Gates To Visit

The United States and China are sometimes global competitors for markets, influence and increasingly for military bragging rights.  The United States and China have cooperated on sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, and both nations are discussing working side by side to deter piracy and respond to Asian natural disasters.  But the two militaries are engaged in a test of wills in the Pacific, as China begins to challenge the century-old assumption that the United States is the pre-eminent military power there.  While it is modernizing, China's military still lags far behind the United States. U.S. officials say they are not concerned about the missile or other advances, but the U.S. Navy is the most obvious target.  U.S. officials say it is vital that the two militaries strengthen their limited lines of communication. Washington argues that with better equipment comes greater risk that a misunderstanding becomes deadly or that a minor tiff could spiral beyond control.