A "report" that deliberately distorts the facts

一份蓄意歪曲事实的“报告”

Source
China Military Online
Editor
Li Jiayao
Time
2019-05-09 17:34:33

By Zhao Weibin

赵蔚彬

Recently, the US Department of Defense (DoD) issued the 2019 Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China (also known as the “report on Chinese military power”). Like similar “reports” in previous years, this “report” makes a number of comments on China’s national defense policies that distort the facts, deliberately misrepresent China’s strategic intention, and vigorously spread the “China threat theory.” Considering that the US already clearly labels China as a “strategic competitor” in its National Security Strategy Report 2018, this “report” clearly showcases the US’ anxiety as well as its alertness and even hostility toward China.

近日,美国国防部发布2019年度《涉华军事与安全发展报告》(即中国军力报告)。同美往年的类似报告一样,这份报告对中国国防政策作了大量违背事实的评论,蓄意歪曲中方战略意图,大肆散布中国威胁论。考虑到2018年《美国国家安全战略报告》已明确中国为其战略竞争对手,其对我防备乃至敌对的焦虑心态昭然若揭。

Compared with the previous US “reports on China’s military power”, this year’s “report” is worthy of particular attention in the following four aspects:

相比此前的“中国军力报告”,这份“报告”具有以下四个方面的特点:

First, it declares that China has clear strategic goals and comprehensive approaches. Previous “reports” stressed that China’s development prospects remain uncertain, but this year’s clarifies in the beginning that China will continue “harnessing an array of economic, foreign policy, and security tools” to realize a “powerful and prosperous China that is equipped with a ‘world-class’ military.” It also incorporated China’s diplomatic and economic policies and energy strategies into the scope of national security for the first time, implying China has “global ambitions” and trying to provide a clumsy pretext for the US “whole-of-government strategy on China”.

一是认为我战略目标明确、手段全面。往年“报告”始终强调中国发展前景仍不确定,而今年“报告”开篇就点明,中国将综合运用经济、外交和军事手段,致力于建设富强国家,打造世界一流军队。“报告”还首次将中国外交和经济政策及能源战略纳入国家安全概念范畴,暗示中国有“全球雄心”,试图为美国“全政府对华战略”提供拙劣借口。

Second, the “report” pays close attention to the institutional restructuring and combat capacity improvement of the Chinese military. The “reports” of last two years noticed the importance of China’s national defense and military reforms, but deemed that such reforms would face grave challenges. This year’s “report” fully recognizes China’s reform results and holds that restructuring military regions into theater commands can better shape a favorable situation and carry out modern high-intensity joint operations. It also elaborates various training and drills carried out by Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 2018, and particularly notes that China has built a professional “blue force” and those exercises and drills involved various levels, positions and skills.

二是密切关注我军机构重塑及实战能力的提升。前两年的“报告”对我国防和军事改革的重大意义有所认知,但仍认为改革阻力重重。今年的“报告”则全面反映我改革成果,认为军区改战区能更好塑造有利态势,遂行现代高强度联合作战。“报告”还详述我各军兵种于2018年开展的各类训练演习,尤其注意到我已建设一支专业“蓝军”,且演习涉及更多层级、岗位和技能。

Third, the “report” has a specific chapter to smear the overall improvement of China’s defense industry. It groundlessly criticizes that the Chinese government uses market access and international norms to “force” foreign IT firms to transfer technology and set up R&D laboratories in China, and ridiculously conjectures that China acquires foreign advanced technologies under the guise of civil use. Obviously, this year’s “report” continues the previous routine of conjecturing, smearing and sensationalizing the development of China’s defense industry.

三是专节对我国防工业水平的整体提升肆意抹黑。“报告”莫名指责中国政府利用市场准入、国际规范等,强迫外国信息技术公司转让技术、在中国设立研发实验室,并臆测我假借民用名义获取外国先进技术。不难看出,“报告”延续了以前的套路,对我国防工业发展极尽臆测、抹黑、炒作之能事。

Fourth, the “report” shows a meticulous attitude toward China-US military relation and lowers its expectations for future development of mutual military and security relations. Ever since introducing the content about China-US military exchanges in 2010, such “reports” always gave positive remarks on achievements in this regard. However, this year’s “report” shows that the US side only maintains a “basic” expectation for future development of bilateral military and security relations. It also pretentiously “encourages” China to act in ways consistent with the free and open international order. In fact, it is the United States that upholds unilateralism, destroys international order, and frequently makes troubles threatening regional security. The US acts like a thief crying “stop thief,” making it looks ridiculous.

四是以谨慎心态观望两军关系,对中美军事安全关系未来发展期望值降低。自2010年加入中美军事交流的内容以来,“报告”对这一领域成果的评价总体积极。但今年的“报告”,对中美军事安全关系未来发展的期待只是“保底”。“报告”还冠冕堂皇地“鼓励”中国按照自由开放的国际秩序行事。殊不知,大行单边主义破坏国际秩序的正是美国,频繁制造地区安全风险的也是美国,这种贼喊捉贼的把戏颇为滑稽。

At Congress request, Pentagon produced this “report on Chinese military power” as a political tool to spread the so-called “Chinese military threat” both in the US and beyond. However, as it turns out, China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and upholds a national defense policy which is defensive in nature, as a constructor of world peace, a contributor of global development and a defender of international order in an unswerving way. China’s development means the growth of the force in favor of world peace.

应美国国会要求,五角大楼撰写的这份“中国军力报告”,是美在国际国内宣传“中国军事威胁”的政治工具。事实有力证明,中国坚持走和平发展道路,奉行防御性国防政策,始终是世界和平的建设者、全球发展的贡献者、国际秩序的维护者。中国的发展是世界和平力量的有益增长。

With a more open and confident Chinese military and increased channels for the international community to understand the PLA, the space for the US to hype the so-called “Chinese military threat” will be further narrowed, and the creditability of such “reports on Chinese military power” will be daily losing.

随着我军越来越开放、自信,国际社会了解中国军队的渠道越来越多,美国炒作“中国军事威胁”的空间将越来越小,各种版本“中国军力报告”的可信度将越来越低。

The Chinese side hopes the US will abandon its Cold War mentality and the outdated concept of zero-sum game, objectively and rationally view China’s strategic intentions and national defense development, stop issuing such irresponsible “reports” year after year, and instead make contributions to improving military-to-military and state-to-state relations between China and the US, not the other way round.

希望美方摒弃冷战思维和零和博弈的过时观念,客观、理性看待中国战略意图和国防建设,停止年复一年发布不负责任的“报告”,多做有利于中美两国和两军关系的事,而不是相反。

Disclaimer: The author is from the Chinese PLA’s Academy of Military Sciences. The article was published on the PLA Daily on 9 May,2019. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by China Military Online.

声明:本文作者单位为军事科学院。文章由《解放军报》刊发于2019年5月9日,由中国军网英文版编译发布。

 

Related News

back