U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel called China "unhelpful" and "irresponsible" at a press conference last Thursday and blamed China for the near-collision of the USS Cowpens and a Chinese navy vessel in the South China Sea earlier this month.

But why was a U.S. warship in the South China Sea in the first place? It was not serving as a traffic cop guaranteeing freedom of navigation – that has never been a problem. Instead, it forced its way through the middle of a training exercise led by the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, coming within 45 kilometers of the Chinese squadron. Every country, including the U.S., had been informed of the exercise. The Cowpens was clearly sent to monitor it.

China has not sent a single warship with hostile intent anywhere near the U.S. coast. Yet Washington is deploying 60 percent of its naval assets to the Asia-Pacific region.

Just who is irresponsible?

U.S. officials and media keep talking about China's "increasing assertiveness." But China's military posturing is purely defensive. China maintains no military base in any foreign country, unlike the U.S., which has nearly 1,000 military bases all over the world. Now, it is deploying its most sophisticated hardware in China's front yard, ready to carry out the Pentagon's much touted Air-Sea Battle plan against China.

So who is irresponsible?

The U.S. has stated that they support and will defend Japan's administration of the Diaoyu Islands if necessary, even though the islands were Chinese territory when Japan decided to incorporate them. Why does the U.S. choose to uphold its treaty with Japan in total disregard of the Cairo Declaration and Potsdam Proclamation, which the U.S. took the lead in drafting?

Who, then, is irresponsible?

China is trying to reform its economy to improve people's lives and contribute to world economic growth. So far, the U.S.'s financial reforms have done nothing to solve the root problem behind the 2008 financial crisis.

Meanwhile, the U.S. keeps increasing its already bloated military spending in spite of the sequestration. No wonder the stocks of Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman all went up by almost 50 percent this year. Their gain is at the expense of veterans, the poor, the unemployed and children. That says much about the reactionary nature of the national security state.

A new Pew Research Center poll shows that 52 percent of Americans believe that the U.S. should mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own. Only 38 percent disagree with the statement. Yet Washington still wants to run the world.

So who indeed is irresponsible?

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://m.keyanhelp.cn/opinion/zhaojinglun.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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