Keep a Watchful Eye On China's Military During The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

Chinese warships pictured at the end of joint exercise with the Russian navy in 2016. Photo: Xinhua

Chuck DeVore, Newsweek: Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic, Keep a Watchful Eye on China's Military

The world as seen by Xi Jinping is different from it was in January 2016.

At the time, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was strong at home, as its power and prestige were growing abroad. Hong Kong was prosperous and quiescent. The "rebellious province of Taiwan" was ruled by President Ma Ying-Jeou, a politician favoring eventual unification with mainland China. The U.S. "pivot" toward Asia under President Barack Obama was long on rhetoric and short on military power to back it up. And China's illegal military base-building in the South China Sea was largely complete and unchallenged.

In sum, China was rapidly building up and modernizing its military forces, supported by a rapidly growing economy. Its naval construction program, with a second aircraft carrier under construction, was producing more tonnage than the U.S. and Japan combined, while the U.S. fleet was at its smallest since 1916.

In short, time and the correlation of forces favored the People's Republic of China. But the world does not follow the laws of history, not for the old Soviet Union and not for Communist China.

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WNU Editor: In my opinion the Chinese military is primarily focused (during this pandemic period) on asserting China's claims in the South China Sea .... China Makes Its Move To Assert Its Authority In The South China Sea (April 2, 2020).