China and the US

There are two contrasting media outlets which discuss their country's interests. China Daily is for China and RT for Russia. RT seems always to find the most extreme example of US actions and always finds a way to condemn the US. China Daily on the other hand is a window to China and is somewhat even handed.

A recent piece by China Daily is worthy of reading. It describes actions by the US with China during WW II. The article states:

Top-secret military documents from World War II have revealed the depth and strength of the alliance between China and the United States against Imperial Japan, as well as joint efforts to rescue downed US pilots. The cache of intelligence documents, detailing a number of daring missions, is on display at Jianchuan Museum in Anren, Sichuan province. More than 1,100 documents and other artifacts were donated by the family of Major Richard Hill (1908-92), a US military intelligence officer who coordinated the rescue of 46 US pilots shot down over occupied China. Fan Jianchuan, who owns the museum, said he is passionate about bringing the largely forgotten story of US-China collaboration to life for a new generation, and that the path to future peace and friendship lies in these wartime ties. 

The fact was that the US and China did cooperate greatly during WW II and this was an added dimension that we all too often forget. 

On the other hand we should always re-read Mahan as well as Bywater to best understand the Pacific as a region of potential military conflict. China is unlike Japan, it is economically self sufficient and has access to resources that it deems necessary. However control of the seas is as critical to China as it was to Japan.