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The Forum > Article Comments > China is stirring: why now? > Comments

China is stirring: why now? : Comments

By John E. Carey, published 1/2/2007

A 'lame duck' US president is the kind of situation that emboldens Chinese leaders. In no nation is more duck eaten than in China.

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Interesting stuff. I know I for one am keeping a close eye on Taiwan. Any action there will be the 'starter's gun' as it were, though I suspect China started running some time ago.
Posted by TurnRightThenLeft, Thursday, 1 February 2007 11:14:59 AM
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America's consistent cultural ignorance of the foreign countries with whom it deals has demonstrably led to serious errors.

While seeking assessment from amongst it's own military or government experts, or from militarised arms of breakaway freedom fighting groups it seems America completely and disastrously underestimates - indeed seems largely to dismiss - the importance of the "face" aspect of Chinese culture.

For example devious underlying reasons for the refusal of the strategic nuclear forces commander to visit the US later this year are sought. However to any person in the street in China the answer is obvious: its a necessary face-saving strategy after the failure of Ms Rice to come to China last year.

In seeking answers to "Why now?" the USA seems also to disregard the fact that China has just emerged from 80 years of war which resulted in death, starvation and poverty for millions of its population. Both Government and people in China are acutely aware that the ongoing effect of this has been that money was not channeled into the education, infrastructures and development of technology that are necessary for them to figure on the global stage. This is a huge loss of face for a country that has prided itself traditionally as being the most civilised in the world.

China has also learnt a valuable lesson from its rival Japan and the way it overcame the huge loss of face inherent in being the losing side in a global confrontation: it is acutely aware than Japan's dominance in global technology and innovative strategies for the future has been a more positive strategy than attempted armed dominance.

China has to show the world it can keep up with the latest developments in armaments and the paraphernalia of modern warfare.To do other wise would be disastrously to lose face. But it is more likely that its plans for world domination are situation in the commercial rather than the military sphere at this stage of its development.
Posted by Romany, Thursday, 1 February 2007 11:27:45 AM
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China needs oil too .

Wonder if the sheiks have twigged to that yet ?

Things not always as they seem .
Posted by jamo, Friday, 2 February 2007 12:51:12 AM
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Its just like a game of chess really, isn’t it. Where the deft and the dastardly, threaten the pawns and paupers with sacrifice.

Oh - to have such a strategic brain.

And Oh, were there no God, ….
Posted by Gadget, Friday, 2 February 2007 1:14:56 PM
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China realises that it is not the power of weapons that wins wars,but the the power of people on the ground.The US may have have the weaponary but the most powerful country inthe world,looks like being defeated by a population a twelfth of it's size in Iraq.Democracy limits US strike power on the ground.China is not hamstrung by democracy and could put a millions troops into the Middle East and take it all.

Nuclear weapons are of no use unless you really intend to use them.Say China invaded Australia overnight with hundreds of disused 747 s.What would the US do next morning?They have three choices.Take on the Chinese army on the ground in Australia.Threaten a nuclear war with China and be prepared to carry it out,or do nothing and protect their own borders.The last option would probably eventually happen.

I don't think that modern Americans or Australians,have the same values or the stomach to fight for what their parents/grandparents believed in while fighting WW2.

China being a totalitarian state can afford to sacrifice millions in the pursuit of power.Millions of their factory workers are happy to work for fifty cents and hour in sweat shop conditions.Puting their life on the line for a bit more would not be a problem.

There is no doubt that China is the next world power.Will they be as benevolent as the US post WW2 when they exact their form of justice? The umbrella of their totalitarian state does not inspire security or confidence by those who might be subject to their form of colonialism.

In a world that is over populated with scarce energy and food resources,ethnic cleansing on a grand scale could be enticing option on a planet already overtaxed by environmental degradation.
Posted by Arjay, Friday, 2 February 2007 7:31:03 PM
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I don’t think a good business plan would include bumping off your best customers .

On the contrary , Maintaining strong consumer confidence is the name of the game .

Indeed any threat to we westerners willingness & ability to buy lots of stuff could be a source of great concern to a growing nation of businessmen .

Just a thought , could be wrong .
Posted by jamo, Friday, 2 February 2007 10:04:32 PM
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