Friday, May 20, 2016

A Game of Chicken

'The Chinese people do not want to have war, so we will be opposed to [the] U.S. if it stirs up any conflict,' said Liu Zhenmin, vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 'Of course, if the Korean War or Vietnam War are replayed, then we will have to defend ourselves.'
What a brash admission of the proxy nature of the Korean and Vietnam conflicts: We were obviously fighting Red China in both wars-- fighting over China's ancient wattle and feet:

I believe there remains a lot of American ambivalence regarding those 20th century conflicts. And yet, are we willing to knuckle under to Chinese hegemony in all things trade, science, and eventually -- culture? 

15 comments:

virgil xenophon said...

"...are we willing to knuckle under..."

Surly you jest. Barry baby? Does the sun rise in the East? Is a Dogs d%#K red? Does a Bear do it in the woods? Barry's in it for the total package--abject surrender on ALL fronts---there IS NO amount of national debasement that he will not subject America to..

ampersand said...

A recent NY Post article claimed Chinese crackdown on American businesses. They forced businesses operating in China to share technology with the locals in order to get access to their markets. Now they're closing off those markets to foreigners and the locals are supplying the markets with their newly acquired tech.

chickelit said...

The Mandarin class hates Mr. Orange.

chickelit said...

A recent NY Post article claimed Chinese crackdown on American businesses. They forced businesses operating in China to share technology with the locals in order to get access to their markets. Now they're closing off those markets to foreigners and the locals are supplying the markets with their newly acquired tech.

Trade secrecy is the default setting for world intellectual property. The Chinese perfected trade secrecy: They killed betrayers of silk-making technology. Thomas Jefferson fought against trade secrecy, but we are ->this<- close to losing that edge and surrendering to China. To be sure, there are a few Americans who've been vastly enriched by peddling Chinese: Sam Walton, Jeff Bezos et al. But have YOU been marginally enriched? Is that big flat screen really worth the price?

Methadras said...

The chinks know a president trump is not relevant to their interests. Fucking dog eating filthy yellow bastards.

Michael Haz said...

The Chinese will take Hong Kong before the end of the Obama presidency. Their statement was a warning to the US not to interfere.

The Dude said...

Today, Hong Kong, tomorrow, Taiwan!

edutcher said...

The Reds have been talking war for years. And they figure they have Pissy's number.

chickelit said...

The Mandarin class hates Mr. Orange.

It's OK. He hates them right back.

Michael Haz said...

The Chinese will take Hong Kong before the end of the Obama presidency. Their statement was a warning to the US not to interfere.

I thought that happened 16 years ago.

Jim in St Louis said...

Both China and Russia have this concept of a "sphere of influence" much like our Monroe Doctrine. I do fear China expansion and territorial claims to oil and gas rich locations as far away as the Philippines, but I also wonder if they can build and hold those empire type goals. Takes a lot of troops and money to keep that much real estate under central control.

We should resist and impede, and defend our allies, but ignore Chinese saber rattling.

Thought experiment: IF the US was to declare war on China (or vice versa) would we be able to just refuse the treasury notes they own? Or would China just sell them to Finland or something like that?

The Dude said...

I am old enough to remember when Quemoy and Matsu were worthy of debate.

Dad Bones said...

China is starting to buy into American agribusiness, not to mention agriculture in other parts of the world. This includes farm land. Agriculture, as I understand, is one U.S. industry where America is in a really good position and China is working on owning it.

Des Moines is now the third fastest growing city in the country. I notice more activity here in NW Iowa with CAFO's, truck and car traffic, lots of building going on. -- I could say more but I've got to get my tired old ass in gear and get to work. That's not a complaint; I'm lucky I can still do it.

Michael Haz said...

I thought that happened 16 years ago.

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China. It has its own currency, legal system, parliamentary system, and foreign services department.

The Chicoms want to assert their full control of Hong Kong for many reasons, not the least of which to Hong Kong's ability to make wealth.

The Chinese also want to conquer Japan, the primary reason why they have constructed an island military base in the South China Sea.

Trooper York said...

I also don't think they are that afraid of Trump. They recognize him as a strong horse. So they want to get as much as they can from this Pajama Boy President.

Trooper York said...

We generally have good relations with China and Russia under strong US Presidents like Nixon and Reagan. We have poor...no make that dangerous relations when we have weak US Presidents like Carter, Bush or Obama.

William said...

If the Chinese treat us in the way they treat their own citizens, you can expect lots of chicanery and double dealing. On the other hand if they continue to treat their own citizens with so much chicanery and double dealing, pehaps there will be interesting times and a new government in China........The Chinese sacrificed a great many lives in their efforts to install Communist governments in Vietnam and Korea. I wonder if thoughtful Chinese scholars now consider these efforts worthwhile? For that matter I wonder if they even know about these sacrifices.