Chinese President Xi Jinping reviews troops stationed in Hong Kong on June 30. (Photo by Nozomu Ogawa)
David Lague, Benjamin Kang Lim: How China is replacing America as Asia's military titan
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping is refashioning his country’s military into a potent fighting force that in some critical areas now surpasses the U.S. armed forces, making an American victory over China in a regional war far from assured, Reuters reports today.
A scenario considered unthinkable not so long ago in Asia is now possible. According to retired Admiral Gary Roughead, who held the top job in the U.S. Navy, America “could lose” in a regional war with China over Taiwan.
“We really are at a significant inflection point in history,” said Roughead, who was Chief of Naval Operations until his retirement in 2011.
Intent on challenging American hegemony in Asia, China under Xi has established control over much of the South China Sea, stepped up military maneuvers aimed at pressuring long-time U.S. allies Japan and Taiwan, and for the first time has sufficient firepower to deter American aircraft carriers from sailing too close to its shores.
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WNU Editor: China is not replacing America as Asia's military titan, it is Asia's military titan. The question that needs to be asked is .... will Asia replace America as the world's military titan in the coming decades.
9 comments:
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Spent many years in SE/E-Asia and I can tell you this:
1. Private sector in Asia and education is still terribly behind the West - mega cities excepted (e.g. Shangai). But in general, they are still quite uneducated about the World and how international business works etc. It is amazing to me that at the universities I studied (mostly Ivy league), there are so many Chinese. Many of them were at the rock-bottom of my class, barely spoke English and were not good at Math either (the stereotype is a pretty hefty lie-sure, they might be better than Americans on avg. - who SUCK at math - sorry :D, but Chinese cannot compete with most Europeans in the STEM/hard sciences, especially math & physics). But they do get in - by large numbers - At some very prestigious universities they outnumber even white people. It's a bit weird and we should check our own institutions for corruption. It REEKS of "pay for play" and fits very well into what I know about China and how you get ahead in China. Also we need to check the VISA waivers for China. It is easier for a Chinese to study in America, than for a European. Let that sink in.
2. Our governments are what's holding us back. While we enjoy more "freedoms" than pretty much any Asian nation, the people who rule us are complete, utter idiots. Just look at Clapper and Comey. Those guys ran some of our most important institutions. It is unbelievable. They got their jobs (Clapper I know for sure) because they were buddies with the previous administration.
3. Our biggest threat: The media and leftists who have no freaking clue about how the world really works. You can see it in the way they paint racism - as if it were a white thing. These idiots have never been to China or Asia in general, or they would stfu. They have no idea what they are talking about, it is so upsetting! Try being black (or white) in China. You will then learn what real institutional and individual racism is. It is a near 100% ethno state. We must stop our stupid, corrupt leaders from creating fake issues and blaming half the country for something that exists everywhere at much, much, MUCH higher levels than in the US or Europe.. the west in general is so much nicer to all races and religions, it is unbelievable what Democrats in the US get away with at the moment. Fabricated lies. Sewing of hatred and division. And we must call out our own idiots (Fred) who repeat these lies like complete idiots (parrots)
Our leaders - and the leftist media - invent problems where there are none, or they like to talk about feel good issues and virtue signal all day without accomplishing anything. This weird, self-inflicting pain and self-harm is something entirely unknown in Asia. They see the news and know what's going on in the US (and now Europe) and they cannot believe how stupid we are.. I had so many conversations on this. If you live in the West and want your country to do well, do not vote for the left until they get their act together again. They are children. Stupid, spoiled, uneducated know-it-all children.
And just so you know, I voted Democrat and watched CNN all my life. But something weird is happening, as if our media was infiltrated a few years ago. Just look at Rachel Maddows, Don Lemon.. they are complete, utter idiots and get to tell the most outrageous lies, but nothing happens. THEY get to keep their jobs, while on the right people get fired for the smallest offences. It is unbelievable.
So my advice to you - if you live in the US or Europe: Do not watch MSM anymore. I cannot tell you in stronger words what damage they do to us. I truly suspect the CEOs (e.g. Zucker) are actually the ones who are compromised. Why else would they be OK with ripping our countries apart and weakening our society? Toxic male masculinity? Are you out of your freaking mind? White privilege? Have you even been to other countries? I truly hope they will get investigated - we must get to the bottom of what's happening.
Clapper in particular who lied to a Congressional Committee, basically bragged about the lie, and didn't get charged. No doubt he had so much dirt on important people that he was immune from justice.
nice try Anon but the govt is run by the GOP and Trump...only at midterm elections did the so called liberals capture the House...so if you want to play a blame game, turn to your president and his party
Lots of luck on your wanting to investigate everyone and everything...what do you plan to do with those you find not up to your standards? Ship them to Cuba?
Exactly. And his hyperpartisanship is so suspect.
Clapper was one of the main guys who pushed this narrative on MSNBC and kept it going for more than two years!
Clapper took a lot of money for a lot of lies.
I really want him investigated.
I don't believe in justice for all anymore until all these liars and democracy-manipulators are dealt with. Long prison sentences for anyone who was part of this!
Did you even read? Omg please check your brain.
I generally agree with WNU Editor and would add the following comments:
1. It is hard, for me at least, to envision war between the USA and China starting other than in one of the following scenarios:
a. Taiwan declares independence. I think China cannot accept a Taiwan that is independent de jure, even though they can live with the status quo, in which Taiwan is independent de facto. I think that Taipei is clear about this red line. The Administration is right to sell Taiwan advanced jets, etc. But I expect any American Administration to oppose a Taiwan declaration of independence. So this threat seems manageable.
b. Second Korean War. The current "peace discussions" are an illusion, because the Fat Leader will never give up his nuclear weapons, period. Trump met with Kim twice to find out whether there are any circumstances in which North Korea might give up its nuclear weapons. While the meetings cooled the rhetoric, for now, ultimately diplomacy will fail. When it does the Fat Leader will return to confrontation. Now in my view China does not want a Korean War II either, but they do not entirely control the Fat Leader. A new war could get out of hand, and is less manageable because the Fat Leader is a player. In my view, this is the most likely scenario likely to start a war between the USA and China.
It is possible that a war could begin other ways, such as over the islands in the South China Sea, but in my view neither the USA nor China would want a war over stakes so small.
2. China would damage its trade relations with the USA for a long time after a war. The recent negotiations demonstrate Chinese vulnerability to USA sanctions and reliance on exports to the USA. If the USA won't buy China's exports, there is no one else to replace us. China would have to take those factors into account.
3. I think one must consider what the war would be about in order to establish an accurate balance of military power. A war after a Taiwanese declaration of independence would be most favorable to China. China would fight the USA (plus Taiwan) but the other Asian nations would stand aside. A war following Korean War II might suck in other countries, such as Japan, that would change the military balance. One must also consider what the USA's goals would be in such a war. While it is true that China has expended lots of GDP to protect its coast from American aircraft carriers, perhaps American goals would not require attacking China's coasts with carrier borne planes.
4. China has no friends in East Asia. The other countries of the region adjust their policies in recognition of China's strengths, but China has no true allies. If China were to lose a war with the USA, how would the neighbors react? I could see Vietnam, the Philippines, etc., seizing islands in the South China Sea. I could even see India trying to take back the territory it lost to China during their war in the 1960s. In contemplating war with the USA, China would have to consider the aftermath of a defeat on their position.
5. Escalation control could be lost. Once fighting starts and both sides take casualties, the pressure to escalate to a full nuclear exchange will be strong. Neither China nor the USA want that.
I concur Publius.
Nice to see you're still around and as usual with your first rate stuff.
JH
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