China should not be furious. Indeed, it should take US criticism in its stride. To counter US concerns, leaders in Beijing should be more transparent about China's defence spending, now and in the future.

At the just-concluded National People's Congress, China announced a 14 per cent increase in military spending. China now has a US$33 billion [Bt1.3 trillion] defence budget, but everybody knows the actual spending will be much higher. For a country that professes peace and development as its ultimate goal, the budget is a bit too high and too scary.

Countries in the region are concerned about China's increased power as well but do not want to say anything. They are happy to engage with China and establish all kinds of strategic relations.

Recently, Japan came out with a similar assessment of the security in the region and urged China to be more transparent in its defence spending.

China watchers have also observed that China's defence white paper should contain more information about defence spending, as is done by other countries.

While the US and Japan have hardened their views on China, Australia, another important US ally, has softened its stance. It is interesting to note that Canberra has no option but to recognise the growing interdependence between the two economics. China's annual import of Australian coal is so large and valuable that it could dilute any hostile perspective. That explains why Canberra is giving special consideration to China: for its own good.

At the moment, Australia seems to be able to reconcile its security links with the US and the new economic links with China. Nobody knows how long Australia can continue such a high-wire act. One thing is clear: Australia will not be able to have its cake and eat it too.

The tripartite meeting between the US, Japan and Australia, officially referred to as a trilateral security forum, is aimed at forging closer cooperation between the US and its most important allies in the Asia-Pacific.

Other US allies are facing policy changes, such as in South Korea, as well as political uncertainty, as in Thailand and the Philippines. So the trio's common approach to security issues will affect their long-term strategic presence and influence, which will be their priority.

There is no denying that this forum is aimed at checking China's growing power. But as China's rapid economic development and modernisation show, it is an unstoppable power. It is important that this forum be expanded to include India, the world's largest democracy. After all, it is better to include India in the overall security scheme in this part of the world.

Democracies do not go to war, so they might as well cooperate with each other to countervail outside power. India is a reliable partner and can act as a new balance in the broader security environment.

China is the world's largest country and it does not need to be told what to do. But China has to be a more open society. Every time a Chinese journalist writes something the party apparatus does not like, they are jailed.

A freer China would be good for the world. A well-meaning China has nothing to fear at all. Those who are critical are Chinese patriots in the truest sense of the word and they should be given a chance to speak out.

A China that fears its own voice will scare outsiders even more.