China's first aircraft carrier starts sea trial: Xinhua

[Rockntractor]

A shame if it was to spring a leak or 12...wouldn't it????
:D

Yep, just send a diver down or a trained dolphin and have them pull the rubber stopper out of the back!

[malloc]

See post 17, and think. Just go think.

AFP – Tue, Jul 19, 2011

China's military threat against Taiwan is bigger than ever, the island's defence ministry said Tuesday, despite three years of efforts by Taipei to pursue detente with the mainland.

In its national defence report, published every other year, the ministry summarised mounting endeavours by China to boost its already impressive military capabilities.

"The People's Liberation Army has continued to deploy various new weapons in the Fujian and Guangdong areas," the report said, referring to two Chinese provinces located directly to the west of Taiwan.

The report singled out "the enhancement of its long-distance combat projection capabilities", an apparent reference to more than 1,000 ballistic missiles deployed along the Chinese coastline.

"This indicates that the Chinese communists have not altered their thinking on military intimidation and invasion," it said.

Relations with Beijing have improved greatly since 2008 when Ma Ying-jeou of the China-friendly Kuomintang party was elected president of Taiwan on a platform of strengthening mainland ties, chiefly via economic measures.

Rest of Article

Now go read about Germany's initial Blitzkrieg. The Chinese plan, as best as intelligence can tell is to remove military resistance as fast as possible. It's very well and good if you want to go find a hole and stick your head into it, but all evidence points to China wanting Taiwan back under it's government more than it wants good relations with the U.S. As a matter of fact, China would tell the U.S. and the world that it's an internal Chinese matter and we should look the other way. China can and will take Taiwan without complete destruction. It's more than possible, it's probable, especially, after they use their stockpile of U.S. dollars to modernize their military.

[Novaheart]

Now go read about Germany's initial Blitzkrieg. The Chinese plan, as best as intelligence can tell is to remove military resistance as fast as possible. It's very well and good if you want to go find a hole and stick your head into it, but all evidence points to China wanting Taiwan back under it's government more than it wants good relations with the U.S. As a matter of fact, China would tell the U.S. and the world that it's an internal Chinese matter and we should look the other way. China can and will take Taiwan without complete destruction. It's more than possible, it's probable, especially, after they use their stockpile of U.S. dollars to modernize their military.

And if you will ply the internet, you will find articles dating back years and decades- all speculating on China's intent or predicting their inscrutable patience waiting for the precise moment to retake the precious Formosa. Some even gave a date when this would happen.

China doesn't like the US offshore. No argument there. China likes to play games and see if they can get our ships chopping up some water. China is in dispute about other islands as well, and does the same thing there.

Could I be wrong? Of course I could. I'm speculating as you are. China could have some irrational desire to throw Formosa and Western relations down the crapper. For what? Some buildings and a bit of land? Formosa has no significant natural resources. It doesn't give China any military advantage (like Tibet) over hostile neighbors.

Looks like the CS Monitor had this discussion pretty well balanced (as we have here) in a 2004 article.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0722/p06s03-woap.html

[malloc]

I'm not giving a date, and I'm not saying that this Aircraft carrier is their green light. China is industrializing and upgrading. They are quickly becoming what the western world would think of a super power. Eventually they are going to want to come for what they think is theirs, period. That will be a very uncomfortable time for us. That's all I've been saying all thread.

[Novaheart]

I'm not giving a date, and I'm not saying that this Aircraft carrier is their green light. China is industrializing and upgrading. They are quickly becoming what the western world would think of a super power. Eventually they are going to want to come for what they think is theirs, period. That will be a very uncomfortable time for us. That's all I've been saying all thread.

I understand your concern. BTW, the article I linked to covers a couple of perspectives.

[Rockntractor]

Obama could trade Taiwan for our debt we owe them.

[Zathras]

Face palm yourself. If China wanted to take Taiwan, we couldn't stop them. They could do it in row boats.

And once again you prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that you don't have a fucking clue about what you're talking about.

[txradioguy]

Obama could trade Taiwan for our debt we owe them.

That and stipulate they get the hell out of the business of running the Panama Canal.

If the PLA and PLN did invade Taiwan and we did go to help...COSCO could shut down the canal and prevent us from sending say and extra carrier TF from the east coast to assist and force us to go the long way around.

[noonwitch]

Don't be Naive,China's first police action will be to grab as much wealth as possible. They'll start local, then regional, then ,,,,,,,.

Yeah, they've been so helpful in keeping North Korea in check all these years.

[Molon Labe]

Now go read about Germany's initial Blitzkrieg. The Chinese plan, as best as intelligence can tell is to remove military resistance as fast as possible. It's very well and good if you want to go find a hole and stick your head into it, but all evidence points to China wanting Taiwan back under it's government more than it wants good relations with the U.S. As a matter of fact, China would tell the U.S. and the world that it's an internal Chinese matter and we should look the other way. China can and will take Taiwan without complete destruction. It's more than possible, it's probable, especially, after they use their stockpile of U.S. dollars to modernize their military.

great analogy. Personally I've said this before. I could give two craps about Taiwan's security. It's not worth one American soldiers life.

We still have a 13 to 1 advantage over the Chinese navy, plus our training is tops. We'll be fine if we can figure out how to reorganize our military into one that is defensive and lethal rather than offensive in nature. Hopefully we will someday get a CIC who understands this.