Such actions as the the U.S. buildup of forces on Guam reveal the seriousness of an ongoing "hedge" program against the military threat posed by Communist China to American interests in the Pacific. First developed under Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, the plan includes improving and extending U.S. military forces as well as bettering alliances in the region. Thus, the U.S. would be ready to counter any hostile moves made by China, moves that many believe are a real danger as China continues to deploy advanced nuclear and conventional missiles, increase its number of submarines and other naval forces, and even build up its mobile ground forces.Michael Pillsbury, a Pentagon consultant on China, said recently that the "hedging" moves are so necessary that they will continue whoever is elected president in November, this despite harsh criticsm of U.S. actions by the Chinese government.
Pillsbury explained the "hedging" actions are an important contrast to the the naive belief held by some people that China poses no threat to the region. He quoted a senior Navy civilian as saying this U.S. game plan is desperately needed because, "hope is not a strategy."
