Chinese Experts: Attacks Prove America Superpower Status Hollow
Thursday, Sept. 26, 2001
Al Santoli -- China Reform Monitor
Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in the United
States, the authors of the seminal 1999 Chinese People's Liberation Army
text on 21st Century "asymetrical" warfare, titled "Unrestricted Warfare,"
were interviewed in the September 13, 2001 People's Republic of China-owned
Ta Kung Pao newspaper in Hong Kong.
The following are excerpts from the
interview with the military theorists, Senior Colonels Qiao Liang and Wang
Xiangsui:
Hong Kong Ta Kang Pao: Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui foretold
such a scenario of terrorists using high technological means to carry out
attacks beyond the military scope in the 21st century to achieve military
goals in their book "Unrestricted Warfare," published in 1999. The
large-scale terrorist attacks in Washington, D.C. and New York unfortunately
were just like what they predicted.
Those carrying out the attacks were terrorists but not career military
personnel, what they used were civilian airplanes but not military weapons,
and what they attacked were international trade buildings but not military
targets; however, the casualties and shock caused by the attacks were even
more serious than those caused by a war. This is "unrestricted warfare" --
it goes beyond the scope of a military warfare but it achieves the
objectives of fighting a war.
Colonels Qiao and Wang: "The series of attacks taking place in the United
States were very dreary and terrifying, but they must not be viewed from a
single perspective. While the thousands of innocent people killed or injured
in the attacks were victims of terrorism, they also were victims of US
foreign policy. The September 11, 2001 very likely is the beginning of the
decline of the United States, as a superpower."
Ta Kong Pao: Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, show that it is impossible for
weak countries to follow rules of strong countries in carrying out
[military] actions. Although employing such [terrorist] means by them is
completely not in line with basic morality of mankind, they do not think of
whether it is honorable and just expect to achieve their strategic goals
using various tactical means. Although the terrorists destroyed only two or
three targets in their attacks, the effect was strategic. Such attacks will
be one of the major forms of warfare in the 21st century.
Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui: "The attacks demonstrated the United States'
fragility and weakness and showed that essentially it is unable to stand
attacks. The National Missile Defense [NMD] system cannot save it.
"The United States, a giant tiger, has been dealing with mice;
unexpectedly, this time it was bitten by mice -- it has been wielding a
large hammer but has been unable to find the flea. From a short-term
perspective, the attacks in the United States will very likely have some
effect on China's economy -- they might affect China's economic growth.
However, from a long-term viewpoint, they could be favorable to China."
Copyright (c) 2001, American Foreign Policy Council
