Quote:
Originally Posted by zraver
If China did not want to place itself into a strategic chess match with the US she should have focused on internal issues instead of external ones. This choice to focus outward was made by the CCP while hundreds of millions exist on less than 1 USD a day.
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China certainly could and should focus more on internal issues, but its ability to do so—much like any other state—is also affected by its external environment. Consider the problems posed by geography for Chinese defense planners. China’s inland borders are approximately 22,000 kilometers in length, and rest astride fourteen other countries, while its 18,0000-kilometer coastline offers astounding views of an American lake. With such long vulnerable borders, “outward focus” isn’t simply a matter of choice; it’s a necessity. Regional stability via the deterrence of external threats is part and parcel to continued economic growth and—by extension—the preservation of domestic political order. Past Chinese experience has been particularly instructive in this regard…wouldn’t you agree?