Submitted by Gari_305 t3_z7utpw in Futurology
_baundiesel_ t1_iy8irc1 wrote
China is building a giant paper tiger army. They're completely untested and none of their military doctrine has ever been tested. I have no doubt that technically China has military worth respecting but I have zero faith they can conduct a large military operation against any comparable force and win.
[deleted] t1_iyb9en0 wrote
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ProShortKingAction t1_iy8zpgd wrote
No country on this scale can do a large military operation against any comparable force. It'll lead to nuclear war and the annihilation of both parties if not everyone
hectichead22 t1_iy98abd wrote
Hence America and it's smaller proxy wars.
_baundiesel_ t1_iy93re0 wrote
I don't necessarily mean comparable in size but in capability. I don't think China can really take on Taiwan especially with the direct support they get from Western partners similar to what we've seen with Ukraine. Having no officers or leadership who know how to conduct war will make it very costly no matter how advanced you are.
ProShortKingAction t1_iy94ob1 wrote
That makes a lot more sense, apologies. I've been seeing a weirdly large amount of talk of "oh insert Nation with nuclear weapons here should watch out they can't handle insert nation with nuclear weapons here" like this generation has fully forgotten that these weapons even exist. I thought you were probably referring to the increased tensions between the U.S. and China or China and India
johnmatrix84 t1_iy9b0u1 wrote
A big problem for the Chinese military is the fact that they are controlled by the authoritarian Communist Party. They have political officers whose job is to enforce loyalty to the Party and its ideology. One of the primary stated goals of the military is to keep the Party in power. Shit like this causes a significant reduction in combat readiness/effectiveness, due to time and effort that could've been used on improving the military instead being spent on ensuring compliance with the Party's political ideas and constant lying to cover your ass so the secret police don't make you disappear. Historical examples are abundant - the Soviet Union before, during and after WWII, Russia after the Cold War, Iraq during the Gulf War and the 2003 US invasion, etc.
I remember reading a report from an Iraqi officer who was in charge of a motor pool or something. They had a bunch of Humvee or Jeep-equivalent trucks, and most of them didn't work because they'd broken down and the Iraqis couldn't get spare parts for them. One of Saddam's sons was going to be conducting an inspection, so the officer made sure every vehicle looked clean and had a fresh coat of paint - to make it look like they were well-maintained. Saddam's son arrived for the inspection, and he wanted to start up one of the vehicles. The one he picked didn't run. The officer expected to be arrested, but instead Saddam's son told him to keep it quiet, since he'd already lied and told Saddam that the vehicles were all in perfect condition.
RBzoner1 t1_iy9l2f5 wrote
its sorta like what would a dog do with the car bumper he's chasing,
case in point they're looking for experienced fighter pilots to teach their pilots how to fly the new toys they are building
PacJeans t1_iy99ise wrote
A paper tiger with a billion people, nuclear weapons, a state run propaganda machine, and a bad habit of excalating any conflict.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy8lhwq wrote
So China should go find some middle eastern country to invade and occupy like the US does?
SatanLifeProTips t1_iy8ms4v wrote
China doesn’t do war on foreign soil. They simply buy their way in.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy97q3n wrote
Which leaves a much better impression on these countries than invading and occupying them.
PacJeans t1_iy99v15 wrote
The US and China are both imperialistic. They are not mutually exclusive, you can call out both.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy9a9rp wrote
Why don't you ask ME and African countries about their views on China vs the west.
seasamgo t1_iy9cwrn wrote
Considering the vastly differing histories of the many people that "ME and Africa countries" incorporates, as well as "the West," you'll really have to narrow it down further for anything remotely accurate.
Regardless, imperialism is generally bad for anyone that isn't part of the country imposing imperialism. Both China and the US are imperialistic and both should be called out for their behavior when they hurt or take advantage of others.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy9defl wrote
Sure, if you put China's investing and building infrastructure in developing nations at the same level as US and NATO's invasions and occupations. But people with braincells would disagree.
seasamgo t1_iy9fxk8 wrote
Nobody was doing that, China isn't only investing, and Western countries aren't only invading/occupying. But a 10 second look at your comment history makes it clear that you're a shill so have a wonderful day.
SatanLifeProTips t1_iy9nd13 wrote
China uses brains and trickery. America uses brawn and strong arm tactics.
PacJeans t1_iy9x9jw wrote
Genuinely braindead comment. Do you call genocide of uyghurs trickery? Is it not a strong arm tactic to threaten Taiwan with invasion every week? You could go on and on. But sure China's clever and just doing business. If that's what you want to call predatory loans and imperialistic exploitation in Africa and Asia.
You also just reinforced what I said. America uses military power for its imperialism and China uses economic exploitation, "trickery" as you call it. But somehow China's imperialism is better? This isn't some utilitarian argument where we have to qualify the suffering each countries policies produce. They both exploit, and if either one can do it more, they will.
SatanLifeProTips t1_iy9y7mv wrote
That’s either going on IN China or in land China considers their own. The comment distinctly referenced foreign soil. Yes Taiwan is a touchy subject and calling that foreign or not is like having the correct answer for abortion or religion in government. I’m going to NOPE on that one.
Go look up China’s Belt and Road initiative. They are loaning poor countries billions for mega projects and pumping up how much it will help their economy. But they use mostly Chinese labour and then when the bills come due and the economic benefit never happened they take the project as their own. Check out the assorted sea ports like in Sri Lanka that China scooped up.
That right there is invasion through trickery, and how China is building foreign bases.
hectichead22 t1_iy98073 wrote
I think you hit a nerve.
SCWthrowaway1095 t1_iy8vcte wrote
No, they’ll just invade a sovereign country like Tibet and then pretend it was a part of their country the whole time.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy8wuvg wrote
Lol Tibet has been part of China since ancient times, look at maps of the Qing dynasty.
Somebody0184 t1_iy8yy6s wrote
If you count 1720 as ancient. Prior ownership doesn't equate to legitimacy anyway.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy90hbr wrote
So China has more right to Tibet than America has the right to exist, since they controlled Tibet for longer than the US's existence. That I can agree with.
[deleted] t1_iy96chx wrote
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Somebody0184 t1_iy9alab wrote
I didn't mention America, what are you talking about.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy9auvx wrote
I'm just applying your logic consistently to another scenario to show you how idiotic your argument is.
Somebody0184 t1_iybmxuc wrote
Your argument doesn't make sense, you seem to think that prior ownership and the length of time equate to legitimacy, not the will of the people who live there. For example, the people of Taiwan don't want to be part of China, which is what gives their state legitimacy.
Yumewomiteru t1_iybnn9k wrote
Oh please tell me about how the people of Tibet are just dying to lose their support from and access to the second largest economy in the world so they can go back to slaving away under serfdom.
Hypotheticall t1_iy9eat8 wrote
How imbecile your argument is? oof.
Somebody0184 t1_iy9aytl wrote
Ok I just looked at your post history since I had a sneaking suspicion you were on r/sino and low and behold I was right.
[deleted] t1_iy9tq3o wrote
Just wait until they send their army somewhere in the middle east or Africa because their belt & road workers keep getting killed.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy9w6jg wrote
WDYM China already has security firms tasked with protecting their overseas assets.
[deleted] t1_iy9wi0f wrote
Yumewomiteru t1_iy9wxk1 wrote
Yeah just because rare attacks succeeded doesn't mean these firms don't exist.
[deleted] t1_iyadmap wrote
Lol! Read the articles.
_baundiesel_ t1_iy8mqv7 wrote
No? They already do that in their own country it seems. Occupations of places with only insurgencies aren't the experience I'm talking about.
Yumewomiteru t1_iy981o7 wrote
>Occupations of places with only insurgencies aren't the experience I'm talking about.
Which is the only experience the US has in recent decades, and judging by Afghanistan they didn't learn much.
_baundiesel_ t1_iy9act3 wrote
Just casually ignoring 2 wars with Iraq. lol
Yumewomiteru t1_iy9ao0v wrote
Yes, the US devastated Iraq and left millions of innocent Iraqis in utter destitution, I'm sure that is something to be proud of.
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