ABSTRACT
Containment of the People's Republic of China became the principal objective of US policy in Asia. The United States perceived the Soviet Union as giving East Asia a relatively low priority after the Korean War. China continued to espouse radical policies in the region, and the Khrushchev regime in Moscow appeared to back further away from involvement in East Asia. Japan occupies a more central role in US perceptions of security interests, in regional military terms and in global economic terms. The slowdown in Chinese economic growth meant that military modernization was delayed further; Chinese leaders continued to wait until China's economy developed to a point at which Peking could afford to invest in a major upgrading of military capabilities. Changes in US military planning to secure against Soviet and Soviet-backed expansion have also affected US enthusiasm for closer security ties with China.
