You have to read between the lines, my friend. lol.
Conservative Neo-cons like McCain et al may not like China participating in Rimpac, and politics follows a tune. It is meant to feed the domestic consumption.
I do read between the lines, and it goes like this for me. China will not get its due, for the simple reason, we are to big to be anything but first amongst equals.
The American experts on China may pretend their problem is with China not changing the way they thought we would, but that's not the real problem, they wanted a China subservient to their needs, a bigger Japan if you must. Not a knock on Japan, just a fact.
Today, it is abundantly clear China will chart our own course, carve out our own sphere of influence, and play by our own rules.
That's what they don't like, and that isn't limited to just the Neo-cons.
Pivot to Asia may not be a success nor is the AIIB hijack attempt, but it shows clearly where we stand. This base just adds to the evidence.
But in regards to military activity and planning, these things are left to professionals who understand the language of inter-national pragmatist cooperation. For example, Japan. Japan and China may but heads in regards to territoriality (note we let diplomats handle that crap), but in terms of military exchange? Japan and China have an honor system in how our military communicate with each other.
The military obeys the civilian leadership, Communist and Nationalists were once real brothers, and in some cases actual blood brothers, yet due to civilian leadership, they fought harder than they have ever fought against those they once would have died for.
Of ourse this does not get represented or reported in media, who wants to knwo that? Chinese media don't sell news about Japanese-Chinese cooperation, and the sensationalist media networks in Japan such as NHA don't sell by espousing Japan-China cooperation, only about stories of Chinese fishing boats or CMA entering Senkakus. LOL.
Come on. You know that. You're a business minded guy.
I'm not too concerned about the media, look over my argument, see if what I said isn't the truth. Ask yourself, if America accepts China's current and future power and hands us the necessary influence and respect to go with it, what it would mean for the Americans.
Can they stomach it? If you want to see a bright example, see Africa where we are leading and how the collective West is responding there.
I know you like to be friends, in an ideal world so would I. I am neither a soldier nor a politician, nor am I in the arms business, war is a disaster to me, yet this world we live in are filled with petty men.