July 17, 2007 (LPAC)--Russia's security concerns are multiplying, "and this fact should be fully understood," wrote Wang Baofu, deputy director of China's Institute of Strategic Studies at the Chinese National Defense University, in a commentary published in People's Daily today. Wang wrote that, "Russia is no longer showing forbearance." Just two weeks after the "Lobster Summit," between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President George Bush, Putin has suspended participation in the CFE treaty, which "has evoked violent responses in the United States and Europe." Wang Baofu's assessment is that on the eve of the summit, Putin "remained hopeful for some compromise" on the US plan to deploy ABM systems in eastern Europe, "but no breakthrough was scored, as had been expected." Russia was reacting both to the failure of its Western counterparts to finally ratify the CFE, and to the continued discussion of the ABM plan, Wang wrote.

"This move of Russia's indicates firstly its reluctance to make any additional unilateral compromises on the major issue of national security in the wake of the increase of its overall national strength, and secondly its unwillingness to sit idle and remain indifferent as the U.S. is attempting to deploy an anti-missile system in the Eastern Europe in a bid to seriously affect the Russia-US strategic balance, since the military might represents a core pillar for Russia to prop itself up as a major global power," Wang wrote. He called the US-EU-Russian relationship a "vital, crucial factor that has a bearing on peace and stability in Europe.... Since Russia is obviously in a weak position strategically, its security concerns will naturally multiply, and this fact should be understood fully. With a grave disequilibrium of its strategic striking contrast of strength with the U.S., which has bent on seizing or using Europe to beef up its strategic superiority over Russia. Hence, it stands to reason that Russia has responded excessively." Wang called for giving new "vitality" to arms control, but more, "to increase the strategic mutual trust between nations, completely renounce the cold-war thinking and accomplish common security."