To strengthen military mutual trust can also help to promote a real strategic rebalancing in the Asia-Pacific. US President Barack Obama's return-to-Asia strategy during his first term with an aggressive posture toward China has broken the strategic balance and stability in the Asia-Pacific region after the Cold War.

During his second term, Obama began to pursue a more flexible and pragmatic rebalancing strategy. Witnessing China's rise and Russia's tough stance in dealing with the crisis in Ukraine, Washington has felt it is necessary to rebalance its rebalancing strategy to gain China's understanding and increase coordination.

According to the US Defense Department's 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review, released in March, the Obama administration will continue to focus on promoting its Asia-Pacific rebalancing strategy and increasing the US' military deployment and strategic resources in the region.

The US still sees China as its greatest potential rival, however, the Pentagon says it will continue to build a "sustained and substantive dialogue" with China to increase the two militaries' counter-piracy cooperation, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and other issues of common interest.

Washington cannot ignore China's reaction while continuing to pursue its rebalancing. And China also will take effective actions to cope with the US' military deployment moving closer to China's doorstep. The exchanges between the two militaries can contribute to bilateral strategic communication, helping to promote a real rebalancing of the strategic pattern in the Asia-Pacific region.

Fang's visit, which came amid rising tensions over maritime disputes in the Asia-Pacific region, has helped stabilize the regional situation. Some countries in the region, strutting in borrowed plumes, are challenging China's legitimate rights and interests. Japan is trying to use the US-Japan alliance to pursue a political and military power status and continue to provoke China over the Diaoyu Islands dispute. The Philippines and Vietnam with the backing of the US have engaged in more and more military adventures in the South China Sea.

US forces' frequent offshore activities in the waters near Chinese coast might increase unexpected frictions with the Chinese navy. These factors have produced a negative influence on China-US military relationship. As Fang said in the US National Defense University, the two militaries should cherish their hard-won achievements, prevent possible disruptions and continue to move forward.

The author is an associate editor of Contemporary International Relations, which is sponsored by the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

(China Daily 05/21/2014 page8)