Tuesday, June 12, 2012

China in midst of massive military build-up for no apparent reason.

The modernization of China's forces is scary because it includes more training, and not just buying a lot of modern weapons and gear. Chinese warships are now being encountered far at sea and Chinese warplanes are increasingly coming up to, and occasionally crossing the borders of neighbors. Chinese long-range maritime patrol aircraft are being seen far at sea. All this convinces neighbors that the Chinese modernization is not just for show, but for some sinister purpose. One could dismiss this as paranoia, except that paranoia has long been seen by the neighbors as a healthy response to Chinese military power and intentions. The really scary aspect of all this is the knowledge that China takes the long view, and will patiently increase the military and diplomatic pressure slowly until eventually, the opponent succumbs to the inevitable.

India is getting nervous about China's growing power (economic and military) in the Indian Ocean. China has economic and military connections with Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and many African nations. China and Sri Lanka (which has long had tense relations with India) has become the beneficiary of Chinese economic and military aid and, in short, become very friendly with the Chinese. Sri Lanka has received crucial military aid from China in the last decade, especially during the war with Tamil rebels (who received a lot of aid from Tamils in southern India). India can't become too friendly with Sri Lanka without causing political problems with its own Tamils (many of whom still support the recently defeated Tamil rebels of Sri Lanka, where Tamils have long been a troublesome minority.) See article-Some Sinister Purpose

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