7 . China's Foreign Policy -- May 09, 2014

The text makes a very good case for China being a complex country coming from a low level of international respect and are feeling a little adolescent about being part of the big boys world. Makes a convincing argument. But others can make the observation that China is now big enough to do real damage if we get into an argument ; teens with a gun can kill.

I want to stay on decent terms with them because they may make a difference in the coming Muslim war, Wither the next war will be between us and communists (Russia with active or passive support from China) and then a weakened USA is defeated by Muslims (aided by Mexicans?). Or the other way around. Difficult to fight two wars in a row. Britain lost the pivotal Battle of Hasting in 1066 because they had just come off a winning battle in the north and had to make a forced march to the south where the Normans had landed. But the Britons were weakened from battle and the long march and the French were already entrenched. Japan defeated six fleets of four nations in five months because the British and Dutch empires had been weakened by over two years of unpleasant engagement in Europe.

The USA will have a tough time in the next war with even one real enemy after being weakened by socialists at home and trying to fight one of the two likely enemies. I don't quite see Putin wanting to be an Alexander as did Hitler, but miscalculations can occur. Witness the Japanese who thought the U.S. was too weakened by ethnic divides and by FDR policies to respond to their swipe at our Fleet. The didn't want war, they just wanted the USN to not interfere with their taking oil and rubber from the Dutch East Indies. They thought we would be smart enough to do nothing but make diplomatic protests rather than to risk war with their victorious allies of Germany and Italy. That time we had two oceans to hide behind while building a military.

Russia made cyber attacks on Lithuania and Georgia over tiffs in recent years. China paid attention and could terminate our internet instantaneously -- no power, no communications, no finances, no social media, no late nite TV -- we might as well surrender now. We could read Hitler's and Tojo's mail and it still took almost four years to put them back in their box.

China seems to be doing harm to their international reputation in the South China Sea. The Law of the Sea sets a state's territorial boundary at 12 nautical miles from low water mark. Modern agreements extend an economic area of interest and enforcement out to 200 n-miles. Beyond is considered international waters. China is acknowledging the 200 mile limit and claiming for herself all the international waters of the South [of] China Sea to a distance of 1,000 miles!!! The twisted logic used by the nations involved is to claim some islands or uninhabited rocks in the international waters and extend a territorial claim from there to other uninhabited rocks and extend claims outward again. A glance at a chart shows that the Spratley Islands are equidistance from China's Hainan Island and Vietnam. And that the Paracel Islands are clearly nearest to the Philippines with some southern rocks closest to Brunei. A Chinese claim seems ridiculous. But China and Vietnam have had naval skirmishes over islands, Parcacels in 1974 and Spratleys in 1988 which China won. Should it be a matter for the Tribunal of the Sea of which all involved nations are signatories? But the U.N. has no navy for enforcement and the U.S. is one of the seven nations not a signatory and has no voice.

Moderator says U.S. exploited China : when?
China is now the second largest economy in the world. But per capita is low for the people.)
Person who worked there asked to comment : The people are very differential to authority. Very family oriented. Coastal vs Interior divide, reminiscent to U.S. north vs south divide.
Memory of WW2 and Mao Revolutionary remains, but 60% of population is under 35 years without specific memory.

U.S. to oppose China must ally with Vietnam which will be weird for veterans. and to ally with Japan for which China has a strong and just bad memory, ie., Rape of Nanking and other WW2 atrocities.
China needs oil, builds a dirty coal based power plant each week. If it drills in Paracel Islands it will aid world supply of fuel. Nobody else is doing it. Vietnam lost a naval battle in 1974 to China which took over the islands.
The Philippines throw the U.S. out and now wants us back to defend their claims on Paracel Islands.
Debt situation with China is a MAD relationship. We owe and they need to be gentle to assure continued payments.
North Korea negotiations led by China for six nation talks. No effect in ten years.
Many N.K. refugees in China ; these want to annex North Korea to their province.
Is there a goal to rejoin North and South Korea? In Chinese or U.S. camp?!?
Chinese investment in Africa is non-political, but builds relationships.

• U.S. lets China buy Iowa Companies and U.S. farm lands.
• Stealing industrial secrets, military secrets by internet hacking.
• Compare Red China's vaunted progress compared to Formosa. -- started at same time by same peoples. Example of communism vs. free enterprise. Formosa had higher progress, generations sooner. China is second largest economy, but per capita income of Red China is 98th in world. Taiwan is 18th largest economy in the world (equal to Australia) and is 20th in world per capita standard of living (again, similar to Australia).
      East and West Germany is another example.   And N vs S Korea