Lawmakers mull response to Chinese expansion

House lawmakers this week struggled to confront how the U.S. should respond to an increasingly aggressive China, which has made inroads into the South China Sea.

China has faced off against its neighbors over control of the Spratly Islands and has only ramped up its efforts in recent months by dredging and transporting sand to build artificial islands in the area. Most recently, it completed the construction of an airstrip large enough to accommodate a military aircraft.

{mosads}China’s intentions aren’t completely clear, but its maritime expansion comes “at the expense of regional stability and the principles and goals of global development and international law,” Rep. Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, said during a hearing on Thursday.

Lawmakers and advisors are scrambling to find the most appropriate way for the U.S. to respond to the perceived aggression without marring Sino-American relations.

“We stand alone as a world power in our ability to engage China on complex issues for which there no easy solutions,” said Salmon.

The U.S. will get a crucial chance to address its concerns in September, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Washington.

In meetings, President Obama should directly engage Xi in an intimate and honest discussion, lawmakers were told, to clarify China’s intentions and get all U.S. concerns on the table.

But the U.S. must walk a fine line, as overly preemptive action may do more harm than good, experts warned the House panel.

“Southeast Asia looks to America to do a lot of the heavy lifting, which takes the burden off of them. They don’t have to be placed responsible,” cautioned Michael Swaine, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“Secondly, it makes the Chinese more defensive,” he added. “Because they think, ‘Oh, the United States is creating this problem behind the scenes — or in front, for that matter.’”
 
“Raising false hopes in Beijing only to have them dashed disappointingly is significantly more dangerous than being clear and firm from the start,” agreed Andrew S. Erickson, PhD., an associate professor at China Maritime Studies Institute.

There are also too many other important issues between the U.S. and China to let the South China Sea consume the relationship, said panelists.

Preserving peaceful relations between the two countries remains critical to prevent tensions from boiling over, Swaine insisted.

“To allow a dispute over a few rocks and islands in a corner of the Asia-Pacific region to derail a vital relationship critical to both regional and global peace and prosperity is the height of folly,” said Swaine.

This article was re-edited at 11:20 a.m. Saturday, July 25, 2015.