@
longriver
Actually, you could as well describe China´s actions as "agressive", but this angle of view won´t help to understand what is going on:
Seriously, and as I see you are from China, with all due respect: India and China have now over more than a decade been dubbed the future super powers, with US ending up third, and Europe relegated to a 2nd world nation level entity, all until 2050 (my take: It will go faster, we are living an exponential curve here).
It is only natural, that both US and China are marking their territory over those issues now, think of it as a pissing contest to establish your claims, as ypu did in school, or as every "pack" animal does.
Nothing notoriously "bad" or especially "aggressive" from either side, just the natural flow of things, testing out possibilities, limits and procedures, to adjust.
Just as an example, an article from 2004 (but there are many estimations dating back to 1995 that I recall):
http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/us-faces-challenges-three-fronts
In a speech in Seoul, Korea, renowned historian Paul Kennedy warned that America's status as an unchallenged global hegemon may be on the decline. The US faces three challenges that are currently threatening its sole-superpower status: Terrorism, economic rivalries and a diminishing cultural reputation:
At their current rates of growth, the economies of China and India will pose challenges to the US within the next fifty years. Contributing to US economic woes is the country’s extravagant military, even at a time when the US has the largest debts of any nation in recorded history (this is GWB time referred to... Rattler).
Kennedy also raises the question of whether the US military, even with this support, is becoming more or less effective at fighting terrorism. He applies his own term, “imperial overstretch” to describe the gap between military spending and national interest. He suggests that there is a disparity as well between US military goals and action. Furthermore, terrorists will likely avoid direct engagement with the powerful US military and attack civilian targets, embassies and other “soft” targets. In Kennedy's opinion, in order to improve its success with respect to terrorism, the US needs to concentrate on the key areas around the world that "are significant for U.S. strategic power."
On the cultural front, American cultural influence, based on its popular culture exports, is waning as approval for US policies declines in the international community. To deal with these problems is a major task, but Kennedy recommends that the US practice the politics of “reassurance” – promising not to misuse its power and acting as a “team player.”
If the US is able to address the issues Kennedy has outlined it may regain its reputation, and ironically, its global power may increase if a certain sense of restraint, subtlety and multilateralism is achieved.
Actually, I think Kennedy got all this right 6 yrs ago, and Obama has at least been able to address the "
strategic culture" issue (if not solved it), though the normal US "patriot" does not see nor understand this bit of "realpolitik" effect (as he has never bothered to read stuff like Kennedies in 2004 and right now - kind of surprised - has no background nor learning space except GWB rethorics to argue upon).
Then, in about 2007, the obvious made main media:
http://www.merinews.com/article/who...bal-super-power---india-or-china/128301.shtml
http://newsblaze.com/story/20070111114457tsop.nb/topstory.html
If you guys would get internet/press censorship out of the way and regulate the Tibetean issue, you might as well just by now have jumped the west (maybe you have anyway), is what I think (without really having the education background to estimate well, might well be you guys need this censorship with the vast millions you house in order to avoid the extremes, however rare this appears to us democratically bread and raised western citizens). OTOH I also believe your functionaries (like in every nation) have the "guard your ass" refrain so deeply imprinted on their soul that they won´t be able to do something real innovative until very late and with the society in uproar.
My 2 EuroCents,
Rattler