Hugh White was like saying, even with the difficulties we must work together. Not surprising to hear that coming from an Aussie.

Therein, lies the difficulty of the west aka imperialist, aka the USA, for formulating a correct strategy.

Forget about the specifics of the USA strategy, there are board concerns, that we can talk about in a general sense. In that general sense, there are three board items.

How can the economic situation improve with the USA confronting China? No one expects a positive here.

How will a US victory over China look? Will it be good for the region. Is it even possible now. In short, if the USA is going to attack China, there must be a real good reason. There is no real good reason at the moment. Even Taiwan was always a what if kind of question. So we can forget about these rocks. To go to war with China, is not a positive. The Americans went to war with Saddam, twice. What did they get out of it both times.

How will history not repeat itself, which means World War II followed World War I. Even in Asia, the Korean War was followed by the Vietnam War. After the Americans went home from Vietnam, there were no more large scale Asian wars.

Out of those three general themes, there is no positives, or positive outcome for the Americans in the long term. Unless China just goes away, which does not appear to be happening.

That's why American policy towards China, strategic policy is really hap-hazard, because there is nothing positive to latch onto.

As for the divide and conquer tactics, China does it in two ways.

Weaken ASEAN as an united voice, and these disputes about the SCS different countries taking different approaches. All China is going to do is heat it up then cool it down.

Remember the old stuff from Mao or Deng era, that the American strength in Asia, military rests on their alliance with their best two allies, which are Japan and Philliphines.

Guess which two countries having the hardest time with China lately. That's what do, confront the ally first. See how far they willing to go, all of them.

Since the Americans have a hard time seeing a positive, China testing how far they want to go.

We don't know.

Patience.

Chinese patience and still doing what it is doing going to drive the Americans nuts.