WSJ: Palace Intrigue: Chinese Soldiers Storm Replica of Taiwan Presidential Office
Is Beijing doubling down on its longstanding threat to reclaim Taiwan by force? That’s a concern for some Taiwanese after China’s state broadcaster showcased a recent military drill that featured soldiers storming an apparent replica of the island’s presidential palace.
Officials in Taipei have denounced the drill as harmful to the rapprochement of recent years between Taiwan and China, after decades of hostility following a civil war in the middle of the last century. Political and military experts, meanwhile, say the apparent targeting of an important political symbol for Taiwan marks Beijing’s latest bid to sway Taiwanese voters ahead of a key presidential poll next January.
Update #1: Video: A Chinese military drill simulates an attack on Taiwan’s presidential office -- Quartz
Update #2: Taiwan protests China's 'targeted' military drill -- Focus Taiwan
WNU Editor: The Chinese are clearly showing their intentions. This video release was done on purpose.
5 comments:
You can get more with honey than vinegar.
I hope they freaking suffer.
"You can get more with honey than vinegar." If the party you are dealing with is reasonable and you have some "honey" that they want and you can readily part with some of it without placing yourself in peril, this would generally be correct.
Now if the other party wants something you just can't readily give up, examples would be your life, the lives of your family or friends, all of your money, or your land then your only approach is "vinegar" as the "honey" is to costly to part with.
I am confused as to who you want to freaking suffer. Is it China or Taiwan you want to suffer? Presumably you mean China but if you could clarify. As for Taiwan, they've lived for a long time in the shadow of a very powerful neighbor who wishes to annex them. How have they managed this? According to some reports, they've done 1.)make sure they are well enough defended that China finds it to costly to invade and 2.)develop trade ties with China where they supply things China may not want to readily give up to pursue an invasion. There may be something America can learn from this formula.
As for drills, is this for show to fire up the Chinese population and perhaps increase the morale of the soldiers or are they serious about this at present? If I were the Taiwanese leadership, I'd be very concerned. If America has some kind of fruitless defense agreement with Taiwan, I'd be very concerned.
Suffer? The Chinese War faction.
I'm a sinophile. Like the people, not real hot on their government.
China is stronger? Based on throw weight? numbers in uniform? Platforms?
The U.S. military could be $100 billion to 500 billion bigger and it would still be in crisis. When you have economically clueless progs getting their way, things will always be in an uproar. Never let a crisis go to waste.
Thanks for clarifying on who want to suffer. I thought this is who you meant but was not sure.
China is stronger than America based upon its numbers, its manufacturing capabilities, its control of the Panama Canal, its cyber warfare capabilities, and who it has for allies. Additionally America is heavily dependent upon "made in China." While it would hurt the Chinese a great deal to lose that, at this time, it would hurt America far more.
As for Taiwan, the Taiwan Relations Act could conceivably draw us in a war to defend an island nation on the other side of the world who is pitted against the second most powerful military force on earth that we are currently heavily dependent upon for many manufactured goods. Perhaps in 1979 this may have made sense. Now it does not. I've recognized the problems associated with taking on China since the late 1990s. If I were in a position of leadership, I would have been working on renegotiating this treaty many years ago.
I agree fully with your last sentence. At least based upon the information published. Russia and China spend far less on their militaries than America does yet their militaries are stronger than America's is.
With regards to China this is especially apparent in a local conflict such as the South China Sea. I'd suggest the US and other affected parties in the region recognize the geo political reality. Doing so does not make one a coward nor does this mean one necessarily blindly adheres to anything and everything they want nor is it a crime to do so. Once one recognizes reality and works within reality as opposed to working in what they wish reality to be, good outcomes become possible!!
On a personal note, I've dealt with adversaries who were bigger, stronger, and faster than me and have defeated them. In order to do so, I first had to recognize reality and act accordingly.
Frankly, the Russian and Chinese leadership are much smarter than the leaders of America, the "west", or the leaders of the various countries in the south China sea region. As such, it's hard to be optimistic. Also, even if one is smarter, they can still be beaten by guile and determination. While there's nothing we can do about the "west" or our "allies" in the south China sea, our only real option seems to be try and survive long enough to get more capable leadership. Even if we do our "allies" in this region and the "west" aren't very promising either in terms of leadership. God help us all!!
China is stronger than America based upon its numbers,
China has a greying population.
/When the government wisely controls the sheeple you get such a huge baby boom followed by a baby bust.
Before the 1 child policy Mao was exhorting everyone to have large families.
America has the same problem except that we have immigration. (Well currently we have messed up problem immigrants. Thx Obama and company).
If you do not have to move ships from one ocean to another due to ship killers drones and other tech, the canal becomes a moot point.
Cyber warfare capabilities can be ramped up or not. We have the people, what we need is the will. "Politicians only see threats on the horizon when it is campaign season."
The manufacturing is a problem though.
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