Cold War Ii

[KrazyRabidSheep]

China is going through a major Industrial Revolution, and is modernizing it's military (the largest in the world).

Additionaly, China has caused worldwide demand for oil, metals, and other resourses to sky rocket.

Lastly, as we all know, China is a "communist state", the U.S. dosen't much care for a nation unless it's capitalist or facist.

Will China's need to expand, China's growing military, weath, nuclear capacity, shrinking resourses, Taiwan and Iraq tensions escalate into a second cold war?

Your thoughts?

[fernando]

China has taken some capitalist traits in their communism, and they heavily trade with the US if I remember correctly. But it would be interesting to see the balance of power switch...so that East Asia will be the economic/military/political main power of the world.

[commiecrusader]

I doubt it will escalate into the Cold War II. Firstly, it is very debatable that the Cold War was about ideology towards the end of it. It was about power and prestige. And whilst this could also be about power and prestige, there is no way the U.$. could justify it now. Can China possibly be included in the war of terror? No since it isn't an Arab state. Can they justify it on the grounds that China is a communist nation? No, since it no longer is. The U.$. even deal with China, and the two are very closely involved in negotiating a nuclear disarmament with North Korea. Whilst the U.$. may not like losing power, there is no way they can justify any hostilities with China.

[bunk]

There is no such thing as a communist state; a contradiction of terms.
I read that China can destroy the U.S by refusing to buy there stuff or something like that, crash the dollar.
China's military is becoming pretty good in comparison to U.S but even in 2020 US will still be spending far more than any other nation on the military.

[Freedom Writer]

Originally posted by [email protected] 2 2004, 11:50 AM
There is no such thing as a communist state; a contradiction of terms.
I read that China can destroy the U.S by refusing to buy there stuff or something like that, crash the dollar.
China's militar is becoming pretty good in comparison to U.S but even in 2020 US will still be spending far more than any other nation on the military.
I have heard that US military budget is 53% and 47% rest of the world.. or something like that. :huh:

[h&s]

The US would never dare to upset China. They had enough problems invading Iraq, a relatively small country with a small, 1960's-equipped army. What problems would they have invading a nuclear superpower with hi-tech weapons, and an army double the size of theirs? At least the US were equal militarily with the USSR, China would absolutly hammer the US. Anyways, the US relies on China for goods, they don't want to fall out.

[KrazyRabidSheep]

1. China's nuclear arsenal is counted by dozens, not thousands

2. China does not have very many transcontinental missiles (Dong Feng-15s have a range of 600km give or take, and they put several warheads on a single missile*)

* http://taiwansecurity.org/News/2003/YS-020803.htm

3. China has a large military, but it is mostley infantry. . .that is why they are modernizing. . .a bunch of guys in humvees would have quite a time taking on tanks

4. China's approx. annual budget is $14.6 billion vs. U.S. $950 billion (reason China's military is large, but less equiped

5. The issue is not if the U.S. would invade, but rather if China could and would rise to a rival superpower. Would NATO invade the U.S.S.R.? Would the Soviets invade U.S.? No. However, Korea, Vietnam, Cuban missile crisis, Grenada, etc. were conflicts directly linked to the Cold War. China and U.S. could start fighting over resourses**, building empires of puppet govornments, and if China could develop into a nuclear power givin time. Neither nations' govornments would likely approve use against each other, but anything can happen. Think D. Strangelove or How I Learned to Love the Bomb.

**China is the #1 consumer of copper, tin, zinc, platinum, steel, iron ore
#2 consumer of aluminium, lead, oil (accounted for 35% of the global rise in oil demand last year)
#3 consumer of nickle

Oh, and of Japan's increase of exports in 2004, close to 80% has gone to China

there is obviously a struggle for oil in the world right now, but metals and even concrete are struggling to meet demand

6. China's military is large and poorly equiped, right? That's why they have been importing weapons. (70% of Russia's military sold since 1990 has gone to china)

also see http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_rep...2&language_id=1 (http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=142&language_id=1)

7. China's economy has exploded. China overtook the U.S. as the largest recipient of forien direct investment in 2003, GDP has quadrupled since 1978, and get this. 10% poverty level for China. . .12% for U.S., and 17% for U.K.

50% of cameras, 30% of A/Cs and T.V.s, 25% of all washing machines come from China.

also see
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html
http://www.comw.org/cmp/

[Hate Is Art]

I think it really could happen, it would be good, would make the USA think much harder about sticking out another Octopus arm into the world.

Unfortunatly China is in no way Communist so we wouldn't see any more Socialist countries with good backing, just more capitilist govts.

[YKTMX]

Marx and Lenin both explained the dynamics that would cause two imperialist capitalist nations like these to confront each other.

I suppose, we should "support" the Chinese exploiters in creating millions and millions of their own gravediggers.