What Are China's Military Interests? And What Will They Be?

Originally posted by k4rupt
Okay, now that we got that out of the way Shadow, let's discuss the topic eh?

Saying that China's military budget increase is a "threat" is basically an ignorant assumption.

I dont think the mark increase shows necesserally a threat but it does show a change in policly. China could lets face it never increase it military spending and never have to worry about any type of invasion. Its never going to happen no country in their right mind would invade China anymore. The nuclear weapons alone see to that not even counting the possibility of the largest army ever in the history of mankind.

The increase can be just so China can back up its saber rattling concerning Taiwan. Not that I think it will ever come to that if there is any chance China can take Taiwan intact.

It could be because China wants to project power in the area,in areas it considers places of its national interest.

It could be a dozen other reasons

Nobody knows since I doubt anyone here is tapped into Chicom. Its all spectulation at this point

Retake Taiwan by force if peaceful reunification fails, thats where the modernization of the China's military comes into play. Securing the oil routes, China's sees that oil is the life blood of their economy as well as keeping their military going. No doubt the U.S. response is to blockade and choke China to surrender or give up its objective if China decides to invade Taiwan. Not to mention the oil in the straits that other countries like Vietnam, Phillipines, Taiwan, etc. have claims on. And finally to become the Middle Kingdom, the center of the earth, where China is a power to be reckon with. No more humiliation by western powers that have taken China and carved it up since the 19th century, and also to erase the embarrassment by the Japanese invasion and occupation of the country.

Originally posted by deltaboy
Retake Taiwan by force if peaceful reunification fails, thats where the modernization of the China's military comes into play. Securing the oil routes, China's sees that oil is the life blood of their economy as well as keeping their military going. No doubt the U.S. response is to blockade and choke China to surrender or give up its objective if China decides to invade Taiwan.

It was the same set of circumstances that triggered Japan's attack on the USA at Pearl Harbour in 1941 - access to resources being denied. This occurred after Japan had embarked on a major covert military build up, especially of its navy - exactly as China is doing now.

Originally posted by ludaChris[/I]
Japan has the blessing of the US to take their military beyond a self defense force. [Japan’s Constitution - written by Gen. Douglas MacArthur - limits Japan’s military to defense and the money to 1% of GDP.] This is most defiantly geared towards the Chinese. And Japan’s nearly 5 trillion GDP, they could up their military spending into the hundreds of billions. Think of Japan with an army much like they had in WW2 as an ally of America in the future, that could be an amazing force. The Chinese of course will respond. This is hypothetical, but it would be very good for the US in terms of this growing rivalry we are now seeing. [Edited by Don W]

Au contraire. IS OUR BEST (AND MAYBE OUR LAST) OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE IN THIS REGION EVAPORATING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES?

HEGEMONY. Whose is it to be? The United States is a legitimate PACIFIC power, but it is NOT a legitimate ASIAN power. America, despite being the LAST superpower standing, after bankrupting the USSR - and nearly bankrupting ourselves - is in decline. Our poor policy choices, equally poor planning and worse, poor execution make that circumstance inevitable. Get used to it.

China, OTOH, is a nation in the ascendency. People speak of the “REGION” as if China was not already 80% of the region. Forget Tibet. China did no worse in Tibet that America did in the former Mexican territory we now call the “American Southwest.” I recently drove past Joel Chandler Harris’s place of abode near Eatonton, GA, and I’m reminded of his insightful Brer Rabbit and Tar Baby story (in Uncle Remus) which reminds me of the United States vis a vis China. The harder we try the worser we get stuck.

The challenges facing a nation and a people in decline are perhaps harder to bear than a nation in full competition. Just ask Mikhail Gorbachev who steered the USSR through that traumatic moment in Russian history. He got the Nobel Peace Prize for his courage and foresight and the world avoided a potentially devastating war of regime survival for which we all owe Mr. Gorbachev an eternal debt. Can America raise a Gorbachev when we need one? He surely is not to be found in the QUICK DRAW SHOOT FIRST cowboy from Crawford.

[edit on 3/20/2006 by donwhite]