Pacific region is, it can sometimes be difficult to do, and this will allow us to be able to respond in a more timely fashion and also equip a lot of countries, smaller countries who may not have the same capacity, it allows us to equip them so that they can respond more quickly as well.

"And I guess the last part of your question, with respect to China, I’ve said repeatedly and I will say again today that we welcome a rising, peaceful China.  What they’ve been able to achieve in terms of lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty over the last two decades has been nothing short of remarkable.  And that is good not just for China, but it’s potentially good for the region.  And I know Australia’s economy, obviously, has benefitted by the increased demand that you’re seeing in China.

"The main message that I’ve said not only publicly but also privately to the Chinese is that with their rise comes increased responsibilities.  It’s important for them to play by the rules of the road and, in fact, help underwrite the rules that have allowed so much remarkable economic progress to be made over the last several decades.  And that’s going to be true on a whole host of issues.

"So where China is playing by those rules, recognizing its new role, I think this is a win-win situation.  There are going to be times where they’re not, and we will send a clear message to them that we think that they need to be on track in terms of accepting the rules and responsibilities that come with being a world power.

My comment:
(A) The transcript does not identify the reporter who asks the question. Presumably the questioner is non-American, so the American(s) who transcribes the press conference does not know his or her name.
(B) The questioner states, "And as of today's deal, U.S. Marines will be for the first time conducting exercises by themselves on Australian soil.

After World War II, presumably. For it is well known that Japan invaded the Phillippines and General Douglas MacArthur escaped to Australia to be Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area.  

(ii)
"Jackie Calmes [of New York Times, as the next questioner].

"Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  Thank you, Prime Minister Gillard.  I wanted to double back to the topic of China.  It seems there’s a bit of a schizophrenic aspect to this week of summitry in the Asian Pacific, where China is participating from Hawaii to Indonesia, but then you have all the rest of you who are talking about, on one hand, a trade bloc that excludes China, and now this -- and an increased military presence for the United States, which is symbolized most by this agreement the two of you have made for a permanent U.S. presence in Australia.

"What is it everyone fears so much from China?  And isn’t there some risk that you would increase tensions in a way that would take some of the -- China might take some of the very actions you fear?

"PRIME MINISTER GILLARD:  I’m happy to start with that and then go to the President.  I don’t -- I think there’s actually a theme throughout the work we’ve been involved with at APEC, some of the discussion here and what we will take to the East Asia Summit.  We may be on a journey from saying 'aloha' to 'good day' to 'Bali hai*” or something like that.  But I actually think in terms of a strategic outlook, it remains the same -- which is both of our nations deeply engaged with China as it rises and we want to see China rise into the global rules-based order.

"That’s our aspiration.  I understand it to be the aspiration of the United States.  It’s something that we pursue bilaterally with China.  It’s something that we pursue multilaterally in the various forums that we work in.

"This East Asia Summit will have a particular significance, coming for the first time with the President of the United States there and of course Russia represented around the table, so all of the players with the right mandate to discuss strategic, political and economic questions for our region.

"So I actually believe there’s a continuity here:  APEC fundamentally focused on trade and economic liberalization; here in Australia, longtime allies, talking about the future of their alliance and building for that future, as you would expect, but also preparing for a set of discussions in Bali, which will bring us together again with our friends across the region.

"PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Just to pick up on this theme, Jackie, I think the notion that we fear China is mistaken.  The notion that we are looking to exclude China is mistaken.  And I’ll take TPP as a perfect example of this.  We haven’t excluded China from the TPP.  What we have said is the future of this region depends on robust trade and commerce, and the only way we're going to grow that trade is if we have a high-standards trade agreement where everybody is playing by the same rules; where if one set of markets is open then there's reciprocity among the other trading partners; where there are certain rules that we abide by in terms of intellectual property rights protection or how we deal with government procurement -- in addition to the traditional areas like tariffs.

"And what we saw in Honolulu, in APEC, was that a number of countries that weren't part of the initial discussions -- like Japan, Canada, Mexico -- all expressed an interest in beginning the consultations to be part of this high-standard trade agreement that could potentially be a model for the entire region.

"Now, if China says, we want to consult with you about being part of this as well, we welcome that.  It will require China to rethink some of its approaches to trade, just as every other country that's been involved in the consultations for the TPP have had to think through, all right, what kinds of adjustments are we willing to make?

"And so that's the consistent theme here.  This is a growing region.  It is a vital region.  The United States is going to be a huge participant in both economic and security issues in the Asia Pacific region, and our overriding desire is that we have a clear set of principles that all of us can abide by so that all of us can succeed.  And I think it's going to be important for China to be a part of that.  I think that's good for us.

"But it's going to require China, just like all the rest of us, to align our existing policies and what we've done in the past with what's needed for a brighter future.

My comment:
(A) The NYT reporter says, "I wanted to double back to the topic of China."

double (vi): "to turn sharply and suddenly; especially : to turn back on one's course <the rabbit doubled back on its tracks>"
www.m-w.com
(B) Ms Julia Gillard mentions "Bali Hai." I donot know what it is. Offic eof prime minister of Australia does not publish or has not published the transcript of the press conference, thought it has published the transcript of Ms Gillard of a later event:

"Our shared, restless, forward questing", [Her] Speech to the Parliamentary Dinner for President Obama, Canberra. Nov 16, 2011.
http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office
(C) Ms Gillard answers, "This East Asia Summit will have a particular significance, coming for the first time with the President of the United States there and of course Russia represented around the table."

This year, the sixth annual East Asia Summit (EAS) will be held on Nov 19 at Bali, Indonesia, where US and Russia are set to join the organization, represented by US Pres Obama and Russia Pres Dmitry Medvedev. The first EAS was held in 2005 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where then Russia Pres Vladimir Putin attended as a quest/observer (besides ASEAN nations, Australia, China, Japan, S Korea attended EAS throughout the years). At the fifth EAS held in 2010 at Hanoi, Vietnam, "United States Secretary of State [Hillary Clinton] and the Foreign Minister of Russia [Sergey Lavrov] attended [as observers]" where Ms Clinton's appearance marked the first US presence at EAS.
East Asia Summit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Asia_Summit