Oriana Skylar Mastro on Chinese Security Policy

Is China a Global Military Power?   

No! China wants to basically exercise power outside of the region through economic means. They think foreign military intervention, kind of projecting power the way the United States does is extremely costly and inefficient. So I don't see them going in that direction, but I'm keeping an open mind in case they change their mind. I think we can easily tell from the platforms they're developing whether or not they haven't an eye of moving farther and farther from home.   

How Do US Regional Allies Help When Dealing With China? 

I would like to think about allies as partners not so much as helping the United States. It is not the case that the US has certain interests that are unique to us and our partners and allies should help us protect those interests. The idea I think in Asia, is that we hand these partnerships because we all have the same view of the type of world that we want to live in. And so even if we're not coordinated directly with Australia or with Japan, the actions they take in terms of upholding principles and norms of free-trade of liberal democracy, these types of things create an environment that is safer and better for the United States.