Abe Shinzo, Japan’s prime minister, has now held his sixth meeting with Donald Trump. The Trump administration supports Abe’s idea of a “normal” Japan that will take on increasing military responsibilities, particularly in containing North Korea and China.

Despite its displays of military power, China has a significant way to go with its program of military modernization and focus on high-tech capabilities.

China, the United States, and Japan are putting new emphasis on expanding their amphibious military capabilities, to both seize and defend strategic islands if needed. We may be heading towards an amphibious arms race in the Western Pacific.

The developments in the South China Sea carry far-reaching strategic implications for the Indo-Pacific and for the international maritime order. They also highlight that the biggest threat to maritime peace and security comes from unilateralism.

The “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” strategy is aimed at deterring Chinese coercion by deepening alliances and strategic partnerships. To this end, Japan has enhanced military cooperation with partners such as the United States and India to balance against Beijing’s more assertive foreign and security policy under Xi Jinping.

China will continue developing peacefully amidst the clamor of the China threat.

Recently China announced an 8.1% rise in military spending for its 2018 budget. This is the largest increase in several years, but it represents continuity rather than signaling any ominous portent.

The Trump administration’s recently released national security, national defense, and nuclear strategies make clear that China and Russia have become the pacing threat for U.S. national security managers. However, the NPR likely errs in stating that Chinese officials are “increasing nuclear threats.” Unlike Moscow and Washington, Beijing has a declared no-first-use doctrine.

Fears of a “China threat” are unfounded.

Although Moore’s law about the doubling of computing power every two years means that cyber time moves quickly, human habits, norms, and state practices change more slowly.