Why China Needed Bin Laden

Not sure if this is the right spot for it. I looked to see if this was already posted and couldn't find it.

Link

With the demise of the Soviet Union, the George W. Bush administration came to office in January 2001 seeing China as the next enemy. The new US government’s intention was to strengthen ties with US allies in Asia, especially Japan and South Korea, and to bolster Taiwan’s political and military position. Bush himself had already repudiated the Clinton administration’s policy of forging a strategic partnership with China, calling Beijing a strategic competitor, rather than a strategic partner.

The US President quickly grasped the hand of friendship extended by China, marking a dramatic turning point in the US-China relationship. Indeed, the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States radically altered the Bush administration’s entire world view.

With the United States already under attack, the Bush administration’s attention was no longer focused on China as the next enemy. Instead, it redirected its attention to radical Islam and al-Qaeda’s operations around the world. The fact is, it’s not going too far to say that China owes a huge debt of gratitude to Osama bin Laden.

After the September 11 attacks, the United States launched wars in Afghanistan and Iraq which, so far, have cost well over a trillion dollars and taken the lives of 6,000 US soldiers.

I found it very interesting.Let me know what you think.

That article is nothing more than an opinion. In my opinion China would have grown even faster had there not been 9/11. Remember the US economy took a huge hit right after 9/11 then it got better for a few years then it blew up on the banks/morgage/credit deal again. If the US economy remained strong since 9/11 just think how much more stuff the US would have bought from China? Not to mention much more resources sold to China. Also China would actually have more disposable cash if they didn't buy up a lot of the US debt.

I really don't see how 9/11 was good for China. The chances of the US going to war with China now or then are very slim. Not only is our military to spread out and to small but China has a good arsenal of nukes. Also if the US went to war with China a good bet would be North Korea be jumping in. I don't see a positive outcome for anyone in that situation especially the USA. Not to mention the USA would lose all loyalty from any other country that currently supports it.

Originally posted by jaydeePNW
That article is nothing more than an opinion.

A learned opinion!

Frank Ching (the author of the piece linked in the OP) opened The Wall Street Journal’s Bureau in China in 1979. Now based in Hong Kong, he writes a weekly column on Chinese affairs. His articles have appeared in Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, World Policy Journal, China Quarterly, Current History and the Washington Quarterly, among other publications.

Not saying I agree with Mr Ching, just that some opinions are worth paying attention to.