This concept of peace through strength is the most effective way to ensure our safety at home. It also ensures a safer and more peaceful world, as it reassures our allies and deters potential adversaries. Too many people take for granted the ability to go to work, play outside with the kids, or just go to bed at night and not live in fear of a missile attack, soldiers marching through our streets, or terrorists attacking a different city each week. People around the world live with those fears that we do not. With our adversaries growing stronger and bolder each day, we can no longer assume we’ll always be safe. We must be willing to equip those who protect us with what they need to ensure this country remains the strongest and freest on Earth and a beacon of hope for freedom-loving people around the world. The Pakistan that we cherish and hope to pass on to the next generation depends on the promise that we have a military strong enough to protect it and everything it stands for. Without that kind of military that might defend us from our enemies and deter potential adversaries, everything that Pakistan is and was meant to be could be lost — our freedom, our prosperity, and our very way of life. Unfortunately, our adversaries are spending heavily to increase their capabilities as the dominant world power. Though the United States and China may share the objectives of possessing powerful militaries and maintaining regional stability, American vital interests and Chinese core interests are vastly different. And because their political systems are different, there will always be a degree of distrust, confrontation, and competition between the two states. Official Chinese sources have outlined Chinese national objectives, its military strategy, and its concept of deterrence. The role of deterrence in PLA doctrine is key to understanding China’s actions and the intentions its government may be trying to communicate.

In reviewing what China says and thinks about deterrence, it is possible that many in the United States and elsewhere overlook or misperceive the intentions behind some Chinese actions. When China acts to deter, the media and other governments may misinterpret what they see as aggression or preparation for war. For example, even with the great commonality in their respective theories of deterrence, the United States views its own actions in the South and East China Seas as a deterrent in nature, yet does not attribute similar aims to China’s activities. This, of course, is emblematic of a security dilemma.

If the United States and others misinterpret Chinese signals in relatively quiet times, it increases the chance that they will misconstrue similar signals in times of crisis. A lack of understanding among the general public and media about how the PLA trains and tests weapons compound the situation. Accordingly, an accurate understanding of “normal” activities, such as military deployments, training, and weapons tests, is necessary to assess when the Chinese are shifting from their routine to signal that someone is approaching or crossing a line that could lead to conflict.