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CHINA’S VIEW OF ITS MILITARY STATUS

A number of leading political figures have consistently downplayed both the economic and military threat from China. Democrat presidential front-runner Joe Biden stated earlier this year, referring to China, “What are we worried about?” It was a follow up to a comment he made in 2018, when he stated “China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man!”

The Reuters news service notes that “…neither Warren, Sanders nor other candidates have made dealing with China, one of the biggest issues facing the current administration, a significant part of their platform.”

Among the mistaken reasons cited for the lack of concern over China’s military threat is the obsolete notion that Beijing’s military, while large, is not sophisticated. China’s government itself has now provided the information that refutes that error, in a white paper from its State Council Information Office entitled “China’s National Defense in the New Era.”

A review of the document by the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Anthony Codesman reveals that it  “…flags the fact that America and China are now competing superpowers, and that China’s growing military forces are developing to the point where they will be able to challenge the United States.”

For a number of years, China has moved vigorously to compete and lead in the most sophisticated areas of warfare, including in space. In 2017, CNN quoted General John Hyten, the head of U.S. Strategic Command: “They’ve been building weapons, testing weapons, building weapons to operate from the earth in space, jamming weapons, laser weapons, and they have not kept it secret.”

Codesman reports that “Steve Lambakis, a former official at the Pentagon’s Missile Defense viagra mastercard india It wastes your time and annoys the pig. Precautions: One ought to have a complete tadalafil sales online http://greyandgrey.com/spanish/nuestro-personal/ restorative history and exam to focus the clarification behind his barrenness before taking this pharmaceutical. generic sildenafil uk The Botox reduces the size of the gland, thus improving the flow of urine. Risk factors of ED: Men in normal age can suffer from the problem of poor cheap tadalafil canada erection and poor blood circulation in the body. Agency, said a key PLA objective is to use space weapons to cripple operations of the Hawaii-based Indo-Pacific Command during a future conflict by attacking American satellites. These operations would likely start with disruption and destruction of [command, control, communications, and intelligence] capabilities with cyber and kinetic attacks on satellites and ground assets in support of other Chinese kinetic capabilities…”

The Free Beacon’s Bill Gertz notes that  Army Lt. Gen. Robert Ashley, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, was asked during a security forum in Colorado last week if the United States is falling behind China and Russia in military space systems. “I can’t tell you who’s in front and who’s behind,” Ashley said of the space weapons race… the United States appears to be lagging behind China in developing space weapons…By contrast, a 2018 intelligence report by the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) stated that China is among the most advanced nations in building space weapons.”

Last year, reports the South China Morning Post the Chinese engaged in a sophisticated war training exercise. The event tested “reconnaissance, electronic communication, cybersecurity, air strikes and other battle skills,,, aimed at increasing ground troops’ understanding of modern warfare, and fostering new strategic ground force commanders after a sweeping PLA overhaul. More than 50 combat units involving about 2,100 officers [took] part at five training bases. They included airborne troops, special forces and electronic warfare experts from ground forces from the Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern and Central command theatres…”

The white paper deals with more than just Beijing’s boasts about its advanced weaponry. It discusses a broad range of China’s view of its role in the world, and its challenges, and reinforces its views that the regions it dominates by force or terror, such as Tibet, and those it seeks to unlawfully expand its direct control over, such as Hong Kong, are within its immediate sights.  And of course, there is the ongoing issue of Taiwan.

Tomorrow: Key Excerpts from China’s Military White Paper

Photo: A J-11 fighter jet attached to an aviation brigade of the air force under the PLA Western Theater Command fire rockets at mock ground targets during a live-fire flight training exercise on July 24, 2019. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Chen Qingshun)

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China Prepares for War, Part 3

It would be a mistake to assume that any conflict with China would be restricted to Asia.

China’s Military Presence in Latin America

 A Foreign Policy study explains that: “The escalation of Chinese influence in Latin America is reflected in the number of nations that have swapped recognition from Taiwan to China, according to Ana Quintana, an analyst with the Heritage Foundation. This group now includes El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and the Dominican Republic. The goal is not just “sticking it to the Americans,” but also “amplifying their power,” Quintana said, noting the region’s wealth of oil reserves. Both China and Russia “want to be in a position to be a power broker in Latin America.”

A study by the Center for a Secure Free Society  entitled “The Dragon and the Condor: Beyond China’s Economic Interest in Latin America”  reveals that: China is known for its strategic patience and is expected to begin carrying out intelligence operations in the Americas that build upon its current strengths. This is consistent with the activity of a major world player projecting power abroad, and is likely a long-term, multi-stage process meant to build China’s intelligence capabilities in Latin America alongside its economic influence.” The report points out that “China’s presence in Latin America will continue to grow not only in the economic sphere, but also in political, security, and cultural aspects. China’s intelligence operations in Latin America will be carried out gradually and in stages, especially until Beijing can develop trusted human intelligence networks to support its activity. Nevertheless, China’s mastery of cyberwarfare and corporate espionage already poses a threat to many of the region’s countries, which lack adequate cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure. The new 2018 US National Security Strategy presents China as a ‘strategic competitor’ that wants to realign global power in their interests, potentially threating the United States. Attention must be paid to the PRC’s various initiatives in the Western Hemisphere beyond what are described as economic ventures. The nature of the PRC’s state-controlled industries and policy banks, its use of economic clout and power to achieve geopolitical objectives, its increase in cyber activity in lieu of human intelligence, and other critical issues suggest that a purely economic interpretation of China’s activities in the Americas is inadequate.”

A Business Standard analysis notes that:

“In its most recent assessment of its operations, focused on Latin American countries below Mexico and most of the Caribbean, the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) concedes that China’s activities in the Americas pose a threat to the United States. SOUTHCOM specifically noted Beijing’s decision to expand its ambitious multi-trillion-dollar “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) initiative to Latin America as a menace to U.S. interests.

“The U.S. military has cautioned that the strategic challenge posed by China in this region requires a new approach to get effective results.The national security think-tank analysis also highlights China’s OBOR or the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a threat to the United States.

Since, it is a solid pills one need to viagra in consume herbal pills for getting rid of weak erection. When faced with chronic stress and an over activated autonomic nervous system, he noted, a physical toll begins to appear. buy cialis pharmacy It should be noted that the uncontrolled taking cialis online order letrozole bodybuilders often leads to disruption of coordination and facilitates the dispersion of attention. So whether viagra online doctor you want to buy branded medicines that come at a high price. “The BRI raises serious inquiries about China’s long-term interests and objectives abroad. The U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM), which covers American military activity in China, New Zealand, and all the countries in between, recently cautioned lawmakers the Chinese armed forces might soon challenge the United States’ military dominance in the Indo-Pacific region “across almost all domains.”

Conclusion

Beijing has a timeline to consider. It has spent vast sums on building an ultra- modern military capable of challenging the United States. However, its economy is slowing, and its historic practices of unfair trade and mass theft espionage of western military technology is meeting more resistance.   President Xi may consider that his nation’s armed forces are now at peak strength, particularly since western militaries, after years of reduced investment, are now beginning to rebuild.

It would not be in China’s own interest to directly attack the United States, although it now has the nuclear and naval capability of doing so.  It is far more likely that it will engage in an assault on Taiwan, leaving an American administration with an extreme dilemma: should the American homeland be placed at risk to protect one or more allies in the Pacific? The quandary is a familiar one to historians.

At the outset of the Second World War, Adolph Hitler demanded German control of the City of Danzig, a precursor to his full scale invasion of Poland. The French socialist Marcel Deat, arguing that it was better to appeaser Hitler than start a war with him, coined the phrase, “Why die for Danzig?”

Appeasement only encouraged Hitler, and it is likely that a similar tact would do the same for China.

Photo: President Xi orders China’s armed forces to prepare for combat. (Chinese Ministry of Defence photo)

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Dangerous Chinese Illusions, Part 2

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government concludes its two part examination of China’s challenge to the U.S.—and the unrealistic response on the part of some Washington policy makers.

The Free Beacon also reported that “China flight tested a new variant of a long-range missile with 10 warheads in what defense officials say represents a dramatic shift in Beijing’s strategic nuclear posture. The test of a missile with 10 warheads is significant because it indicates the secretive Chinese military is increasing the number of warheads in its arsenal…The new commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, stated during a Senate confirmation hearing in September that he is concerned about China’s growing nuclear arsenal…’Although it continues to profess a ‘no first use’ doctrine, China is re-engineering its long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple nuclear warheads and continues to develop and test hyper-glide vehicle technologies,’ Hyten added…The 10-warhead missile test comes amid heightened tensions with China. State-run media in recent weeks has carried reports calling for China to expand its nuclear forces. A broadcast report showed that new long-range mobile missiles could strike the entire United States…The Chinese Communist Party propaganda newspaper Global Times, known for its anti-U.S. stance, issued stark calls for China to build up its nuclear arsenal for use against the United States. On Jan. 24, the newspaper said China’s strategic forces ‘must be so strong that no country would dare launch a military showdown.

China’s actions are indicative of its confidently belligerent attitude, whether in the construction of illegal artificial islands, occupying Philippine offshore areas, or in aggressive acts towards U.S. forces. Lawfare discusses a recent incident. “On December 16 a Chinese warship snatched a U.S. underwater drone literally from under the eyes of the crew of a U.S. survey ship. The USNS Bowditch is an unarmed naval oceanographic vessel that was recovering two underwater drones in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ), about 50 miles northwest of Subic Bay…China’s capture of the drone violates three norms embedded in international maritime law and reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other treaties.

In addition to the extraordinary growth in the strength of China’s armed forces, its alliance with Russia has given it a new-found confidence. The Diplomat  notes that ‘a major feature of China’s and Russia’s defense and geostrategic interests has been rising levels of official support for each other’s security, increasingly pitched as common defense concerns… China and Russia have been accelerating their joint military drills including holding their first joint naval drills conducted in the South China Sea this year.”

Avail the facility to order kamagra sildenafil jelly online and relax while they bring your order to shop at pharmacy store wholesale generic cialis your doorstep. generic viagra without visa It will also provide negative effects if used regularly taken for a long term. Treating the underlying cause of impotence condition is a good alternative of buy viagra from canada. There are two advantages of buying generic versions of buying viagra from india over brand name cialis. According to The Navy Times, the Obama Administration had “barred Pentagon leaders from a key talking point when it comes to publicly describing the military challenges posed by China. In February [2016], Defense Secretary Ash Carter cited the ‘return to great power of competition’ in the Asia-Pacific, ‘where China is rising.’ Similarly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson characterized China and Russia as rivals in this ‘great power competition’ in his maritime strategy. But a recent directive from the National Security Council ordered Pentagon leaders to strike out that phrase and find something less inflammatory, according to four officials familiar with the classified document, revealed here for the first time by Navy Times. Obama administration officials and some experts say ‘great power competition’ inaccurately frames the U.S. and China as on a collision course, but other experts warn that China’s ship building, man-made islands and expansive claims in the South and East China seas are hostile to U.S. interests. This needlessly muddies leaders’ efforts to explain the tough measures needed to contain China’s rise, these critics say.

Part of the “Let’s Pretend” foreign policy concept is that China may be helpful in controlling North Korea.  Unfortunately, that contradicts the evidence.

A Foreign Policy article notes that a “confidential U.N. Report details North Korea’s front companies in China. …an unpublished U.N. report obtained by Foreign Policy …documents sophisticated North Korean efforts to evade sanctions … China has proved a fickle partner at best in Washington’s effort to stymie Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions…China, despite its apparent cooperation of late with international efforts to sanction North Korea, has instead served as Pyongyang’s economic lifeline, purchasing the vast majority of its coal, gold, and iron ore and serving as the primary hub for illicit trade that undermines a raft of U.N. sanctions that China nominally supports, the report’s findings suggest. As early as December 2016, China had blown past a U.N.-imposed ceiling of 1 million metric tons on coal imports, purchasing twice that amount. China then shrugged off a requirement to report its North Korean coal imports to the U.N. Security Council sanctions committee. When U.S. and Japanese diplomats pressed their Chinese counterpart for an explanation in a closed-door meeting this month, the Chinese diplomat said nothing, according to a U.N.-based official. North Korean banks and firms, meanwhile, have maintained access to international financial markets through a vast network of Chinese-based front companies, enabling Pyongyang to evade sanctions.”

America’s policy makers must fully accept that China is a militarily equal power with an expansionist policy that views American strength, and America’s allies, as roadblocks. It would be irresponsible for Washington to continue the Obama policy of ignoring this threat and not strengthening and preparing the U.S. military for the dire challenge that lays ahead.

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Dangerous Chinese Illusions

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government begins a two part examination of China’s challenge to the U.S.—and the unrealistic response on the part of some Washington policy makers.

America’s political establishment—Democrats and Republicans, liberals and Conservatives—desperately want to believe that China harbors no malign intentions.

It’s easy to understand that hope.  The consequences of facing the worlds’ largest population and second largest economy, a nation aligned directly with Russia, the planet’s greatest nuclear force and occupying the world’s largest national land mass—are truly horrifying.

That doesn’t make the reality any less substantial. There is almost no evidence that Beijing,
has any intention of acting in a manner that indicates anything other than belligerent intent. China is, indeed, acting “like a bully.” The evidence is abundant. Beijing’s military budget continues to soar. Its espionage effort is increasingly extensive. It has done nothing to rein in its North Korean client states’ nuclear brinksmanship. It continues its illegal expansionist activities, both in the development of artificial islands and its dominance of the offshore exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Its military influence in Latin America and Africa grows.

Usually the erection arises when there is less amount of blood flow towards the penis. you can find out more generic cialis online is a fabulous therapy to follow to make the joints more flexible and mobile. If you want any information regarding male enhancement then you can certainly read the articles, views and opinions of people present over the internet. cialis tabs 20mg Supovitz, Jonathan A., and Susan no prescription tadalafil M. The most preferred and prescribed dose of Kamagra tablets (25mg, 50mg and 100mg), Kamagra jellies (seven interesting flavors) viagra 100mg tablets and Kamagra soft tablets (100mg) the medication provides same relief and effects on male impotence. Spacewar  reports that “Beijing has embarked on an extensive project to build a “blue water” navy and modernise its two million-strong military, the world’s largest. The country’s rapidly expanding military might includes a range of maritime defence capabilities, a fleet of attack submarines, and highly sophisticated anti-aircraft systems that prevent enemy vessels from nearing its coast. Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that ‘all must be done’ to improve the country’s battle capacities so it can ‘fight and win wars.’

Scout.com notes that “the Chinese are reportedly working on a handful of high-tech next-generation ships, weapons and naval systems. China has plans to grow its navy to 351 ships [the U.S. Navy only has approximately 276]  by 2020 as the Chinese continue to develop their military’s ability to strike global targets, according to a recent Congressional report.

A Foreign Policy  article notes that a “confidential U.N. Report details North Korea’s front companies in China. …an unpublished U.N. report obtained by Foreign Policy …documents sophisticated North Korean efforts to evade sanctions … China has proved a fickle partner at best in Washington’s effort to stymie Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions…China, despite its apparent cooperation of late with international efforts to sanction North Korea, has instead served as Pyongyang’s economic lifeline, purchasing the vast majority of its coal, gold, and iron ore and serving as the primary hub for illicit trade that undermines a raft of U.N. sanctions that China nominally supports, the report’s findings suggest. As early as December 2016, China had blown past a U.N.-imposed ceiling of 1 million metric tons on coal imports, purchasing twice that amount. China then shrugged off a requirement to report its North Korean coal imports to the U.N. Security Council sanctions committee. When U.S. and Japanese diplomats pressed their Chinese counterpart for an explanation in a closed-door meeting this month, the Chinese diplomat said nothing, according to a U.N.-based official. North Korean banks and firms, meanwhile, have maintained access to international financial markets through a vast network of Chinese-based front companies, enabling Pyongyang to evade sanctions.”

A Washington Free Beacon analysis notes that  “Recent press reports that have received little attention in the West indicate that China is quintupling the size of its marine corps, from roughly 20,000 to 100,000 troops. We really should be paying more attention…You only need a large marine corps if you intend to assert yourself overseas. A perceptive piece last year in The National Interest surveyed this development… The article asked readers to consider “the potential ramifications of such a Chinese amphibious force maintaining a constant presence in, say, Southeast Asia,’or indeed that it “may routinely operate in the Indian Ocean as well—and, for that matter, even in the Mediterranean.’With such an increase in size that we now expect, such expectations are entirely reasonable. Considered along with Beijing’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative and its newly aggressive basing strategy, with naval facilities operating and/or under construction in Pakistan and Djibouti, it also seems that merely regional goals are not the extent of China’s ambitions…Far from a peaceful rise as a nation comfortable with existing international norms and reasonably concerned with its own security, China gives every indication of a desire to call the shots globally. If it achieves such a position, the world will come to miss American predominance—and so will Americans.

The Report concludes tomorrow.