U. S. China Security Management: Assessing the Military-to-Military Relationship

Documents the history of U.S. security management with China from 1971 to the present, examines the arguments for and against conducting activities with the People's Liberation Army, and recommends a program of military-to-military activities based on existing constraints and realistic goals. Restrictions on military-to-military relations with China imposed in 2001 stirred a debate on the value of those activities and their place in the overall U.S.-China relationship. This report finds that there is value in security cooperation, despite its problems. The relationship with China should concentrate on security management rather than on security cooperation. A three-part program of dialogue, information gathering, and limited cooperation can have mutual benefit in minimizing misperceptions and the chances of conflict.