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The blog of the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program
  • Environmental Cooperation Could Boost U.S.-Chinese Military Engagement, Says ECSP Director Dabelko

    April 23, 2009 By Wilson Center Staff
    “Recently, the Defense Department warned that lack of Chinese transparency and dialogue between the Chinese and US militaries could lead to dangerous miscalculations on both sides. The tense confrontation between a US Naval survey vessel and five Chinese ships in the South China Sea in March echoed the rather serious 2001 Hainan Island incident, which was characterized by mutual suspicion and public acrimony. That event affected US-China relations for years.

    To avoid further incidents, the Defense Department desires ‘deeper, broader, more high-level contacts with the Chinese,’ said Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell. The White House issued a statement stressing the ‘importance of raising the level and frequency of the US-China military-to-military dialogue,’ and President Obama quickly laid the groundwork by meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao in London and agreeing to work to improve military-to-military relations.

    One such way to begin military dialogue between the United States and China is by using environmental issues.

    Environmental collaboration is unlikely to hit politically sensitive buttons, and thus offers great potential to deepen dialogue and cooperation. Military-to-military dialogue can facilitate the sharing of best practices on a range of environmental security issues.”

    To read the rest of this op-ed, co-authored by ECSP Director Geoff Dabelko and Kent Hughes Butts, director of the National Security Issues Branch of the Center for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College, please visit the Christian Science Monitor.
    Topics: China, climate change, cooperation, environmental peacemaking, environmental security, military
    • http://www.blogger.com/profile/10689431589349250459 TComer

      As the United States shifts its strategy in Afghanistan towards combating opium production and the financing of terrorist organizations, I cannot help but consider the environmental security implications of such a strategy. Likewise, I am intrigued by the idea of increasing U.S. and Chinese military relations through joint efforts and planning for environmental security issues. However, as only so much cooperation can result from simply planning, why not ask the Chinese government to send some military personnel or officials to Afghanistan? Though I know it sounds improbable at face value, the mission facing the United States is revolutionizing the Afghan agricultural system, or at least returning it to its status during the 1970s.
      China has historically been able to sustain its immense population (as well as save some crops for export) on small amounts of arable land. The Chinese use of policies such as the Family Production Responsibility System, while not perfect, may hold the incentives and prosperity needed to wean Afghan farmers off of their dependency on Poppy production. China also has a vested interest in anti-terrorist actions, especially given their constant struggle with Islamic extremists in Xinjiang . Though links between Al-Qaeda and Uighur separatists have been stipulated but largely unsubstantiated, it is only a matter of time until the relationship becomes far more real. Furthermore, by extending international cooperation in Afghanistan beyond NATO members and to China, the United States may find unexpected Chinese support in places like Africa. Lessening tensions between China and the United States could bolster AFRICOMM’s mission, and in so doing ease the current resource competition between the United States and China in Africa while adding visibility to Chinese actions (or lack thereof) in places such as Darfur.
      Though there are undoubtedly many logistical issues (numbers, roles, security measures, etc…), increased cooperation with the Chinese in a real and tangible way may yield an outcome well worth the effort. By placing environmental security at the forefront of anti-terrorism perhaps the world’s major powers can find a way to reach out to disenfranchised populations around the globe.

    • http://www.blogger.com/profile/18337694112852162181 Geoff Dabelko

      Appreciate your thoughts on our oped. Interesting connection to Afghanistan and terrorism. I think however of the mil to mil cooperation on environment with the US and China as a distinct strategy than the anti-terrorism efforts. More targeted to two state militaries that goes to building confidence and trust where the relationship is uncertain but not openly in conflict. On terrorism, I think the approach is much more addressing livelihoods and other means to reduce grievance and pool for recruitment. Again, thanks for the post.

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