343 Fernando Delage The Asian strategy of Xi Jinping its Asia-Pacific military alliances, expanded its military presence in the region, and frequently makes the situation there tenser”.18 Xi spoke in similar terms, indicating the cause for the deterioration of the environment to be the predominance of a “Cold War mentality” and of “zero-sum games”, referring to the defensive alliances as a cause for concern. “To beef up and entrench a military alliance targeted at a third party”, he indicated in May 2014, “is not conducive to maintaining common security”.19 Here he was referring to Washington’s Asian strategy, which numerous Chinese analysts look upon as an implicitly limiting the PRC’s freedom for manoeuvre.20 Beijing insists that both countries can work together for regional stability. Despite an intense economic interdependence and diversified bilateral cooperation, the competitive factor is increasingly evident, aggravating mutual distrust.21 China faces the challenge of readjusting its strategy towards the United States -the only country that can obstruct its progress- by attempting to weaken its position in Asia, but avoiding direct confrontation. Maritime disputes represent another concern for Beijing. According to the White Defence Paper, “some neighbouring countries are taking actions that complicate the situation (…), and Japan is making trouble over the issue of the Diaoyu Islands”.22 All in all, it is recognised that these controversies have deteriorated relations at regional level, necessitating a redefinition of periphery policy.23 18 INFORMATION OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL. “The Diversified Employment of China’s Armed Forces”. 19 XI Jinping. “New Asian Security Concept for New Progress in Security Cooperation: Remarks at the Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Summit”. 20 XIANG Lanxin. “The Sino-American security dilemma in Asia: a Chinese Perspective”, in CSCAP, Regional Security Outlook 2015, December 2014, pp. 11-14, http://www.cscap.org/index. php?page=cscap-regional-security-outlook-2 (last consultation 12-1-2015). 21 LIEBERTHAL, Kenneth y WANG Jisi. “Addressing U.S.-China Strategic Distrust”, Washington: John L. Thornton China Center at Brookings, Monograph Series no. 4 (March 2012), http://www. brookings.edu/~/media/research/files/papers/2012/3/30%20us%20china%20lieberthal/0330_china_ lieberthal.pdf (last consultation 12-1-2015); HART, Melanie, ed. “Exploring the Frontiers of U.S.- China Strategic Cooperation: Visions for Asia-Pacific Security Architecture”. -Washington: Center for American Progress, November 2014, https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ ChinaReport-Security-FINAL.pdf (last consultation 14-11-2014). 22 INFORMATION OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL. “The Diversified Employment of China’s Armed Forces”. 23 SWAINE, Michael D. “Chinese Views and Commentary on Periphery Diplomacy”, China Leadership Monitor, no. 44 (Summer 2014), p. 8, http://www.hoover.org/sites/default/files/research/ docs/clm44ms.pdf (last consultation 12-1-2015). http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee
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