Op-Ed Contributors

Positive change in US nuke strategy

By Zhang Tuosheng (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-21 07:53

Second, the US' strategic change is a political choice and may not proceed perfectly. Guided by new thoughts, Obama has tried to change the US nuclear strategy from fighting wars to air and missile defense but he faces great resistance from within America. Judging from the NPR, the US is just taking the first step toward the new direction. So, the future is still uncertain.

Third, the changes proposed by Obama will not undermine the superiority of the US military. Reducing the role of nuclear weapons will only better serve long-term US interests. And it is likely that the US will focus on developing missile defense and conventional weapons in the future to maintain its military superiority.

Fourth, the changes have the potential of promoting Sino-US cooperation and reducing contradictions. By adjusting its nuclear strategy, the Obama administration has reduced its differences with China on several issues. This is a positive gesture toward defining bilateral relations and has raised hopes of building mutual strategic trust. Of course, there are emerging challenges, too.

The US is putting more pressure on China to increase "transparency", ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty and the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, and cooperate with it more closely on security problems related to countries like the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Pakistan.

But, generally speaking, the positive impact of the change in America's nuclear strategy will be greater than the negative, and help strengthen Sino-US relations.

The author is a research fellow with the China International Strategy Research Fund.

(China Daily 07/21/2010 page9)