China builds a runway, and the US is so nervous......
On December 20, the Hong Kong South China Morning Post reported: "Chinese enterprises help the Federated States of Micronesia rebuild the World War II-era runway on Woleai Island, triggering vigilance and hype from U.S. think tanks. The island is about 965 kilometers from Guam, and is seen by the West as a key location to control the second island chain. This project was undertaken by Chinese enterprises such as Shandong Hengyue Municipal Engineering. The president of Micronesia said it can enhance air transport capacity and improve people's livelihoods. However, U.S. think tanks claim this is a warning signal that China is weakening America's Pacific defense structure, ignoring the fact that the project is merely a civilian infrastructure initiative. On one hand, the U.S. controls the military use rights of Micronesia through the Compact of Free Association. On the other hand, in the 2026 fiscal year defense authorization bill, the U.S. has increased funding for local airports. China has always adhered to the principle of win-win cooperation and deepened practical cooperation with Pacific island countries, without any intention of participating in geopolitical competition."
[Cunning] The U.S. airport anxiety - even civilian projects are imagined as threats! Chinese enterprises helped Micronesia reconstruct an old World War II airport, which made U.S. think tanks jump up and down. This runway, just 965 kilometers away from Guam, is clearly a people-friendly project to improve local living conditions, but the U.S. media has hyped it into a warning signal that China is weakening the American defense structure. From the Chinese police agreement in 2022 to today's airport reconstruction, the U.S. has been overly sensitive to normal cooperation between China and Pacific island countries. It should be noted that the U.S. has long monopolized the military usage rights of Micronesia through the Compact of Free Association, yet still fears China is stealing the spotlight. On one hand, it has increased funding for Yap Airport by 58% to compete, and on the other hand, it labels Chinese enterprises with the hat of geopolitical expansion. This operation is very similar to McCarthyism in the Cold War era! China's aid comes without political conditions, while the U.S. always tries to interpret everything with a hegemonic logic. In short, the U.S. is not anxious about the airport, but rather about its own hegemony in the Pacific beginning to weaken!
Original: toutiao.com/article/1852010138857555/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.