Carden: We need each other badly

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – China is trying to emerge as a world power economically, the US Ambassador to ASEAN, David L Carden, predicts about what China does right now. However, he emphasizes that US and China need each other. “We need each other so badly. I cannot imagine either country could succeed without the others,” he said in his public lecture entitled US engagement to ASEAN at Paramadina University, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

He said, China and US had economic relations. “China sells things to US, so does US,” he said. ASEAN cannot also tackle its problems, such as pollution, climatology, trafficking, drugs, and other endemic problems without the help from China and US.

China is also expanding its military and its navy. The moves have alarmed other countries. 

US increases its presence in Asia Pacific as it has built a military bases in Australia. China had warned Australia that if Australia used its military bases to help US harm Chinese interests, Australia itself would be caught in the crossfire.

Carden denies that the military bases in Australia belong to US. “US is not establishing military bases in Australia. They belong to Australia,” he said. 

Australia and US have a formal alliance known as ANZUS Treaty. It was established in 1951. The alliance is the foundation of defense and security cooperation of both countries. It protects Australia itself. “One of the examples is an Australian journalist and an American student that were detained last week. This is a disaster for around the world,” he said. Both of them now have been released.