All over the world, the Chinese are becoming purveyors of soft power and indirect influence by setting up business communities, diplomatic missions, construction contracts and trade agreements in such diverse places as the troubled Pacific Island states of Oceania, the Panama Canal Zone, and even in remote African nations."America vs. China in the international system." By Lawrence Harris, WorldThreats.com, November 2006.
A blog about Islamic intolerance and fanaticism; socialism; communism; government stupidity; and lying weasels everywhere, hopefully couched in vibrant and literate English and foreign words that make us look good.
February 15, 2006
Chinese foreign activity, more.
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2 comments:
I did a bit about this in what Napoleon called the 'Sleeping Yellow Horde.' We are in big trouble in the west.
Some quick and dirty thoughts about China:
The Russians threw the Colonel a curve when they engaged in joint military maneuvers with the Chinese last year. Maybe that's a great way to eyeball an enemy's military capabilities but it seemed to be accompanied by some serious cozying up between the two powers.
I'd always thought the Russians were borderline apoplectic on the issue of Die Gelbe Gefahr. It's hard to believe that they actually think they can forestall Chinese designs on Siberia and parts of the former USSR by forming some kind of an alliance with China.
China no doubt wants its place in the sun, though what that means to reasonable people probably doesn't include territorial exapansion. Question is, Are the Chinese reasonable?
Chirac was quick to threaten a nuclear response to possible Iranian transgressions. It's hard to believe the Russians would be less belligerent in the face of a Chinese invasion.
We seem to be pretty hard core about Taiwan and, in general, it's hard to believe that China would risk large-scale war, which would destroy its considerable economic gains of the last 20 years.
If you take away the "communist" part of China's government, would there be a more moderate democratic successor? With the communists, one can never be sure; without them there's a chance the people will be happy with economic power. I doubt the masses of China go to bed every night seething about the Opium Wars any more than Americans curse the Brits for torching the White House a while back. 1938, wasn't it?
Bottom line is the Chinese will continue to acquire the trappings of modern military power and conduct espionage against everyone it needs to. There's no threat to it's existence brewing anywhere in the world and ensuring that China doesn't get nervous about access to oil will probably do a lot to allay any anxieties it might have about the near future.
Internal problems are not inconsiderable. There have been numerous rural insurrections or riots recently and China has still to spread the benefits of its economic success to the countryside.
Though they are commies, there is still that old consideration of The Mandate of Heaven. Failure to spread around the benefits and the birth of the occasional two-headed cow may signal the Chinese people that the time for a change in leadership is upon them.
Helping things along by providing good info to the Chinese people is an excellent idea. The cronyism at the top of the heap in China is egregious and, if revealed, is enough to punch some serious holes in the illusion of Communist legitimacy.
Now it's time for me to mix me up a fine rum and Pepsi, dude.
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