12 hours ago, Alan Zweibel said:

Why do you hve choose between evil and nutty? Maybe there's a third option? Like finding other, more rational sources?

Right. Because China is renowned for free media, open political discussion and ease of accessing "rational sources".

41 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Right. Because China is renowned for free media, open political discussion and ease of accessing "rational sources".

It's a pity that there aren't journals and other media sources outside of China that are looking at what goes on there. Because if there were, somebody might look there for information. But that's just crazy talk, right?

22 hours ago, Yagoda said:

Is China all show, and no substance? Does this mean that China will be forced to attack Taiwan simply to demonstrate it can?

Don't really know, but when I went there it was really nice, nobody bothered me, everyone was running private business and appeared happy.

It certainly more welcoming and safer place than the UK.

The hiking was amazing ......

Very wishful thinking, I think in the long run China will only get stronger, and America will only get weaker. Trump has been a huge blessing to the CCP, and they're making China infinitely more relevant, and Trump is making America infinitely less relevant by the day, by chasing nations away from doing business with the US, who is a highly unreliable ally.

America has decrepit train terminals and funky old airports, while China glistens with some of the most modern airports and train terminals in the world, and 22,000 km of high-speed train, while the lowly US has zero. Zero!

Already the US is declining rapidly. This clip starkly shows the difference in improvements in infrastructure between the lowly US, and their Chinese counterpart. Not world class. Not by a long shot. Woe is America. Such massive delusion and hubris. 

China VS the US.

20 hours ago, John Drake said:

Anything that generates large casualties will cost Xi his position in power. Remember, all these people in the Chinese armed forces are men and women who came from One-Child families, because of Chinese restrictions on family size until a few years ago. Everytime one of these soldiers dies, an entire family lineage will be erased. Plus these guys haven't been to war since 1979, crossing to some place like the Taiwan Straits is going to scare them so much they'll likely freeze. Sitting ducks.

You obviously are completely unaware of how it works in China.

All young Chinese have been brain washed in 'pioneer' organisations since primary school. They receive basic military education and nationalistic indoctrination during all their studies, directly organised and supervised by the CPC. This 'education' has been significantly boosted under Xi.

As to those actually serving in the PLA, they are all volunteers, not called. This is primarily because the army consistently receives more than enough volunteers to meet its needs.

Inflammatory post adding nothing to the thread removed. Warning to follow.

1 hour ago, candide said:

As to those actually serving in the PLA, they are all volunteers, not called. This is primarily because the army consistently receives more than enough volunteers to meet its needs.

Based on the living conditions in rural China, I bet a bunch joined for three hots.

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

America has decrepit train terminals and funky old airports, while China glistens with some of the most modern airports and train terminals in the world, and 22,000 km of high-speed train, while the lowly US has zero. Zero!

Ever been to rural China?

Guess you dont believe in things like property rights and environmental rules either.

Its interesting how you attack the USA and the dictator Trump at every turn, yet praise a system that has murdered millions and is both revanchist and aggressive.

10 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Based on the living conditions in rural China, I bet a bunch joined for three hots.

That's quite likely. However, based on the Chinese political system, I bet they have been screened and selected by the CPC.