China No Match for US, Militarily, Economically, Doesn't Intend to Challenge US

formerBrat

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My first thoughts on some of the comments made would be, "BS", but then again that's a gut reaction and perhaps I"m overly suspicious. I couldn't even begin to claim to be an expert on the region, however I did find the article interesting. What do you some of y'all think?

When was the last time that the US and China held a joint military exercise, if ever?
Chinese General Says His Military Is No Match for US


May 19, 2011
Associated Press

Satellite

WASHINGTON -- Seeking to counter U.S. worries about his country's rapid military growth, a top Chinese general said Wednesday the communist-led nation's defense clout lags decades behind the U.S., and China wants warmer relations.
Gen. Chen Bingde, whose position in Beijing is roughly the equivalent of chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, used a 45-minute speech at the U.S. National Defense University to play down fears of Chinese intentions.
"Although China's defense and military development has come a long way in recent years, a gaping gap between you and us remains," Chen said through a Chinese interpreter. He added, "China never intends to challenge the U.S."
Chen made a similar point later at a Pentagon news conference with his American counterpart, Navy Adm. Mike Mullen.



"I can tell you that China does not have the capability to challenge the United States," he said, adding that China's wealth and military strength pales in comparison with that of the United States. He said China's navy is 20 years behind the U.S. Navy.
Chen's remarks were in line with China's strategy of countering U.S. fear of China as a military threat by emphasizing the limited scope of its military reach and advancing efforts to cooperate in areas such as counterterrorism and anti-piracy. Chen said he invited Mullen to make his first visit to China as Joint Chiefs chairman.
Chen and Mullen announced several agreements, including a plan for the U.S. and Chinese militaries to conduct jointly a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise in 2012. They also agreed to use a special telephone link to maintain communication between their offices.
The general told reporters that China's recent boost of investment in military power is "compensatory in nature," making up for decades during which modernizing the Chinese economy was given the first priority. Washington often complains that China is too secretive about the purpose and exact scale of its military buildup.
To illustrate his point that China is not a threat, even to Taiwan, Chen noted that some Americans have demanded that China remove or withdraw ballistic missiles positioned on its southeastern coast, across from Taiwan.
"I can tell you here responsibly that we only have garrison deployment across [from] Taiwan, and we do not have operational deployment, much less missiles stationed there," Chen said.
In his speech at the National Defense University, Chen said he was optimistic about the future of U.S.-China military relations, which have suffered repeated setbacks. Early last year, China angrily cut off most military-to-military contacts after the United States announced a $6.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the self-governing island that China considers a renegade province.
Under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which partly defines U.S. relations with Taiwan and China, the Pentagon is obliged to provide Taiwan sufficient defensive arms to ensure its security. In his remarks at the Pentagon, Chen said some U.S. lawmakers, whom he did not cite by name, had told him it is time for Congress to review that law.
Chen said the U.S. needs to respect China's "core interests," which he said include issues of national unity such as Taiwan. The Taiwanese, he said, are considered by all Chinese as "our compatriots and blood brothers and sisters."

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The general equated China's position on Taiwan to President Abraham Lincoln's commitment to preserving the Union. Chen quoted Lincoln as saying, "The Union is unbroken."
Asked about Taiwan's long-standing request to buy U.S. F-16 combat aircraft, Chen said such a sale would hurt U.S.-China military relations, but he was not specific. He asked rhetorically why Taiwan would need to buy American weapons if the U.S. sincerely believes its stated policy that Taiwan is part of China.
Chen appeared to question the validity of the U.S. position favoring Taiwan's eventual peaceful reunification with China. He recounted a conversation earlier Wednesday with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in which she repeated the U.S. position that "there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China."
He said he told Clinton: "I've heard that comment, that statement, since I was a schoolboy, and I'm hearing the same thing now I'm approaching my retirement age. I wonder when can I really see the reunification of my motherland."
Chen, chief of the general staff of the People's Liberation Army, is leading a delegation of eight Chinese generals on a weeklong visit to the United States. Also on the delegation's itinerary this week are the Army's Fort Stewart, Ga.; the Navy's base at Norfolk, Va.; and Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.
© Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 
Political deception IMO, I have looked into China’s capabilities a lot over the past 4 years and although they may not have all of the capabilities we have they are very comparable. I expect them to bypass us in ground and air capabilities within the next 5 to 10 years.
 
I would agree with Jab...it is very common for Chinese people to use deception and flattery in many forms to lure their potential competitors into thinking that they are not a threat of any kind. In business, politics, even in mundane relationships from what I've experienced.
 
Chinese General Says His Military Is No Match for US (...yet)

Exactly, let me say as a civilian with little to NO knowledge about the US Military's true capabilities other than what I have read and been told, I would definitely like to believe that nobody can match our military capabilities. Perhaps some naivety on my part, I can concede that. The cuts in budgets for defense spending for certain projects do concern me, however I also recognize that we as a country can't spend like the proverbial drunken sailor on shore leave either. (sorry for the cliche Navy personnel)


Political deception IMO, I have looked into China’s capabilities a lot over the past 4 years and although they may not have all of the capabilities we have they are very comparable. I expect them to bypass us in ground and air capabilities within the next 5 to 10 years.

I have read that as well JAB and thus my gut reaction to the statements made by the Chinese general.
 
Good equipment and numbers can defeat Taiwan, the number one goal.
Asymetrical Warfare, they have an economic noose around our necks, and can hit infrastructure with a cyber attack.
They don't need to steam a Carrier Battle Group off the CA Coast to send a message. Hell, they could launch a missile off our coast towards China and we wouldn't react. ;)
 
I'm from the same outside-looking- in world as Brat, but I do know China is still lacking in the force projection aspect, and is focused more on becoming the world's superpower through economic means, and that the utilization of their military will be as a regional power, a defense force and not a military with our capabilities. I cite George Friedman on this (The Next 100 Years is a great book).
I think we're too far ahead for anyone (especially in the world's economic state) to feasibly catch up with us. And with how interconnected our economies are, they don't need to rival us militarily in either nuclear capabilities or conventional forces. That’s my two cents. I think this will be a good thread!
 
Nothing worries me in this life other than a China which has surpassed the US in military strength and capability. And influence.

It is something I foresee in the near future, and it makes my gut churn.
 
Agreed, it is incredibly unsettling to see China grow that way it is as well as watch the US sink deeper into debt. What really makes my stomach turn however is the ignorance of my generation. For the most part, it is made up of people who are too self involved with facebook or twitter or the next trend to actually pay attention to the current state of out great country. Further, my generation lacks intestinal fortitude to choose the right thing over the easy thing. China, or any other country for that matter, will one day be able to walk through the door unchecked unless my peers wake up and realize that the world isn't fair and that they are not that important. Blame MTV and Reality TV for giving my classmates a bull shit vision of the world or AYSO for giving every one who competed a trophy but regardless of fault, I fear we are in for some rough waters ahead.
 
We have seen China challenge the US on a couple of occasions already. Mostly using the protection of its allies as excuse to push our buttons. Examples such as their statements about situations in Pakistan and North Korea. It is a taunt, and we cannot do anything about it.
 
We have seen China challenge the US on a couple of occasions already. Mostly using the protection of its allies as excuse to push our buttons. Examples such as their statements about situations in Pakistan and North Korea. It is a taunt, and we cannot do anything about it.

What? Where did they "taunt" the US over DPRK?
 
Spratley's is another area of contention. Lots of nervous people about those islands. China is flexing...
 
I think JAB and Casimir nailed it. We tend to forget who authored The Art of War (hint, it wasn't a round eye).

As Spitfire and I discussed elsewhere, a war with China is where our Beyond Visual Range capabilities in the air would come into play. We're banking heavily on F-22's dropping several aircraft per sortie if we want to even the numbers. Don't forget that the Chinese military is shaped in part by the Soviet experiences in WWII and China's own experiences vs. NATO in Korea. They don't need the best equipment, the need good equipment and a lot of it. "Quantity has a quality all its own"

I think they are a generation or more away from projecting power beyond Asia. They lack the Navy to do much of anything. Their strength lies in their economy and cyberwarfare (like SOWT said).

I honestly see China going to war with the Russians before they would the US.
 
I honestly see China going to war with the Russians before they would the US.

You mean Siberia?

But there is another problem - China needs Russian weapon systems. Can reverse engineering (or even production of licensed copies) be a long-term solution?
 
You mean Siberia?

But there is another problem - China needs Russian weapon systems. Can reverse engineering (or even production of licensed copies) be a long-term solution?

The Siberia which is inside of Russia?

The Chinese are carving out their own niche militarily and Russia is a more local threat than us PLUS they have some bad blood already.
 
Yes - but there is still another "front" of Chinese/Russian rivalisation - former soviet republics in Asia - Kazakhstan and other "-stans". It's mostly matter of economy, but would not be surprised when some day it becomes military problem....
 
http://www.fas.org/blog/ssp/2009/11/subnoise.php
China has two nuclear subs that are new. These have a sound signature louder than a Russian submarine in the 1970's.
There is an old addage quiet nuclear submarines and noisy targets. Look at what is available on the mark 48 torpedo and compare it to Chinas available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yu-6_torpedo weapons. What ever can be said about quantity overcomes quality, I am sure that does not apply to acoustic signature and capabilities.
Janes fighting ships gives a lot of good information.
There is a lot of debate about does China have a SOSUS line and how effective is it. I would not want to be in a Chinese submarine if war broke out with the US.
Respectfully,
Bill
 
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