China's growing fleet - a threat to the US?

[Astaroth]

This is a rather interesting video about China's growing naval presence in the Pacific and the US reaction to it:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video...tary.might.cnn

Interesting - or shall I say disturbing? - quote from the video:

"Maybe the biggest concern for the future of the region is China's increased military spending and arms build up. The US Navy is sending 60% of its submarine fleet to the Pacific for just this reason." - US Vice Admiral John Donnelly

Is all of this just hot air? Does China really pose a threat to "the future of this region" as Donnelly so broadly claims?

I personally think this video is a pretty huge exaggeration. China's fleet can by no means rival the US one and won't surpass it in the next few decades. Not to mention that China has no interest whatsoever in hurting trade relations with anyone right now.

Thoughts?

[shadyrome]

Us consider everything is a threat, heck might aswell just let us build army while other country aren't allow to.

[Heinz Guderian]

Didnt China steal the AEGIS system from the US and implement it in its newer ships?

[Thorn777]

Didnt China steal the AEGIS system from the US and implement it in its newer ships?

Only needs one 5 feet tall guy with a pencil and paper. Damn those Chinese

[Heinz Guderian]

Why on earth would the US be "worried"? Why would they need ships in that area to keep one of their most important trade partners "in check"? It's not like the USA and China are enemies or anything.

I hope that this was just an isolated incident of a weird Vice Admiral talking nonsense anyhow.

Taiwan and Japan. The Chinese could have a go at the Straits if Taiwan goes the full independence route. Japan and China had a thing back in the day. In a global economic downturn with mass protests against Taiwanese independence on the streets of Beijing, could make China do a George W Bush.

Only needs one 5 feet tall guy with a pencil and paper. Damn those Chinese

Pretty smart guys. Bit cheeky though.

[Thorn777]

Pretty smart guys. Bit cheeky though.

We had a Chinese delegation visit us once at a transformer company where I worked, and they had one guy with pencil and paper drawing as much as possible. I wonder when Smit transformers(best quallity worldwide) goes broke, due to Chinese copycats.

[sephodwyrm]

Interesting - or shall I say disturbing?

Is it also disturbing that a country in North America gets to keep hundreds of thousands of men in multiple army bases throughout the world, invading two sovereign nations and keeping a military occupation? The US has the Pacific, Canada to the North and Pacific West and Atlantic to the East. China has Russia to the North, potential hostile neighbors to the East (Taiwan, Japan, S. Korea) and India to the South, and some crazy Islamic extremists just right next door. Shouldn't it make more sense for China to keep a larger army and a few more boats?

Self defense is not disturbing.
Offensive pre-emption is. That's what the US is doing. But then again, China worships the US and emulates everything that the US is doing, so why should it be disturbing?

US: Oh noz. Tis disturbing. China's learning from us.
China: Duh. You're the ones that told us to Westernize.

[Astaroth]

Is it also disturbing that a country in North America gets to keep hundreds of thousands of men in multiple army bases throughout the world, invading two sovereign nations and keeping a military occupation? The US has the Pacific, Canada to the North and Pacific to the South. China has Russia to the North, potential hostile neighbors to the East (Taiwan, Japan, S. Korea) and India to the South, and some crazy Islamic extremists just right next door. Shouldn't it make more sense for China to keep a larger army and a few more boats?

Self defense is not disturbing.
Offensive pre-emption is. That's what the US is doing. But then again, China worships the US and emulates everything that the US is doing, so why should it be disturbing?

US: Oh noz. Tis disturbing. China's learning from us.
China: Duh. You're the ones that told us to Westernize.

It seems you misunderstood my post - I called Donnelly's claims about China 'disturbing'. I think it is somewhat worrying if a relatively high ranked US officer calls China the biggest threat to peace in that region.

What is even more disturbing is that the US - according to the Vice Admiral at least - apparently moves 60% of its submarine fleet to the Pacific solely because of China. That's actually quite ironic, considering that China doesn't even have a fleet worth mentioning.

Why on earth would the US be "worried"? Why would they need ships in that area to keep one of their most important trade partners "in check"? It's not like the USA and China are enemies or anything.

I hope that this was just an isolated incident of a weird Vice Admiral talking nonsense anyhow.

[Carach]

Does China really pose a threat to "the future of this region"

Not right now it doesnt. in a couple of decades it may.

but when they say 'region' they mean US interests in the region, so really it depends on ur viewpoint whether they are a threat or not.

[sephodwyrm]

The Chinese could have a go at the Straits if Taiwan goes the full independence route.

And Vice Versa.
The reason why Taiwan IS NOT going full independence route is due to the fact that China has a growing fleet.

Japan and China had a thing back in the day.

I hope both sides gets over it, though. It's better for both Japan and China to form some form of East Asian coalition. Kinda hard, but things might change.

[Nikos]

I hope both sides gets over it, though. It's better for both Japan and China to form some form of East Asian coalition. Kinda hard, but things might change.

There is a better chance of Turkey and Greece forming a coalition then China and Japan!

[Dunecat]

Many military-types just want a new cold war, that's all. Keeps their line of work in business.

[Fianóglach]

Somebody better call Ben Affleck!

[sephodwyrm]

"reverse engineering".

Hey, you guys reverse engineered our food and made Panda Express. =

There is a better chance of Turkey and Greece forming a coalition then China and Japan!

Surely you jest.
Anime and Manga are both very very popular in China. So is Japanese food.

[Nikos]

Surely you jest.
Anime and Manga are both very very popular in China. So is Japanese food.

As long as Japan continues to minimalize and deny what happened during Japanese occupation of China in WW2, the chance of China and Japan allying is close to Zero.

[Captain Arrrgh!]

I mentioned China's growing military power here awhile ago and y'all poo-poo'ed me.
You all stink.

In regards Britain and the US being world powers/oppressvie in their day, both these empires will seem civil and be remembered fondly as golden years compared to what China will unleash on the world when the slumber dragon finally decides to awake and stretch its scaley hide.

[Naturalist]

Hey, you guys reverse engineered our food and made Panda Express. =

Unless the Chinese navy gives me the runs, this was a poor comparison.

I hate how warhawks are always get a raging hard on when trying to find the US' new enemy. China and the US would do well to cooperate rather than have some stupid Cold War MkII, but not if stupid people have something to say about it...

[Justice and Mercy]

The Chinese navy is modernizing at an impressive rate.

They consider a resurgent Japan and the US to both be threats, and want to build a navy capable of contesting US naval power.

In 01-06 they built over a dozen new classes of ships, around sixty new ships being built in total in this period.

Their naval force is only 80,000 less than that of the US in terms of personnel.

[Babur]

The Chinese navy is modernizing at an impressive rate.

They consider a resurgent Japan and the US to both be threats, and want to build a navy capable of contesting US naval power.

In 01-06 they built over a dozen new classes of ships, around sixty new ships being built in total in this period.

Their naval force is only 80,000 less than that of the US in terms of personnel.

resurgent Japan? aren't they going through a recession?

[Justice and Mercy]

resurgent Japan? aren't they going through a recession?

Not my words.