Chinese Military Build Up - Sun Tzu and Chinese War Machine

We are currently seeing a build up in China of their military, with 7 new classes of warships. Buying of 15 Billion worth of jet fighters from Russia, advances in Space which can lead to Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, Electromagnetic Weapons, training and recruiting of personal for army. Taiwan is extremely concerned as is Japan, Russia is thrilled having been able to sell them technologically advanced weaponry. Our defense industry is upset seeing sales go to other countries, also alarming in our trade deficit and money flows out of our country to China, which is being used to buy the weapons in the first place. Airbus is establishing a military division to catch some of that money flow too, having watched Boeing which also sells military and commercial make major end roads to markets thru R and D partially coming from US Government, which as we know has been a debate in the EU and fair trade rules as Airbus is funded in part and subsidized by European governments who are simultaneously deficit spending. The selling of weapons in the world is quite alarming and makes the case for Iranian or North Korea's nuclear weapon ambitions a tough one, in that shouldn't a country have the right to defend itself? A worthy debate although a government, which has proved untrustworthy in the past obviously should never be trusted with such destructive power which once used would surely change the history of mankind.

China is aware of the World's concern with the largest population base in the World and expanding industrial might, such concerns are warranted. One issue of supreme insight would be that of Dr. Einstein; "You cannot simultaneously prepare and prevent war." China says it wants to defend itself. Which is a noble cause of any nation, right? Yes, but the question is from whom? No one country on Earth is up to a challenge of the Chinese Military, except maybe the US, which of course is a trading partner whose purchases are funding their economy and their war machine. Having the world's largest and most powerful Army, Air Force and Navy has been for over 25 years undisputed territory of the United States. Chinese war theory predicts forcing political will without use of force or if possible not fighting a single battle as adequate method. If China wishes to force its political will with Taiwan, then who might defend them? Will the US show up for a political game poker game where each side tries to bluff the other. Chinese culture is much different than Western Culture despite the closeness in the end goals of the civilizations (certainly worthy of discussion for another topic). China is well aware of the tension created by this build up and the power and what that means for its future forceful negotiations of will. China currently does not wish to rock the boat until it has the military might to play at the poker table with the EU or with the United States and has suggested a Hotline to Washington DC in the interim. Keeping up communication is important to peaceful solutions to military issues, but are we playing into a grander plan. By opening military force hotline are we in fact admitting and raising their status as a World Power?

China, US Discuss Setting Up Defense Hotline

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-05o.html

"Beijing (XNA) Feb 01, 2005 - Chinese Defense Ministry and its US counterpart rounded off their first special policy dialogue here Tuesday with both voicing their satisfactions, a sign of warming ties between two militaries of the two countries."

China is also testing its power and practicing the modern art of war:

China, Russia To Hold First Ever Joint Military Drill

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/china-05n.html

"Beijing (AFP) Feb 01, 2005 - Russia and China will conduct their first ever joint military exercises in August or September to better coordinate the fight against terrorism, state media reported Tuesday."

The United States if it really expects to remain the world leader militarily ought to take notes of these trends and set a course to maintain the ability to negotiate from a position of strength and be prepared to make an example of any nation which tries to force our their will against us or our allies with annihilating force so that China realizes that we are not into the bluffing game and will not tolerate imperialism from any other nation in the future periods. Without such a demonstration China will test us with Taiwan and then other allies to see how far we can be pushed. Such a series of signs will be very similar to a previous set of threats which history had showed us during Germany's build up to power. We should be ready to negotiate but not fear the ultimate example and display of power to put away any possible attempt for any other nation to bluff us into backing down on what we know to be right.

This should not be a considered a warning of future events to come, but we should be ready and prepared to defend the free world and use unheard of force if necessary and all those in the wake should know in advance that we do not do threats, we do not play with bluffers and we will prevail no matter what. Do not challenge the free world and never mistake the United States' acts of kindness for a sign of weakness.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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China's Less Than Transparent Military Build Up

US Deputy Secretary of State, John Negroponte, in Beijing this week for talks with Chinese Foreign Ministry officials, urged China to be more transparent about its military build up.

The Chinese have just bumped up military spending by 17.8% this year.

Asking the Chinese to be transparent about their military agenda is a bit like casually asking Darth Vader to be transparent about the Empire's new and improved Death Star plans. It ain't going to happen.

Chinese ship building has been in high gear since 2002. Amphibious assault vessels, capable of ferrying troops have been a major focus. Some intelligence estimates suggest that some 20 of these vessels are in the works, along with a fleet of submarines.

Why the urgency? Some of this build-up relates to ongoing tensions with Taiwan - territory China has never relinquished and threatens to take back if the Taiwanese make any move toward de facto independence.

To demonstrate that this is no mere posturing, the National People's Congress is in the process of introducing a law that will make the formal secession of Taiwan forbidden. Definitions covering so-called "separatist activity" will also be addressed, as will the role of "traitors" - together with proposed penalties.

The Taiwanese government has described the legislation as laying "a legal base for an invasion".

The Chinese Congress through mouthpiece Jiang Enzhu denies such allegations and plays down any provocative interpretation of the law. Meanwhile yuan keeps getting pumped into an arms build-up that continues to heft up.

Given the Chinese history of aggression toward Tibet, accompanied as it was with a litany of denials and justifications to mollify world opinion, any Taiwanese citizens who sit easily with Chinese reassurances would have to be smoking something other than tobacco.

According to US Department of Defense sources the Peoples Liberation Army now has around 700 ballistic missiles near the Taiwan Strait. Hong-Niao cruise missiles are also in production. This build up has had the effect of overturning Taiwan's edge in the face-off across the Strait. The advantage has shifted decidedly to the side of mainland China.

Despite the large amounts of cash being funneled into the military with the aim of projecting Chinese power not only in the direction of Taiwan, but far beyond its borders - the Chinese army is untested when it comes to modern warfare. It's been 25 years since the PLA was involved in serious combat.

They are trying to off-set this deficit by engaging in joint military exercises with Russia. In August of this year, exercises took place in the Liadong Peninsula. The PLA needs to be able to compare its capabilities with a major military player, and for the present Putin seems willing to oblige.

The Chinese military escalation also involves military espionage on a large scale (predictably denied by the Chinese). US industries have been routinely targeted by spies working for China.

A notorious 2005 case involved a Korean spy named Ko-Suen Moo. He managed to ferry a F110-GE-129 turbofan engine (used to power F-16 fighters into upper speed ranges) - out of the US. It ended up in Shenyang, in northeastern China and Ko-Suen cleared $1 million in profits over and above his original investment.

This is just one case of many. Given all the evidence it would appear the Chinese are making a concerted effort to scour the globe for any military secrets they can lay their hands on.

So when John Negroponte asks for transparency from Beijing, the rejoinder "good luck" sounds like an exercise in irony.

Aidan Maconachy is a freelance writer and artist based in Ontario. You can visit his blog at http://aidanmaconachyblog.blogspot.com/

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