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Originally Posted by Officer of Engineers
Z,
An arms race was inevitable. The PLA branches need modernization unless they were going to keep WWII era weapons. A country like the size of China and a force the size of the PLA needs lots and lots of new weapons just to maintain its defensive needs. However, individually, each country it faces sees an overwhelming threat.
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Obtaining arms is one thing, that didn't spark the race. Chinese arms are still inferior for the most part. It is the bravado and brinksmanship that sparked the arms race. Remember the article said "get the cat to eat pepper" China has not made the other nations in the region dance to its tune with its actions so no peppers have been eaten-hence a Chinese strategic failure as the cats if not hunting the Chinese mice are at least now counting mouse holes.
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The state actors have accursed the PLAN with cohorting with pirates. Yet, they have not explained that this gave them the excuse to confiscate Chinese vessels and arrest Chinese nationals as well as taking their stocks. What rational is there for the Chinese to continue to allow this to happen?
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The flip side also applies, should the navies of the region continue to allow the PLAN to act like a bully and exert a totally bogus claim on the resource rich Spratlys and harassment in international waters? China is the bully as much as the bullied. Again be it Chinese imperialism or tit for tat diplomacy no cats are eating peppers.
Again I ask where is an example of Chinese strategic success in Asia after 1989. China has made blunder after blunder after the Tienanmen Square debacle. She has formed alliances with the wrong people, broken alliances with the right ones, acted like a bully and claimed a capability she does not have- but she has made sure arms dealers in Asia are enjoying a bull market at her long term expense.
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While Beijing has internal problems galore, they still have to deal with their external problems and the primary function of any state is to defend itself.
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1- the primary job of the state is to provide for the common good of its citizens. Defense is only one part of this.
2- You don't deal with external problems by pouring gasoline on a fire. China was ideally positioned after the Cold War and out side of economics she blew it.