China suspends military ties with US

Oh yeah Jackspratt,,,,,, I hope I live long enough to see your and others opinion when all of Australasia and SEA is threatened by the projection of kind and generous Chinese military (PLA) power. As most here realize, it doesn't have to come to a shooting war, just the intimidation to acquire their desired affect. Australia needs to start stocking up on pallets of KY Jelly because they're going to need it in the future.

Taiwan has already been thrown under the bus by world opinion. They are lost and part of the PRC, they just don't know it. No one will go to a shooting war to protect them and the Chinese will apply just enough pressure to assure a shooting war doesn't erupt.

And as I stated, if I live long enough (because the Chinese think very long term), I will do everything in my power to influence my country from enterfering with that Chinese expansion into SEA and Australasia. The Chinese can already project enough power to physically occupy the Spratley Islands or other potential oil/gas fields within their perceived "sphere of influence" when they so desire.

Well thanks for that very US-centric viewpoint LL.

It may come as some surprise to you that many people outside the US actually believe that 1 dominant force in the world is not necessarily a desirable situation.

There are a number of things that China does at the moment which alarm me - but that is no different from the US.

When China starts invading oil-rich countries on the basis of mythical WMDs, I will naturally review my thoughts.

"The Chinese can already project enough power to physically occupy the Spratley Islands"

The fact is that the Chinese may have a few troops scattered about a handful of the 30,000 islands and reefs, but they hardly occupy the Spratley Islands. And Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, among others, share in occupying some of the area as well as lay claim to the area. I'd hardly be worried about the potential emergence of China as a world-class power based on their regional conflict in the Spratleys (or the Paracels).

From a global perspective, I'd be more concerned about the Chinese controlling the lion's share of rare metals than I'd be about it's military might. I'm losing more sleep over the likes of Ahmadinejad and Kim Jong-ll and cargo airplanes transiting Thai airports laden with arms from North Korea than I am about China's threat to places outside of the immediate region.

As for Taiwan/China, compare Taiwan/China relations today with that of the 70's. In the 70's, the only thing the two exchanged was periodic volleys of AAA across the straits. Today, bilateral trade between China and Taiwan in 2007 reached $102 billion, up from $8 billion in 1991. Taiwanese businesses have invested an estimated $150 billion in the mainland since 1988. In 2009, Taiwan opened up one hundred of its industries to mainland investments. The two countries exchange nearly 300 direct flights each week. The two sides will continue to flex their muscles, but in the end, business links and family ties between the two sides will strengthen.

LoongLee "The Chinese can already project enough power to physically occupy the Spratley Islands"

parrot "The fact is that the Chinese may have a few troops scattered about a handful of the 30,000 islands and reefs, but they hardly occupy the Spratley Islands."

Sorry, , Me thinks you misunderstood me. My statement above was not intended to say the Chinese were currently occupying any of the contested island groups, but could if they desired.

And yes, the ROC (or Taiwanese) have seen the "writing on the wall" after being deserted by most of the world community and attempted to find a pragmatic relationship with the PRC. As I stated above, they are part of the PRC now, for better of worse. The python has them in it's grip, it's over, the fat lady just hasn't sung yet.

Jackspratt "When China starts invading oil-rich countries on the basis of mythical WMDs, I will naturally review my thoughts."

Oh Jack, old son,,,,, it won't have to be because of oil,,, just ask the poor Tibetans what it's like.

LoongLee wrote:Oh Jack, old son,,,,,

sounds like double L's being a little bit patronising here.

O/T...reporting facts as usual...

"sounds like double L's being a little bit patronising here."

Certainly wasn't meant that way,,, Can't we all just get along?

old-timer wrote:

LoongLee wrote:Oh Jack, old son,,,,,

sounds like double L's being a little bit patronising here.

O/T...reporting facts as usual...

You got in first O/T.

LL, the sovereignty of Tibet has been under dispute for hundreds of years, not just by China, but also Great Britain and Russia at various time. In fact, it goes back to the times the Mongols.

Hardly a comparison with Iraq, and its invasion in 2003.