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.

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.

China needs oil too .

Wonder if the sheiks have twigged to that yet ?

Things not always as they seem .

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, ….

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.

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 .

Not at all, mate, you've got it exactly right. People who persist in thinking of China as this vast pool of willing sacrifices haven't any idea of what has happened since the days of Mao Zedung. Presently China is the third biggest consumer of luxury goods in the world. By 2015 it is tipped to be the first. Consumerism is what rules China right now. The average person has no political knowledge or idealism at all. Nationalism died around the time of the Cultural Revolution. It is the economic, not the military zone which rules these days.

"Sweat shop conditions" buy a life style far superior to that of the average working Joe in the Western world.

So Romany,you are trying to tell us that China has experienced a new cultural revolution since Tiernamin Square? A million people then was considered to be a small number to exterminate in the name of their totalitarian state.

China has the whiff of absolute power in it's nostrils,and they are just testing the water.The power of their population has the edge on nuclear weapons when the real war starts.The US is just realising this in Iraq.

That China holds such a large amount of US debt, it is unlikely that either side will provoke the other. However, despite China's rapid economic expansion, its thirst for 1st world lifestyle is posing a serious threat to the entire globe: in terms of food supply, increasing pollution and adverse climate change. These are issues that will make economics irrelevant. The recent destruction of a satellite may well be a proud moment of technological achievement for the Chinese, but it is something about which the entire world should be very angry. Having already polluted their own region, and increasingly the whole world, they are now expanding their irresponsible acts of pollution into space, as thousand of fragments of junk orbit the earth as a result of the satellite explosion. I will as far as possible boycott Chinese products.

For some years I have said that China will be a security risk which we are now witnessing as the Chinese government interferes with Pacific Island nations.

What with idiotic fools running western nations where we allow Asian nations to not only own what were our industries, we have handed over the control our debts as well.

When will fools wake up? They don't. What matters is if the those following fools wake up before it is too late.

No, Arjay, I'm not "trying to tell" you anything. I'm simply pointing out that to continue to think of China as the yellow peril who will invade ones shores with rifles at the ready is no longer necessary. As other posters point out, there are many other ways successfully to skin a cat.

Romany,consider this scenario.World temperatures continue to accelerate,and the rest of the world limits their buring of fossil fuels,however China continues polluting refusing to limit CO2 because they feel that they should have special dispensations being the world's manufacturer of consumerables.

Who is going to boycott their products when there are effectively no industries left in the West that makes consumerables?The cheap labour of China and India are very enticing,but it all comes at a cost.

China as the new world power will be totally rational and dispassionate.I think the US haters will yearn for the halcyon days of American imperialism.

Yes, you're right. China doesn't need to go to all the trouble and expense of waging war once more. It simply has to keep on keeping on.

My "Sub Mariner" mate of many years *Lef. Bellamy Wabbit" tells me that our Oz diesel subs have been sneaking up on *Muttley* for years as they are "Super Quiet" relative 2 the great clanging Nuke subs. Nothing new there.

!NOTE!
Those responisible for the fat, bloated dog of a collins sub r 2 b partially applauded 4 not investing in the lean, mean, shark looking sub who's picture was still on the wall @ "Garden Island" as of my last visit. We don't need subs baring cruise nukes 2 av safe & successful relations with our neighbours.

As 4 the weather satellite, I thought that was just a salute 2 a departing *Immortal,* albeit a commi chinese plastic one. That mob have 2 invade peaceful countries like Tibet & rape & murder nuns in order 2 steal *Holy 1's* 2 add them to their intelligence gathering service.

Whilst the actions of the commi police state I would assume don't get the *GREEN* tick of approval due 2 the debris, better that than those psychopaths in washington who showed callous disregard of the lives of !LOTS & LOTS! of people by sling shotting plutonium laden *Cassini* around dear ol' Mother Earth.

Hey?! How about a cool new patch 4 the "War Sim?"

In the interests of safe guarding the lives of the innocent children of Iran from those of the *Cynagogue of Satan* who psychopathically slaughter civilians, UN reps & journos in their cowardly "Hi-Tech" attacks, who have sold their Souls & elected War Criminals 2 represent them & treat their brothers & sisters of the time of Prophet Musa(Moses) & the shared *Holy Land* like animals ...

We could have *Rusky* sat/radar systems, *Chinese* wockets 2 peck out *Darstardly&Muttley's* eyes & then bring in

!Islamic Freedom Fighters! packing RECYCLED *Crispy Critter* bombs!
(Might b able 2 mix in a bit of dead pom 4 get measure - OH DEAR BIGGLES!)

In fairness though, *Dastardly&Muttley* should get 2 wear "rags" on their heads in an attempt 2 stop sucking up spiked "dust."

That oughta work ey *Doug Rokke?*
http://www.traprockpeace.org/depleteduranium.html

...Adam...

Arjay; What non-Asian productst are there to buy except expensive european comparatives?

Since this selling out of Australian's forcing thousands onto the dole queue, products from China are of poor quality as our clothes only fit best if you're of Asian build, our shoes are falling apart and more.

We aren't saving money more this. Toyota's first Chinese built Camry cost a fraction of the western built version yet the Chinese version cost more to buy.

GREED GREED GREED!