Is China Preparing for War?

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


The US military might is vastly overrated. Vastly.

By any measure it is nonetheless more than a match for China's military everywhere except in China proper, and even there is nuclear weapons come into play it is stronger.

[Drake Tungsten]

Seems DaShi may be on to something...

China ups anti-Chen crusade

HONG KONG, China (CNN) -- Chinese generals have joined the campaign to vilify Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, a signal that Beijing is mobilizing more resources, including military means, to thwart Chen's alleged "creeping independence" crusade.

In a meeting with a military delegation from Macedonia, Defense Minister General Cao Gangchuan blasted Chen's alleged attempt to use referendums as a tool for separatism.

"Chen Shui-bian's goal is to damage Taiwan's status quo," the state media on Wednesday quoted Cao as saying.

"While flying the flags of 'democracy' and 'human rights,' Chen's objective is to hold referendums to achieve Taiwan independence. His separatist activities have become more deceitful and dangerous."

Taipei is due to hold two referendums on March 20, when island-wide polls will take place to determine whether Chen will have another four-year term as president.

While the plebiscites in question do not directly address the issue of statehood for Taiwan, Beijing has indicated the referendums presage bolder attempts by Chen and other pro-independence politicians to achieve independence.

Political analysts in Beijing said the enhanced involvement of People's Liberation Army (PLA) officers in the anti-Chen campaign was a sign the leadership of President Hu Jintao was stepping up the pressure on the self-ruled island.

Hu as well as the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, ex-president Jiang Zemin, had until late last year discouraged members of the top brass from making elaborate public comments on diplomatic and Taiwan-related matters.

During defense consultation talks with senior representatives of the U.S. military held in Beijing earlier this month, however, Cao and other PLA officers were vociferous in asking Washington to scale down the sale of arms to Taiwan.

Western diplomatic sources have confirmed reports more weapons, troops and provisions have the past month or so been moved into the "frontline" provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang.

And civilian and military authorities are expected to take advantage of the upcoming plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) to mobilize national support for devoting more resources to the cause of national reunification.

"PLA delegates to the NPC will likely be lobbying for a bigger military budget to ensure that Beijing will have all means necessary to thwart Chen Shui-bian's 'pro-independence conspiracy'," a Beijing-based Western diplomat said.

Let's hope UR's bosses in Beijing are smarter than he is.

[CerberusIV]

So Taiwan is being used as an excuse for increased military spending. I wonder where the Chinese learned that trick from. They sure seem to be catching on to how to manipulate western style democracy.

[Drake Tungsten]

Why in god's name would they need to know how to manipulate a "Western-style democracy"? One of the advantages of running a brutal, authoritarian regime is never having to worry about such things.

[PLATO]

But they are trying to project an image of a "kinder, gentler" brutal dictatorship.

Apparently this is once again coming down to PRC showing military might before a Taiwanese vote. Politics as usual. Perhaps a US carrier will just happen to move through the strait as March 20 nears.

[DaShi]

Isn't UR supposed to have a moratorium on China related threads? For his health.

[PLATO]

Originally posted by DaShi
Isn't UR supposed to have a moratorium on China related threads? For his health.

That speaks volumes about China in itself.

[Sava]

I think China might be recognizing that leadership in the US is hawkish to the extreme and represents an ideology that would start armageddon in order to achieve it's goals. (PNAC)

from http://www.newamericancentury.org/Re...asDefenses.pdf

the PNAC (which currently controls the presidency for all intents and purposes) believes the US should strategize and focus on East Asia.

China is probably aware of the true motives of the US leadership and is seeking to prevent their destruction... saber rattling to the extreme.

[Japher]

China is probably aware of the true motives of the US leadership and is seeking to prevent their destruction... saber rattling to the extreme.

If YOU are, I am sure THEY are

China schmina, they are just feeling all full of themselves because they put a man in space... Just wait until we put a man on Mars!

[Sava]

Japh: I'm just trying to think like an uber-paranoid stalinist...

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Sava
I think China might be recognizing that leadership in the US is hawkish to the extreme and represents an ideology that would start armageddon in order to achieve it's goals. (PNAC)

from http://www.newamericancentury.org/Re...asDefenses.pdf

the PNAC (which currently controls the presidency for all intents and purposes) believes the US should strategize and focus on East Asia.

China is probably aware of the true motives of the US leadership and is seeking to prevent their destruction... saber rattling to the extreme.

We would not start Armageddon. Is it OUR fault if they launch? It may be pragmatic to let them have Taiwan, but where does it stop?! What if they told the world to surrender to them, or they'd start nuclear war?

[Sava]

We would not start Armageddon. Is it OUR fault if they launch? It may be pragmatic to let them have Taiwan, but where does it stop?! What if they told the world to surrender to them, or they'd start nuclear war?

by saying "we" are you including yourself with the Project For a New American Century nutbags?

I know a level-headed American president would never start a world war. But who knows what a pscyhopathic ideologically driven neo-con would do.

[Kuciwalker]

The US would never launch first at China, because even those PNAC people don't want nuclear war (the only exception would be if we were about to lose a war for the US's existence).

[SlowwHand]

I hate repeating myself, but...

I've been telling all of you for a solid year to get over Iraq.
I told you be thinking China.

China has been the bad guy-backer in the Korean War and in Vietnam.
They've sent up space exploration successfully.

What I suspect is that they'll make a move on South Korea, and likely Japan.
From there, eyes turn to Phillipines and Okinawa.
Possibly a cordoning off of the sea.

Write it down, when you get through calling me a dumb**** again.

[PLATO]

Sloww, China's expansionist ambitions should be obvious to anyone who looks at their history of the last 50 years. Just ask someone from Tibet.