Why is China seen as a threat?
China seems to be a threat to world peace if we look at the geopolitics being played to in the Pacific region.
There are two main players and Australia is being swept up in the battle for regional supremacy. But to gain a bit of understanding, to look behind the fear and power plays being acted out, it is probably a good idea to put some historical context to the rhetoric of fear and belligerence.
Where do we begin to explore the histories of the two largest economic powers in the world?
China has been a imperial power through most of the last 2000 years, yet very little Chinese history is taught. We hear of the Silk Road and the romanticised stories which go with that, Marco Polo’s adventures as he travelled, exotic tales of the Orient but very little about the imperial expansions and contractions over that time. It has traded with Europe and the Middle East using the Steppe Highway from Mongolia through Russia into northern Europe and a southern route using the Silk Roads from near Beijing to the Mediterranean Sea. These trade links throughout the ages has seen the flow of produce including silk and spices, culture and religions spread across the land mass.
Although there have been expansions and retractions of the size of Chinese Imperial holdings including the Tang Empire around 700CE, the widest was that of Ghenghis Khan, his sons and grandsons during the 13th century. Apart from those expansive empires, China has defended its lands very much around its current size. The cost of maintaining and defending an expanded territory across deserts and the central steppes proved to be more expensive than the amounts raised through trade and taxes. Throughout that time, threats came from the west, Russia and Turkey, so defences were built along its western and northern borders, but that changed in the 1700s through trade with the British culminating with the Opium wars of the 1800s, which came from the East, by sea.
British naval power for the first time in China’s history saw a threat coming from the east. For most of its history, China has not sought to expand its Imperial holdings but has actively defended its territory.
China’s interest has been in trade rather than territorial acquisition, the Rail and Road Initiative carries on that tradition with rail links across the Eurasian land mass and the protection of sea routes across the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Protection of the South China Sea and the fortifying of various shoals and reefs are part of that initiative.
European and American ambitions are different. Europe and the Middle East has been contested throughout history with empires shifting through ancient times, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman through the centuries. Into the second millennium The Holy Roman Empire held sway over much of Europe until the Reformation and the 30 Year War, the Ottoman Empire from around 1500 till the end of World War I. But whereas the Chinese tended to be inward looking, European ambitions ended to go outside its borders, British, Netherlands, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian expansion through Africa and into Asia and the Pacific saw colonies established largely to extract produce, spices, raw materials for growing industrial capacity at home and to some extent, bragging rights.
Africa was carved up as it was claimed by European nations and the ‘discovery’ of the Caribbean and the Americas set off a plantation economy to further drive the European quest for lands and the wealth that could be generated from it.
The quest for wealth included the recruitment of the cheapest possible labour to produce the greatest possible profits. Slavery, kidnapped Africans were shipped off to the new colonies to work ‘where no white man could work’, as thousands of slaves were traded to be farm workers and servants.
American independence in 1776 followed by Manifest Destiny, where the United States settlement grew to take the land from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans. The Spanish Wars where Texas, New Mexico, Nevada and California were wrested away from Spanish Mexico, the taking of the Philippines in 1898, and Hawaii was annexed in 1898 for the US Navy to establish Pearl Harbour as a major base in the central Pacific.
Since the end of World War II, the United States has asserted it’s power in the Pacific, developing an arc of military bases stretching from Japan, through South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia, and a naval service facility in Singapore. In all there are over 200 American military bases in the West Pacific region.
In 1975, the US President Richard Nixon met with Mao Zedong, ending a decades long isolation. The visit opened diplomatic relations and allowed American corporations to operate in China, tempted by a large and growing population and cheap labour. Corporations such as Coca Cola, Apple, General Motors, Nike, Motorola established manufacturing plants, KFC, Starbucks, Walmart were among the first to establish a foothold in fast foods and retailing to take advantage of a burgeoning middle class. Chinese industries now dominate the production of most consumer goods from vehicles to clothing, electronics and toys, there is hardly a product we can buy which is not available from China.
The trade imbalance between America and China has grown to average around $350 billion per year for the last twenty years. The imbalance has seen China buy US bonds, effectively integrating the two economies. If China revalues its currency upwards, it could lower the value of the American currency, neither would be good for either economy.
Resentment against China seems to be growing. In the US particularly, Chinese imports are used as a political tool, demonising the Chinese for undercutting American products, but American industry has sought lower manufacturing costs and have shifted manufacturing to cheap labour markets, including China.
Chinese interests in the South Pacific region has seen Australia move to better support ‘our Pacific family’ to counter Chinese influence. That support had fallen away during the Liberal governments between 2013 and 2022, and undermining of the trading and diplomatic relationship we had with China.
How is China a threat?
When we look at the history over the centuries, we see that China has little interest in gaining overseas colonies. It is, however, actively investing in other countries – including Australia – to ensure an ongoing supply of raw materials for its growing industries. It has however spent comparatively little on bolstering its defence beyond the South China Sea.
China has also not engaged in any wars in recent years. The last war China was involved in was a minor engagement in the Sino-Vietnam war in 1979, and has four listed military bases in foreign countries, a listening station in Cuba, an army support base in Djibouti, a military post in Tajikistan and a naval base in Cambodia.
America on the other hand has over 200 military bases in the West Pacific, effectively blocking the South China Sea, as part of a network of over 750 military bases spread around the globe in 80 countries. Half the total of money spent on military expenditure, apart from funding wars, is spend by the USA. Since 2001 the US has spent $6 trillion on wars including Iraq and Afghanistan and has committed $26 Billion dollars to the ongoing war in Gaza plus $1 Billion in humanitarian aid.
So with all the fear generated, the commitment we have made to AUKUS and the trade we have with both America and China, how is China a threat not just to Australia but to America and the rest of the world?
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18 comments
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Andrew Smith -
paul walter -
Phil Pryor -
Pete -
Steve Davis -
RomeoCharlie -
John C -
Clakka -
Canguro -
Andrew Smith -
Steve Davis -
Andrew Smith -
Steve Davis -
paul walter -
Arnd -
andyfiftysix -
paul walter -
Steve Davis
Return to home pageInteresting on the history, imperialism related etc., but currently more complex?
One could claim that nations at the coalface have a direct interest, and agency independent of the West, including Vietnam, Philippines, Japan and Taiwan regarding their dealings with PRC, now and in recent years?
However, they and other neighbours prefer to be allied with the US, like Australia too?
I think this sort of article is useful also. The core question is, will China become a real threat or is the claim that China is a problem just another pretext for sabre-rattling and global garrisoning. Keating thought we and our friends were panicky on China (think on to AUKUS), but this time I’m a little with Andrew Smith also, the current Chinas bluster doesn’t help either.
The stupidistics and deficientophiles see anythng as a threat if it cannot be comprehended, controlled, managed, sprayed, entrapped, killed, squashed, befriended or Peter Duckwit-Futtonised. China is THERE, and thus deserves to be recognised, comprehended, befriended, isolated, ignored, admired or any combo, with fries. Do think about negotiation, diplomacy, compromises, discussions, friendly roundtables, agreements, positivity, improvements, individualities, life…
China doesn’t have to engage in wars directly. It’s strategy, from the limited reading I’ve done, is that the CCP supplies weapons to whoever will serve its agenda until they get the govt they want. Govt, rebels and regime changes, it’s all good. Local politicians serve the purpose any useful idiot willingly does, sell their citizens down the river while making a profit.
The map ‘Chinese military exports of conventional weapons to Africa’ gives an idea of which countries it’s interested in – https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2Fxfe5b4j9xwv11.jpg&rdt=54566
What surprises is that the Democratic Congo is not included. Maybe they are done and dusted already?
Western countries are white-anted by businesses doing the groundwork, setting up the dominos for future trade wars. China is not alone in this transnational stitch-up of transhumanist proportions. If anything, they are late to the game.
In summary, think globalist, act localist via proxy useful idiots.
Great article Bert.
Andrew Smith mentioned four countries that prefer to be allied to the US.
They walk a tightrope.
Why? My guess would be fear of US power.
The fact is that China is establishing strong economic ties in SE Asia.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, the list goes on.
Most of SE Asia is involved.
The problem we have is that the US sees economic competition as a threat to national security. It’s actually expressed as such in their documents.
It’s pure paranoia.
And how does one react to a national security threat?
With a military threat.
We are facilitating US paranoia.
One wonders why the political party that first recognised China is now being sucked into the anti-China paranoia being generated by the US warmongers. China is, apparently, our biggest trading partner but among my friends there is a resistance to buying Chines products, partly ideological but also partly due to lack of quality. But I can remember when you wouldn’t buy Japanese goods because of their poor quality. As Bert points out America’s militarism is undermined by its big corporations willingness to invest in and exploit, China’s cheap labour. So much of America’s militarism is driven by the perceived need to protect the exploitative actions of its predatory mercantile class. So the wealthy become wealthier protected by a military funded not by those it’s protecting but the increasingly deserted workers who, if polls are to be believed, think their jobs are going to be protected by the tangerine toad. Or have I got it wrong?
If any country is a threat to the world it is the Divided States of Anarchy. The world would be a much more peaceful place if the Seppos didn’t interfere by sticking their noses in where it is not wanted nor asked for. The only good thing I can say about America is that it is a good place to keep all the Yanks. Let’s be honest, nobody else wants them in their countries.
Yes Bert, very well said.
I agree with SD, except maybe for the last line.
I am of the view that most of the ‘West’ is seeking to extricate themselves from the depletive wiles of neoliberalism. But that’s a very trick political business, as neoliberalism is such a beguiling and sticky business. It has hurtled many countries toward the abyss (most notably Britain), and set the whole world on tenter hooks.
America is in a parlous state, by its own hand, constituted by homegrown paranoia and ecological collapse, furiously looking for anyone else but themselves to blame. How the hell are they going to extricate themselves from their dilemma, as they must? Brainwashed, skitty and yet full of glory and hubris hugely increased since after WWI, its a big swing for their populace to make. They so very obviously urgently need help in making the transition, as for them to go down to the extent Britain has will be a disaster for the the whole world.
I see that Albo’s Oz is trying to provide that help by harnessing the ludicrous massive stagnant funds of private equity and the MICs for projects domestically and internationally beneficial to the populace as a whole. A socialistic clawback, that also America has recently inched into – but with a long way to go.
The main squawks driving us and democracy to distraction are of course pumped by those feckless greedy bastards trying to cling to their sinecures and neoliberalism.
But then again, maybe I’m dreaming.
Disaster shimaster… economic collapse and misguided policies, political foment, internecine and extraterritorial conflicts, dodgy politicians, selfish individuals & corporations, fiscal, social and other inequalities along with all the rest of the squawks (thank you Clakka); it’s a game of peas under cups… look over here, no, look over here, ahah!, gotcha, fooled you again!
Thinking primates, animals with an enlarged neocortex, that’s us, who, self-evidently, don’t do the thinking part very well. The thinking bit, by the way, is a secondary reality. The primary is being embedded within a biological ecosystem, which, let’s remind ourselves, is currently quite stressed. No evidence suggests any diminution of that stress. To the contrary, it’s increasing. Limits to the homeostatic boundaries with respect to survivability, both for us, the so-called intellectual ape, and all other species, suggest that that good times may have already passed. Evidence accumulates to support this thesis.
Musk and the rest of the billionaire class might fantasise about safe hidey-holes when the shit hits the fan, the other 99.999% of humanity don’t have such choices and will suffer the consequences as temperatures soar through the nominal limit suggested as necessary for humanity to ride this out. I’d suggest even the billionaires won’t be having a good time for too long.
Do we care? Evidently not. Endless discussions on every topic apart from the existentially threatening snowball roaring down the slope and threatening to obliterate everything in its path dominate media of all stripes, successfully maintaining the hypnotic torpor that characterises the majority of humanity’s so-called waking consciousness.
Bread and circuses, ad infinitum.
As Bill Hicks succinctly uttered, “Go back to bed, America. Your government has figured out how it all transpired. Go back to bed, America. Your government is in control again. Here. Here’s American Gladiators. Watch this, shut up. Go back to bed, America. Here is American Gladiators. Here is 56 channels of it! Watch these pituitary retards bang their fucking skulls together and congratulate you on living in the land of freedom. Here you go, America! You are free to do what we tell you! You are free to do what we tell you!”
Canguro out.
Steve Davis: you bypass the issues of neighbouring nations to both insert your hackneyed opinions and dog whistle the US, the west and claim Xi’s regime is liberal democratic and defensive?
Culmination of older left with right following the horseshoe theory, or the base enemy of my enemy is my friend?
However, many tankies in the west ignore that US types inc Murdoch’s mate Musk, TESLA, Apple etc. like China, why?
Like Russia and admired by US faux free market libertarians for no or minimal standards or regulation. This includes labour, carbon, environment, financial transparency, consumer rights and related, protections taken for granted in the west, but challenged by ‘pensioner populism’ and ‘collective narcissism’ in the west?
Dear oh dear, Andrew Smith is touchy today. And close to incomprehensible.
Did I claim “Xi’s regime is liberal democratic”? I did not.
As for countries that prefer to be allied to the US, anyone who thinks that the US does not use coercion in its foreign affairs is not paying attention.
Do I know that coercion is applied to US allies in SE Asia?
I do not. Which is why I referred to their fear as a guess.
Why all the excitement over a triviality?
Those clangers were followed by a rant about some of Andrew’s pet hates. All completely unconnected to the subject, but Andrew needs to get this stuff off his chest on a regular basis.
SD you still have not explained the positions of PRC’s neighbours vs shooting messengers?
I cannot answer Andrew Smith’s question.
This is possibly due to me not being a mind reader.
I have no idea of what he’s talking about.
RomeoCharlie
To a degree they are brainwashed. Whether the tendencies reach the extremes overt with Israel, I don’t know.
Many reasons!
Weapons manufacturers like to sell weapons. It’s very lucrative. Having a threat is good for business.
The military brass will not let any opportunity pass to enhance their own relevance.
Politicians will not let any opportunity pass to point to new distractions for credulous voters. Indeed, it has long been recognised that “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel!”
Of course, all that applies to the Chinese ruling class just as much as to Western ones. “Socialism with Chinese Characteristics” – which really is better understood as “Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics” – is running into problems. As all capitalist economies do sooner or later. Nothing distracts from economic woes like a bit of sabre-rattling.
It’s all very predictable and transparent: when all else fails, let’s send young men (and, increasingly, women) to die. That’ll giv’em somthin’ to think about!
“Why is China seen as a threat”, as Arnd says, many reasons.
And Steve gloriously steps into the shit to tell us all about american desires for power.
As we all keep saying, America is very reactionary, in many ways. The issue is , China and Russia have FORM. Both are constantly saber rattling their neighbors. As Russia and China have clearly shown this decade, they are not above swallowing their neighbors when it suites them. The Americans are thinking they need to keep dominance to stop those tendencies. Write or wrong, thats the reality on the ground.
No amount of endless conjuring of conspiracies or endless quoting of experts needed……its clear as day. If Russia and China stopped being nasty arseholes, american might would not be required. But these countries quote centuries of grief and unresolved revenge tendencies. They refuse to look forward to what co operation can achieve. Old leaders with ambitions of empire. Russia will go down and then american hubris will rise and china will cower till the next emperor appears. And thus Game of thrones continues…..
Arndt and andy continue an interesting conversation.
Discovered that the big funds, Vanguard and Blackrock, have nearly thirty trillion$ on the books. From this point, we wonder, are people like Larry Fink are themselves players or just butllers for folk we know less about?
Talk about paranoia!!
The US Congress has a “Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.”
Can you believe this nonsense?
The committee “is committed to working on a bipartisan basis to build consensus on the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party and develop a plan of action to defend the American people, our economy, and our values.”
This fearless mob of freedom fighters reported a few days ago that “the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party championed ‘China Week,’ as the House of Representatives passed 25 crucial pieces of legislation to protect Americans against the military, economic, ideological, and technological threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party.”
One of the new laws gives $1.63 billion to the State Department and USAID over five years ($325 million each year from 2023 through 2027) in order to fund organizations that spread anti-China propaganda around the world. (That tells us something about USAID doesn’t it?)
All that power. All those resources. Yet they live in fear.
They feel compelled to have a “China Week”where they can agonise over imaginary threats from a trading partner who would suffer as much as the US if the US went down the gurgler.
Hegemony.
Is it worth the effort?