John V
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 22, 2015
- Messages
- 583
- Reaction score
- 199
- Location
- China
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
There is nothing new here. If you are more than 20 years old, you will remember that some similar issue pops up with regards to China about once per decade. China has shot down Anerican planes before. This will blow over.
Also, the idea that there are "new kids on the block" is one I disagree with. Russia is hardly a "new kid." We had a Cold War for decades, they were the world's other superpower.
Rather than being a country on the rise, Russia lost the Cold War, and they are substantially weaker today than they were 20 years ago. You think that defying the West on Ukraine makes them strong....just think that 20 years ago Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union and if Russia wanted to march tanks around Kiev, the West would have said nothing.
The situation in Ukraine, therefore, only shows how weak Russia currently is. In the past, the USSR could influence far away countries like Venezuela, Cuba, and Chile. Today, they can barely influence Ukraine...located in their back yard and once a part of their own country.
As far as China is concerned, China depends on the West, especially the USA, to buy the stuff they manufacture. If China goes to war with the U.S., all we have to do is halt any imports from China and the Chinese economy is finished.
The cooperation between the USA and China is the most important bilateral relationship in the world, both sides know that. Neither side will allow this to escalate. This is simply another scare, as happens every so often with China.
I’m 60. I can’t think of any American planes China shot down since Vietnam.
The ‘new kid on the block’ is a reference to a country now openly challenging the U.S.
The cold war ended decades ago, Russian military strength and technology is increasing, not decreasing, it’s why they’re able to challenge, just like China.
The Ukraine is a battleground of competing dominance. Russia, v the European Union and the U.S. The EU and the U.S. were out manoeuvred by Russia and sent packing. That hurt and the response is sanctions and moving NATO closer to its borders. Russia is still there, the EU and the U.S. are not. The world is changing, it’s just something to get used to.