Regarding Michael Richardson's Sept. 12 article, "New ships give China's navy a stronger punch": No matter how determined China is to modernize and expand its navy/military presence and its influence in the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. Navy is light-years ahead. The Pentagon saw this challenge a long time back and surged ahead covertly to prepare for the long term.
The U.S. Marines are expanding in Guam, and the U.S. military in general is developing military ties with Australia. The U.S. Navy stockpiles a massive arsenal of weapons on Diego Garcia — an island that is a thousand miles from anywhere in the Indian Ocean — as well as at secret bases throughout the Pacific and Asia.
That doesn't mean that China's military expansion is not a viable influence to be concerned about for those who live in the region, but as a former navy commander, I can assure anyone that for every step forward that China takes in this respect, the U.S. is a mile ahead of that step in every way, shape and form!
America doesn't want military conflict with the Chinese for any reason, but it will not succumb to them or relinquish its presence and power in the region either.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.