Red Horse said:
"China is basically a peace-loving country" sounds like the sort of smug self-congratulatory nonsense i hear on a daily basis from Chinese people. Along with stuff like "Chinese people invented air" and that "the Mongolian empire was actually Chinese".
The other day one Chinese guy said something to the same effect; that China doesnt attack other countries its other countries that attack China (talking about the 8 country alliance with sacked Beijing in 1884 or whatever). I know that Chinese people honestly believe this stuff, and through no fault of their own, its just that the re-written version of history they get spoon-fed is all they have to go on.
Although China may not be as overtly interventionist as (for example) the U.S I would cite the Korean and Vietnam wars as cases in point where China has played an massive role in recent major conflicts.
As for China being a pacifist because it was not overseas empire-builder, this is only because of its superiority complex (partly justifable) which meant it viewed anything outside China as inferior and barbarian (which is why China retarded itself and didnt develop into the force it should have been when it was so far advanced of all other nations 400 years ago).
China has built a successful land empire and the peoples (Khampa and Uyghur) of the 2 territories which China currently occupies by force (Tibet and Xinjiang) would certainly contend the notion that "China is peace-loving".
Apart from this I think the particular brand of militaristic nationalism which all Chinese people have drilled into them is evidence China isnt peace-loving. Chinese students have to go through 2 lots of military training (age 16 and 18). Complete with full military uniform, marching, war games etc. Even younger students have daily militaristic flag-raising, marching, screeching nationalistic music exercises.
There is so much evidence here to suggest that the Chinese are actually obsessed with warfare. The magazine stands are stuffed with loads of different types of military magazines. The other day i was on a bus next to a guy who spent the entire journey reading a magazine about China's latest military technology. Added to this half the Chinese people will tell you that they are ready and willing for a full-scale offensive against Japan and Taiwan.
One guy i know thinks 3 million Chinese people should go to Japan with swords and behead 3 million Japanese in retalition for WW2. I dont think he's thought the customs restrictions through but still.
China and Chinese people are definitely not peace-loving. Despite their global charm-offensive they are still ridiculously nationalistic and very much warfare-oriented.
Welcome to the game Red Horse.
I agree with much of what you write (though I'm not sure that some random missle-nerd on a bus proves much - get them everywhere
) and agree that China will make a formidable adversery to anyone willing to have a crack in the future. That said, I can't help get the feeling that the leadership are far more interested in stability (both internally and across the east Asian region,) than they are in warfare.
I think that most of the nationalistic rhetoric spread internally, serves predominately as a means to distract peeps from other issues and while it could, in short order, be turned into a nasty, motivated, military to be focussed abroad, I just don't see such shenanigans to be in China's interests. As China modernises, however, and more and more information seeps/leaks into the country, the leadership will find it increasingly difficult to manage the social consequences of such rapid development.
It is during times of internal crisis that such nationalism may be directed externally. Since the early 90's, China seems to be handling herself pretty well on the international diplomatic stage, despite massive internal strains. Long may this continue.
Over the longer haul, I think those predicting an increasingly tense global environment with respect to energy (and water) supplies/security, could well be hunting in the right Parish. This will inevitably dictate and determine national strategies. In this regard, I get the feeling that the sheer size of China scares the living heeby jeebies out of many in the west.
I certainly hope that all the "major powers" learn to work together somewhat more effectively than of late. The alternative looks decidely iffy.
I still take a fairly optimistic view on China. We've come a long way in a generation and that creates its own problems, but the problems faced today are less immediately crippling to the vast majority.
Heh! I think I'm probably too terrified to take an entirely pessamistic viewpoint.
Woof
