Be nice to people. This changes the whole environment.
- Manlobbi
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
No. of Recommendations: 2
https://www.newsweek.com/japan-china-coast-guard-s...China is really working overtime to start a war. Chasing Filipino fishing boats, Japanese fishing boats...we have treaties with both nations to respond with force if they are attacked. I can't see Xi backing down, so we may end up shooting at each other.
Time to recognize Taiwan officially. Make the point that we do not acknowledge China's illegal claims to the waters and islands that they assert are theirs, despite China losing in international court.
No. of Recommendations: 3
That looks like normal belligerent China that doesn't recognize anyone else's territorial claims. Let them alienate all of their neighbors on the issue. Escalation will be serious when they do something like force the sailors of the run aground boat on the Spratleys. This looks like normal Chinese hijinks, but they do mean it.
If the Chinese had their way, they would claim whatever land their pirates claimed and whoever paid tribute in the past. Chinese are taught that the nine dash line is real and that they own all of that.
There is also the vying for the top on the racial cultural hierarchy in Asia, where it's the the Japanese vs the Chinese as to who is on top. The Philippines sits back and wonders why they aren't an Asian Tiger in the economic engine. LKY said it best - that they are too soft and forgiving on their politicians, etc.
But in the meantime, let them alienate all their neighbors, except Laos. Indonesia sank a few of their fishing boats. I was a sad day when we pulled out of the TPP, another Trump nearsighted failure. Trump was pretty bad.
No. of Recommendations: 0
Oops, goofed. :) Please delete.
No. of Recommendations: 1
Vietnam is now protesting China. And Marcos just said that if a Filipino dies, it will be an act of war. Which it would be.
Brace yourselves. Xi isn't likely to back down.
No. of Recommendations: 1
Vietnam is now protesting China. And Marcos just said that if a Filipino dies, it will be an act of war. Which it would be.
Brace yourselves. Xi isn't likely to back down.
One of the political formulas for here in the USA, is that if you have a domestic problem, you create an international problem for distraction. But Xi doesn't want a war, he just wants the economic problems not on center stage at home.
No. of Recommendations: 1
But he also can't afford to look weak, so he can't back down. He would lose face, and that is a cultural stigma.
No. of Recommendations: 3
But he also can't afford to look weak, so he can't back down. He would lose face, and that is a cultural stigma.
He may be catering to his hard liners. China has sunk S Korean coast guard boats during disputes over waters. Indonesia has sunk Chinese fishing boats during territorial waters disputes. China gunned down Vietnamese soldiers standing thigh deep on a reef during a dispute. China has regularly rammed Philippine fishing boats.
No. of Recommendations: 0
He may be catering to his hard liners. China has sunk S Korean coast guard boats during disputes over waters. Indonesia has sunk Chinese fishing boats during territorial waters disputes. China gunned down Vietnamese soldiers standing thigh deep on a reef during a dispute. China has regularly rammed Philippine fishing boats. - Lapsody
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Wow, I knew China is throwing its weight around internationally but had not heard about this sort of localized aggression. China may have its internal problems with its economy but it's not slowing down their expansionist behavior in partnership with Russia and Iran. The West seems to be losing this contest and has been for quite some time. What is going to stop them?
No. of Recommendations: 4
Wow, I knew China is throwing its weight around internationally but had not heard about this sort of localized aggression. China may have its internal problems with its economy but it's not slowing down their expansionist behavior in partnership with Russia and Iran.
It is slowing down now, it's been going on for some time. Remember the belt and road initiative? That was part of it - but they've made great headway in Africa by "debt trap diplomacy". In Sri Lanka the Chinese built ports and a large international airport all on contracts signed by the Government. Sri Lank couldn't hope to pay for it, so the Chinese administer it and parts of the ports are theirs. They've built a series of ports the Indians refer to as the String of Pearls, some in the Malaca Straight, through Sri Lanka, and Gwadar Port in Pakistan. Building the raods and other infrastructure have many of those countries in debt.
Remember the Asian Pivot under Obama? That was the beginning. We helped the Philippines go to the International Court and establish their EEZ, and we got the Phils to establish a base where the Chinese planned to build the third set of island, preventing the Chinese from sealing the area off.
We helped Japan with the TPP, which we needed to establish a partnership alliance for trade that didn't include China. china finally alienated Duterte so we got access to bases and with Bong Boing we are suing the Northern Phil islands to establish a defense perimeter so we can protect the back side of Taiwan. Japan is working on the Senkaku islands. We have an alliance between India, Australia, the UK and the US to hem China in. India no like China, (land disputes up in the mountains bordering China with shot fired) Nepal has problems with China, but the buy from Russia.
China is building a tunnel through the mountains in Tibet to tap into the water source for the Ganges river. China is building dams on the rivers that flow into Vietnam, etc.,
< The West seems to be losing this contest and has been for quite some time. What is going to stop them?
I will tell you one thing, idiot child Trump pulled out of the TPP and set us waaaay back. Now the TPP has been renegotiated and China has applied to join. This whole isolationist approach works against us. We shoot ourselves in the foot.
No. of Recommendations: 4
BHM: What is going to stop them?
Trump on TikTok maybe? They'll die laughing when they see the GOP's nominee on their own Chinese social media site that he previously declared was a threat to his own nation.
Trump the Convict Content Creator.
Somebody wake me up please. This can't really be happening.
No. of Recommendations: 2
I wasn't aware of all those incidents. I knew about the ramming and water cannons, and chasing fishing boats.
China has upped the ante by declaring they will start arresting people in "their waters".
The Philippines apparently needs to file a report of hostilities with the UNSC for the US to take action. So far they haven't done so. Would kidnapping citizens qualify? Water cannons are borderline, though if someone dies that should cross that line.
We don't want to go cowboy here, but China keeps pushing just a little bit further all the time, backing into a war. Still have to await Manila to file, unless China is stupid enough to attack one of our ships.
No. of Recommendations: 1
We don't want to go cowboy here, but China keeps pushing just a little bit further all the time, backing into a war. Still have to await Manila to file, unless China is stupid enough to attack one of our ships.
Who knows?
Let them attack a Philippine boat, then Philippines will file, and it will be set at that point. China will need a way to back down, so they will do something to... Japan, say... and then ratchet down in the Philippines while everyone stares at Japan. Just guessing. I'm not sure if one of the ...stan countries will do. The Chinese hardliners are tough to deal with and Xi needs them.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Does he? He consolidated power several years ago. Their parliamentary body just rubber stamps, at least that is what I understand.
No. of Recommendations: 2
Does he? He consolidated power several years ago. Their parliamentary body just rubber stamps, at least that is what I understand.
Yes, he does, but Xi himself is a hard liner. They take a very hard line when it comes to social stability. That is key. No more Tienanmen Square. No terrorists. No secessionists. No religious problems. The policies are called Xinjiang.
