China raises defense budget by 7.2% to $232 billion

[Nimos]

I don't know that very many people actually "want" Communist China as a dominant superpower. However, assuming that the Chinese want that - and assuming that they're as grave a threat as some people might suggest - the question then becomes, are we prepared to meet that threat? Can we stop China from becoming a dominant superpower? Are we capable of doing that?

China is already a superpower. Might not have the same military strength as the US, but no one has. But China is a massive economic power and in the end that is just as important as military strength.

I don't really think China is doing anything wrong here. Russia started a war and as a result, both Russia and the EU are expanding their military, the US is already huge and China is just doing what everyone else would do in their situation, making sure that they don't fall behind. Even though China and Russia are getting along at the moment, they still have a border with each other.

When you live in a world where people can't get along, this is to be expected.

 

[Stevicus]

China is already a superpower. Might not have the same military strength as the US, but no one has. But China is a massive economic power and in the end that is just as important as military strength.

I don't really think China is doing anything wrong here. Russia started a war and as a result, both Russia and the EU are expanding their military, the US is already huge and China is just doing what everyone else would do in their situation, making sure that they don't fall behind. Even though China and Russia are getting along at the moment, they still have a border with each other.

When you live in a world where people can't get along, this is to be expected.

Some people seem to believe that China is secretly planning to do something wrong, and that appears to be where the current worry is coming from. But I don't know what they're planning. I guess we'll just have to take it as it comes and respond accordingly if/when it happens.

 

[anna.]

Yes, this is definitely a sobering thought. That, and those Chinese surveillance balloons and secret Chinese police stations operating covertly in the U.S., we could be in quite a bind. In the final analysis, if we can't find a diplomatic solution and resolve our differences peacefully and amicably, then we may have to make some very hard and serious decisions about our national security and our current posture. We may have to go back to a more Cold War way of thinking.

I never lost my Cold War way of thinking, to be honest, which is why the acceptance and admiration of Putin by the right is so mind-boggling. If Russia had come out of the breakup of the USSR differently by today I might have a different opinion of it same as I would various USSR satellite countries that came out of it with more democratic governments. Putin the ex-KGB wants the resurrection of the USSR.

China, I think the same about as I always have. The biggest mistake we made with them was to let them dominate global manufacturing. Post-Covid, at least we learned the hard way, and began bringing it home, or closer to home. Mexico is now our no. 1 trade partner.

 

[Nimos]

Some people seem to believe that China is secretly planning to do something wrong, and that appears to be where the current worry is coming from. But I don't know what they're planning. I guess we'll just have to take it as it comes and respond accordingly if/when it happens.

You need to elaborate on that? who is "some" and what is "something wrong"?

It is a pretty vague accusation.

 

[Stevicus]

You need to elaborate on that? who is "some" and what is "something wrong"?

It is a pretty vague accusation.

Haven't you been reading this thread? There are some posters here claiming that China is plotting to invade Taiwan.

 

[Koldo]

I worry about China's designs on Taiwan, whose people have made it clear that they want to remain an independent democracy. China should respect that and not shed blood in pursuit of "integrating" Taiwan into the CCP's authoritarian fold.

Other than that, I don't see the news of increased defense spending as surprising, given that China is now the world's second-biggest military and economic power. The US spends more on its military than the rest of the world spend on theirs combined, and many of its allies have shown on more than one occasion that they are not above joining it in military aggression and misguided interventionism.

Given that the US and its allies are now increasingly viewing China as a threat to their hegemony over the global order, it makes sense that China would bolster its defense budget. My main concern is not that China is increasing its military spending per se; it's that I don't trust the CCP not to use this spending to invade Taiwan and violate its sovereignty.

Invading Taiwan sounds very expedient right now. Russia tested the waters first and managed to keep NATO troops out of their war. Then Israel started bombing Gaza and the whole world merely watches. Why not invade Taiwan?

 

[Nimos]

Haven't you been reading this thread? There are some posters here claiming that China is plotting to invade Taiwan.

I know that, but that is old news. That "conflict" has been there for the last few years. I thought it was something new

And I guess that it is primarily due to TSMC.

TSMC, based in the Taiwanese city of Hsinchu, produces an estimated 90% of the world's super-advanced semiconductors and supplies to global tech giants such as Apple (AAPL) and Nvidia (NVDA).

Which I guess is also why the US is so concerned about it.

 

[anna.]

Yes, this is definitely a sobering thought. That, and those Chinese surveillance balloons and secret Chinese police stations operating covertly in the U.S., we could be in quite a bind. In the final analysis, if we can't find a diplomatic solution and resolve our differences peacefully and amicably, then we may have to make some very hard and serious decisions about our national security and our current posture. We may have to go back to a more Cold War way of thinking.

This just out today:

MSN

www.msn.com

WASHINGTON—A congressional probe of Chinese-built cargo cranes deployed at ports throughout the U.S. has found communications equipment that doesn’t appear to support normal operations, fueling concerns that the foreign machines may pose a covert national-security risk.

 

[Revoltingest]

Why would they feel the need to project their power beyond their own borders?

To launch airstrikes against
targets far from home, ie,
against other countries.

 

[Revoltingest]

Some people seem to believe that China is secretly planning to do something wrong...

There's nothing secret about their designs to incorporate
a very unwilling Taiwan by any means necessary.

 

[Stevicus]

To launch airstrikes against
targets far from home, ie,
against other countries.

Where and why would they want to do that?

 

[Stevicus]

There's nothing secret about their designs to incorporate
a very unwilling Taiwan by any means necessary.

Yeah, they've been saying that for 75 years now, but they haven't done it yet. They may not ever do it.

 

[Revoltingest]

Where and why would they want to do that?

To expand.
To take & defend territory.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, they've been saying that for 75 years now, but they haven't done it yet.

Have you not noticed that China started with a
destitute economy, & that it took many decades,
& even employing capitalism to fuel an economy
that could approach fuel military parity with USA?
So your 75 year figure is irrelvant.

They may not ever do it.

This suggests that you know they
might some day carry out the plan
they've prepared for.
One should never presume that what
might not happen will not happen.

 

[Stevicus]

To expand.
To take & defend territory.

Answer too vague.

 

[Stevicus]

Have you not noticed that China started with a
destitute economy, & that it took many decades,
& even employing capitalism to fuel an economy
that could approach fuel military parity with USA?
So your 75 year figure is irrelvant.

This suggests that you know they
might some day carry out the plan
they've prepared for.
One should never presume that what
might not happen will not happen.

It seems that they're very patient, and they're in no hurry at all to go after Taiwan - even if they might want and plan to take it...someday in the far off future.

 

[esmith]

Well, yes, it would certainly get someone's attention. But what reasons would a country have for wanting to do that? Why would they feel the need to project their power beyond their own borders? There has to be a reason, and if we can discover what that reason is, that may be useful information.

I don't think it's because they want sit off our shores and tap beer bottles with their fingers and call out "Americans, come out to play! Americans, come out to pla-ay!" I admit that would be kind of intimidating, but I don't see the logic behind such a scenario.

Do you know what is going on in Ukraine? Russia is projecting their powers beyond their own borders----right.
Do you know what is going on in the Spratley islands?
I think it would behoove you, as far as China is concerned, to read-up on the South China Sea.

 

[Stevicus]

Do you know what is going on in Ukraine? Russia is projecting their powers beyond their own borders----right.
Do you know what is going on in the Spratley islands?
I think it would behoove you, as far as China is concerned, to read-up on the South China Sea.

There are other countries which operate beyond their own borders. If they can do it and not be accused of something sinister, then why can't other countries do it without being accused of something sinister? Why hold different countries to different standards which we wouldn't hold ourselves to?

 

[Revoltingest]

Answer too vague.

General question.
General answer.
Taiwan is one such place....obviously.
There are others.

All the countries in which China claims territory

Beijing is engaged in disputes with 17 nations over land and sea borders

theweek.com

 

[Revoltingest]

It seems that they're very patient, and they're in no hurry at all to go after Taiwan - even if they might want and plan to take it...someday in the far off future.

China's schedule hasn't been an issue.
Are you saying this to claim no threat, little
threat, acceptability, or denial that it'll happen?