Japan Says It Faces Increasing Threats from China, North Korea

[LawrenceChee]

Back to the land? You have got to be joking. They all want to be the Lao bai Sin that Lawrence Chee refers to.

"they buy Japanese goods and the high end stuff and contribute to the economy, seen $2000 USD tiger brand / hitachi rice cookers before ? The Chinese snapped these up and the Japanese cooking knives and food items."

Rampant materialism, the Chinese Dream after decades of having nothing.

Trouble is there's 1.4billion of em. Nouveau riche, dog eat dog. If your neighbour has, the chances are you won't.

While Japan was developing its advanced economy and society, what was China doing?

No surprise Mrs Xi Jinping was very impressed with Japanese cities. Beijing is a polluted sh***** without a soul.

Tibet? Another story. Same enemy. Repressive, ignorant CCP.

I wonder why one would refer this only as materialism ...I am sure in every country Japan included when you start working you have an aspiration to improve your living conditions for ourself and your family and this includes buying things you never had before

I can see on this thread you and Publicus seems to think that china is not entitled to this as any country or citizen should ?

Is this really bad ? After all china is not the first country to go down this road and there is caution now to the young don't follow the west and get bankrupt

Some are heeding this and some are not and again this is not exclusive to the Chinese and this is a worldwide trend

I cannot see why you would brush a country off by one stroke only..dim witted and close minded this is.

Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ?

The onus is on the west you can critique it all you like by your standards but china will not change to those as it is not the west and they don't expect the west to understand them

I quoted an example earlier the Chinese are not going to eat cornflakes for breakfast any time soon and don't expect the west to eat rice as well or the Japanese to give up their rice or sushi ...

You keep referring to the Chinese as the enemy of Japan and everyone else ...that's quite the wrong start and a bitter hollow argument that could start a quarrel for no reasons...

[SinglePot]

"Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ? "

Mao Zedong did his best to destroy all that, as you well know.

I went to a posh restaurant near the forbidden city. The Temple Restaurant. I asked the Chinese hosts what is the religion of this temple we are eating in? They had no idea of its history. Seriously old. For a period of time it was converted into a factory where they made black and white TV's.

A Buddhist compound now playing host to nouveau riche Chinese and the occasional visiting businessman from the west.

A pleasant haven from the endless apartment blocks and dual carriageways of Beijing, the city without a soul.

[LawrenceChee]

"Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ? "

Mao Zedong did his best to destroy all that, as you well know.

I went to a posh restaurant near the forbidden city. The Temple Restaurant. I asked the Chinese hosts what is the religion of this temple we are eating in? They had no idea of its history. Seriously old. For a period of time it was converted into a factory where they made black and white TV's.

A Buddhist compound now playing host to nouveau riche Chinese and the occasional visiting businessman from the west.

A pleasant haven from the endless apartment blocks and dual carriageways of Beijing, the city without a soul.

Ask any hosts if they know their history and heritage and odds are you get the same answer if they choose to be indifferent to this ...heck choose Singapore which is only 48 years old as a nation and you will be surprised at the depth of the historical knowledge for those who are not keen to find out more.

The Japanese have also modified their textbooks to omit most of the history during WWII so a whole generation who do not read up may also have no clue

Next time you head to Beijing drop me a pm and I will arrange for those who are keen on a historical discussion to meet you and perhaps hear some of these views you post online about their soulless city.

I am sure politely they will refute you and have an intellectual discussion on the historical meaning to be an engaged Chinese citizen

[SinglePot]

I feel like I have no voice.

[ABCer]

Hah! Political Demonstrations Turned Violent! In China!

Please, do not treat me as a child. If there were no tanks, no Police and no Army causing 2000 - 3000 dead, this was a political stunt by the Gov't. Well organised and cheap. Down there they do not have to pay people 500 bt per person to come and shout what is necessary. I said above that West is allowed to see what Chinese Gov't wants them to see.

But having said this, does it guarantee, that Chinese will not grab what they claim? Just to test the water... And I'm afraid that Japanese Allies will stick with them all the way ... to peaceful resolution of the dispute.

US military do claim to be the Greatest in the world after collapse of USSR and after Iraq. Question is are they sure enough to test it.

[baboon]

"Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ? "

Mao Zedong did his best to destroy all that, as you well know.

I went to a posh restaurant near the forbidden city. The Temple Restaurant. I asked the Chinese hosts what is the religion of this temple we are eating in? They had no idea of its history. Seriously old. For a period of time it was converted into a factory where they made black and white TV's.

A Buddhist compound now playing host to nouveau riche Chinese and the occasional visiting businessman from the west.

A pleasant haven from the endless apartment blocks and dual carriageways of Beijing, the city without a soul.

Ask any hosts if they know their history and heritage and odds are you get the same answer if they choose to be indifferent to this ...heck choose Singapore which is only 48 years old as a nation and you will be surprised at the depth of the historical knowledge for those who are not keen to find out more.

The Japanese have also modified their textbooks to omit most of the history during WWII so a whole generation who do not read up may also have no clue

Next time you head to Beijing drop me a pm and I will arrange for those who are keen on a historical discussion to meet you and perhaps hear some of these views you post online about their soulless city.

I am sure politely they will refute you and have an intellectual discussion on the historical meaning to be an engaged Chinese citizen

I spent 36 hours in Beijing in transit and I liked the place. I wish I could have spent more time there and engaged with more of the people who I found astonishingly friendly for such a huge metropolis.

[Publicus]

"Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ? "

Mao Zedong did his best to destroy all that, as you well know.

I went to a posh restaurant near the forbidden city. The Temple Restaurant. I asked the Chinese hosts what is the religion of this temple we are eating in? They had no idea of its history. Seriously old. For a period of time it was converted into a factory where they made black and white TV's.

A Buddhist compound now playing host to nouveau riche Chinese and the occasional visiting businessman from the west.

A pleasant haven from the endless apartment blocks and dual carriageways of Beijing, the city without a soul.

Without any soul, yes, that was one of the strongest first impressions I got of the CCP-PRC after I'd been there a few months. The people haven't anything about them beyond empty eyes and their blank faces.

The place is cold, distant, aloof, arrogant and so much more that shows the culture of the place, the PRChina, is barren of spirit, of energy. The only thing the people have are that they are THE CHINESE. That's an empty basis on which to claim anything.

That's the reason the sheeple of the CCP-PRC have become what they once fought (unsuccessfuly) to defend themselves against, i.e., fascists in a one party imperial fascist state that is a power and authority unto itself only.

[WAERTH]

Off topic remark:

Keep up the debate, I find it an interesting read!

W

[LawrenceChee]

"Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ? "

Mao Zedong did his best to destroy all that, as you well know.

I went to a posh restaurant near the forbidden city. The Temple Restaurant. I asked the Chinese hosts what is the religion of this temple we are eating in? They had no idea of its history. Seriously old. For a period of time it was converted into a factory where they made black and white TV's.

A Buddhist compound now playing host to nouveau riche Chinese and the occasional visiting businessman from the west.

A pleasant haven from the endless apartment blocks and dual carriageways of Beijing, the city without a soul.

Without any soul, yes, that was one of the strongest first impressions I got of the CCP-PRC after I'd been there a few months. The people haven't anything about them beyond empty eyes and their blank faces.

The place is cold, distant, aloof, arrogant and so much more that shows the culture of the place, the PRChina, is barren of spirit, of energy. The only thing the people have are that they are THE CHINESE. That's an empty basis on which to claim anything.

That's the reason the sheeple of the CCP-PRC have become what they once fought (unsuccessfuly) to defend themselves against, i.e., fascists in a one party imperial fascist state that is a power and authority unto itself only.

From your debate style and facts floating in your head that you are walking among "the enemy" and how hateful the entire country is ...I can only imagine your body language as you walk around ...

I am not surprised you didn't get a friendly look or a smile ...learn how to be respectful and speak in Mandarin and the world opens to you.

The people up north are typically more gruff and closed up till you break the ice ...many intrepid travelers have the same observations between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi ...once the ice is broken, you will be amazed at the hospitality served and shared among friends.

Japanese are closed up people too and very reserved ...but after a few cups of sake it's amazing how much fun they can be

[Scott]

I have deleted an off-topic post. Other's should be deleted, but will be allowed to remain for now. This thread is about Japan saying it faces an increasing threat from China and North Korea. Broad discussion of the Chinese or Japanese people is racist and not necessarily germane to the topic of the thread.

Please stop with the personal commentary about other posters and about the company they keep.

People are entitled to an opinion and to post the basis of the opinion.

Stay on the topic. Further posts that bait off-topic discussions will be deleted without notice.

[Publicus]

"Have you been to lijiang and appreciated the Pu Er tea making process which stretch almost 2000 years ? Is that not art and culture ?

Beijing in itself has rich history in hutongs and historical buildings ....have u explored those and read about the history there or are you just keen to critique the government ? "

Mao Zedong did his best to destroy all that, as you well know.

I went to a posh restaurant near the forbidden city. The Temple Restaurant. I asked the Chinese hosts what is the religion of this temple we are eating in? They had no idea of its history. Seriously old. For a period of time it was converted into a factory where they made black and white TV's.

A Buddhist compound now playing host to nouveau riche Chinese and the occasional visiting businessman from the west.

A pleasant haven from the endless apartment blocks and dual carriageways of Beijing, the city without a soul.

Without any soul, yes, that was one of the strongest first impressions I got of the CCP-PRC after I'd been there a few months. The people haven't anything about them beyond empty eyes and their blank faces.

The place is cold, distant, aloof, arrogant and so much more that shows the culture of the place, the PRChina, is barren of spirit, of energy. The only thing the people have are that they are THE CHINESE. That's an empty basis on which to claim anything.

That's the reason the sheeple of the CCP-PRC have become what they once fought (unsuccessfuly) to defend themselves against, i.e., fascists in a one party imperial fascist state that is a power and authority unto itself only.

From your debate style and facts floating in your head that you are walking among "the enemy" and how hateful the entire country is ...I can only imagine your body language as you walk around ...

I am not surprised you didn't get a friendly look or a smile ...learn how to be respectful and speak in Mandarin and the world opens to you.

The people up north are typically more gruff and closed up till you break the ice ...many intrepid travelers have the same observations between Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi ...once the ice is broken, you will be amazed at the hospitality served and shared among friends.

Japanese are closed up people too and very reserved ...but after a few cups of sake it's amazing how much fun they can be

What is this, a personal advice self-indulgence?

If I want to read personal advice pieces I'll buy and read "Ask Dr Tracy," or something like it. Which I don't do.

Your lecture is inappropriate, presumptuous.

And I'd say off topic.

[Publicus]

A recent scientific survey conducted jointly by PRChinese and Japanese pollsters finds that half the population of each country believes the two countries will have a military conflict in the future.

The immediate flashpoint is the dispute over the Senkaku Islands of Japan which Beijing claims it owns - Beijing claims it owns most of East Asia, the South China Sea, northern India and various other areas of territory throughout the Indo-Pacific strategic region.

According to the survey results,

To no one’s surprise, the dispute over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands was the most common reason respondents in both countries gave for their negative impressions. Specifically, 77.6 percent of the Chinese respondents and 53.2 percent of the Japanese surveyed listing the island dispute as a source of their animosity.

The next most common answers had to do with historical grievances. 63.8 percent of Chinese, for example, cited Japan’s lack of a proper apology and remorse over the history of invasion of China as one of the reasons they hold negative views of Japan. On the other hand, Chinese criticism of Japan over historical issues was the second most commonly selected answer by Japanese respondents.

Views about the future are even bleaker. For instance, the pollsters asked whether the respondents believed there would a military conflict between China and Japan in the future. A striking 52.7 percent of Chinese respondents and 48.7 percent of their Japanese counterparts said that there will be a military conflict at some point in the future.

And here's a directly related article discussing and analyzing the fact the two don't like each other for historical reasons as well.

China and Japan REALLY Don’t Like Each Other

A recent survey of Chinese and Japanese citizens views of each other’s countries helps shed light on these issues.

The survey found that 92.8 percent of Chinese respondents hold unfavorable views of Japan, a startling 28 percent rise from the year before. Similarly, 90.1 percent of respondents in Japan had an unfavorable or relatively unfavorable view of China, compared with 84.3 percent last year.

For both countries, these figures were higher than in the previous nine annual surveys conducted.

http://thediplomat.com/china-power/china-and-japan-really-dont-like-each-other/

[boomerangutang]

That's a bit sad, that surveys show a majority of each of the two countries don't like the other. It's akin to the Pakistani/India thing or Israel/Palestine thing, or Hutu/Tutsi or Sunni/Shiite. Notice that all the animosity mentioned herein are between groups of people who are in very close proximity to each other. What a small-minded tribal species we are!

I have some suggestions for making things better, but there are several reasons why they wouldn't be considered. So I won't waste my breath. Yet here are some 'givens':

>>> People like to maintain their prejudices. us vs them. I once saw a HS coach yelling at his football team, during a half-time break, saying about the other team "we're better than them!" It quickly became a rousing mantra for all the testosteroned boys, as they ran back on to the playing field.

>>> It's particularly advantageous for political leaders to maintain animosity against neighbors, and to always have enemies at the gates.

Has our species developed beyond chimps and bonobos? I'll give you one guess at my answer, if you were to ask me.

Edited August 29, 2013 by boomerangutang

[Publicus]

That's a bit sad, that surveys show a majority of each of the two countries don't like the other. It's akin to the Pakistani/India thing or Israel/Palestine thing, or Hutu/Tutsi or Sunni/Shiite. Notice that all the animosity mentioned herein are between groups of people who are in very close proximity to each other. What a small-minded tribal species we are!

I have some suggestions for making things better, but there are several reasons why they wouldn't be considered. So I won't waste my breath. Yet here are some 'givens':

>>> People like to maintain their prejudices. us vs them. I once saw a HS coach yelling at his football team, during a half-time break, saying about the other team "we're better than them!" It quickly became a rousing mantra for all the testosteroned boys, as they ran back on to the playing field.

>>> It's particularly advantageous for political leaders to maintain animosity against neighbors, and to always have enemies at the gates.

Has our species developed beyond chimps and bonobos? I'll give you one guess at my answer, if you were to ask me.

Yeah, history shows neighbors are the worst enemies.

Neighbors are convenient to target for tribal racism and/or ethnocentrism.

The CCP-PRC, Japan, the two Koreas surprisingly haven't yet experienced enough death and destruction by one another to be forced into the European necessity of a European Union as the only effective way to avoid even more destructive and neverending warfare.

The northeast Asians continue to live by their primitive and ancient attitudes of destructiveness and a neverending hate.

They remain unable to forgive and forget. Or, if they can't forget, at the least try to forgive. The real strength lies in the forgiving, not the neverending taking of revenge based on continuing to live by a primitive vengeance.

The proverbial vicious circle.

Tragic that they remain so primitive.

[jamhar]

Is that a faint smell of the 1930's in the air?

[boomerangutang]

Get ready for a long sentence:

If you look at the groups/clans of people who maintain those ingrained patterns of harboring hate and vengeful thoughts for hundreds of years:

you'll see those people are also steeped in superstition.

Most prominently: Africans, Middle easterners, Asians

In contrast, people who don't maintain such deep-set, long-lasting animosity are less steeped in superstition:

Scandinavians, S.Africans, Australians, ...even north Americans.

[boomerangutang]

Is that a faint smell of the 1930's in the air?

You could say so, but thankfully, neither China nor Japan has a massive personality cult going. In other words, there is currently nor Chairman Mao nor Emperor Hirohito, nor Stalin, nor Mussolini or Hitler-like characters swaying the masses.

The 20th century was, by a wide margin, the bloodiest century for humans. Let's hope the 21st doesn't surpass it.

[impulse]

Seems like, as always, people are hashing over the last war and who’d win if the next war was the same.

All this discussion of navies, rockets and weapons delivery systems.

With the millions of 20’ and 40’ containers crossing the seas in the past 20 years, I suspect the next nuclear strike will come from someone in Beijing, Moscow or Washington DC pushing a button from the comfort of their office desk, and a pre-placed WMD going off somewhere in the world. One that’s been sitting buried for a decade or two, just waiting for a signal.

No need for rockets, ships, planes or submarines. More than just a little sobering.

[Publicus]

Seems like, as always, people are hashing over the last war and who’d win if the next war was the same.

All this discussion of navies, rockets and weapons delivery systems.

With the millions of 20’ and 40’ containers crossing the seas in the past 20 years, I suspect the next nuclear strike will come from someone in Beijing, Moscow or Washington DC pushing a button from the comfort of their office desk, and a pre-placed WMD going off somewhere in the world. One that’s been sitting buried for a decade or two, just waiting for a signal.

No need for rockets, ships, planes or submarines. More than just a little sobering.

The sum of all fears, as it were.

But, alas, we begin to stray from the thread topic.

[impulse]

I was actually trying to bring it back to the thread title topic.

japan-says-it-faces-increasing-threats-from-china-north-korea

[Publicus]

I was actually trying to bring it back to the thread title topic.

japan-says-it-faces-increasing-threats-from-china-north-korea

You omitted mentioning Pyongyang.

[impulse]

I was actually trying to bring it back to the thread title topic.

japan-says-it-faces-increasing-threats-from-china-north-korea

You omitted mentioning Pyongyang.

Because I don't think they have the capability to build a suitcase nuclear bomb, much less smuggle it into DC, Beijing, Moscow, Paris, London, etc.

[Publicus]

Japan is a peaceful, non-nuclear democratic country that is a responsible member of the United Nations and the international order of law abiding and respectable nations.

North Korea is the opposite, and worse.

The news story below concerns the deployment by Japan today of anti-ballistic missiles in response to further rogue behaviors by the militarists in Pyongyang.

Japan Deploys Missile Interceptors Amid North Korea Launch Fears

Japan has deployed missile interceptors in key locations around Tokyo as a precaution against possible North Korean ballistic missile tests.

The Patriot missiles, called PAC-3s, were deployed Tuesday at Japan's defense ministry headquarters and were also to be deployed at bases farther away from central Tokyo.

North Korea is believed to have moved ballistic missiles to its east coast, possibly in preparation for a test launch.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/09/japan-deploys-missile-interceptors_n_3041751.html

Edited September 2, 2013 by Publicus

[Publicus]

Beijing has denied Japan's request to have a summit to discuss the islands dispute and to try to improve Sino-Japan relations.

So the message is clear from the CCP that there is no peaceful solution to Beijing's outrageous and brazen claims that it has sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands, to include Okinawa Island off Japan's south coast.

Ground Self-Defense Force to join RIMPAC exercises in 2014

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0000535263

The Defense Ministry has decided that the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force will take part in the RIMPAC maritime warfare exercises off Hawaii for the first time in 2014, a move expected to strengthen the GSDF’s ability to protect remote islands in the face of increased maritime activities by China in waters near Japan.

The U.S. Navy-led Rim of the Pacific, held every two years, is one of the world’s largest such exercises, and will mostly involve missile launches and drills for responses to attacks by submarines and aircraft.

The ministry decided to allow GSDF personnel to take part in RIMPAC because it believes boosting their cohesiveness with U.S. marines will enhance their ability to defend remote islands.

Edited September 11, 2013 by Publicus

[boomerangutang]

It doesn't look like coincidence that, during these recent years that China's economy has strengthened, its politburo thinks it can flex its nationalistic muscles - to take over other countries' islands. Perhaps it thinks, because its military is large, and exports high, that other countries should acquiesce to its territory grabs.

I bet the Chinese are glad they grabbed Tibet when they did, in the 1950's. If the Chinese had waited until decades later to do so, the international community would be aghast. At the time they marched in to Tibet, they felt they had to act quickly, because Russia was nearby, probably with similar thoughts. Poor Tibet. It didn't have oil reserves, so the int'l community didn't pay much notice. It did, however, have an outdated and small army, which was easily overcome by Chinese troops.

[Publicus]

Beijing is playing a risky game to introduce drones to the East Asian region.

Japan hasn't done it, Asean countries haven' done it, India hasn't done it. Only Beijing.

Beijing knows Japan bites back against Beijing's provocations against Japan, so introducing drones escalates the possibilities of military conflict.

Japan had been considering it, but now almost surely will go ahead to purchase reconnaissance drones from the US which Japan can use to monitor the disputed Senkaku Islands which Beijing claims as belonging to the CCP-PRC, in addition to Beijing's territorial claims over the southern Japanese island of Okinawa.

The CCP-PRC looks ever more determined to start a shoot out in all of this.

Japan May Shoot Down Chinese Drones

Japan’s Defense Ministry is studying a plan for shooting down drones that invade its airspace, according to a report by NHK World.

The report comes days after Tokyo reported that an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flew near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands.

“The introduction of indigenous drones into Asia's strategic environment — now made official by China's maiden unmanned provocation — will bring with it additional sources of instability and escalation to the fiercely contested South and East China Seas.”

http://thediplomat.com/flashpoints-blog/2013/09/20/japan-may-shoot-down-chinese-drones/

[Publicus]

Well, we're most of the way through the year 2013 and the predictions of last year by some of a 2013 war between the CCP-PRC and Japan never looked that realistic, so such predictions presently look to have been premature, if not dead wrong.

None the less, the CCP-PRC continues to play seriously in the dispute it has initiated against Japan over Japanese territorial and oceanic possessions that lie between the two countries.

In a major new development, however, Beijing is now preparing militarily to seize disputed islands in a matter of hours instead of days, as had been the case until just this year. The following quote speaks to Beijing's new military capabilities concerning the Japanese territories it disputes and Beijing's new capability to seize disputed islands in a matter of hours.

China is also accumulating rapid lift assets. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has taken delivery of the first Ukrainian-built Zubr (Bison) large hovercraft. The first example, delivered in May, is now undergoing final modifications in Shanghai. At least three more are expected initially, but China may build many more of an indigenous version. Developed by the former Soviet Union to give its Naval Infantry the ability to rapidly invade NATO countries along the Baltic Sea, the Zubr can lift about 500 troops or up to 150 tons of armor, weapons and material up to speeds of 66 miles per hour. With just four Zubr hovercraft, the PLAN could potentially put 2,000 troops or up to 600 tons of weapons and material on the Senkakus in about four to five hours, or it could reach the island of Miyako-jima in about six to seven hours with a much reduced payload.

If it actually came to a race between the Osprey and the Bison, getting there first would make all the difference, as without the advantage of surprise, an adequately armed defender could significantly damage incoming hovercraft or helicopters. But the outcome would also depend on the result of intensive air and sea battles around these islands. For now, the superior performance of the U.S. Lockheed-Martin F-22A fifth-generation fighter and the Virginia class nuclear-powered attack submarine provide a margin of superiority that undergirds deterrence, but this could change quickly as the PLA Air Force increases the number of capable fourth-generation fighters supported by AWACS radar aircraft, followed by fifth-generation fighters that could even the odds, especially if China decides to strike first. Growing numbers of PLAN air defense destroyers like the new Type 052D could also help deny air dominance to Japanese and U.S. forces.

Osprey vs. Bison in the East China Sea

China, Japan and the U.S. are ramping up their ability to deploy to disputed islands in the East China Sea.

Stability in the region between Taiwan and Japan, and the security of Taiwan, hinges on an arms race that will soon be accompanying the heightened paramilitary engagements between Japanese, Chinese and, occasionally, Taiwanese Coast Guard ships over who will control the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea.

For now this contest for control is confined to shoving matches largely between Chinese and Japanese Coast Guard ships, which take several days to deploy. However, China is now developing the means to project decisive force to these islands in hours, not days.

Should China gain the upper hand in this arms race there is a greater chance it will use force to occupy the islands and then set its sights on the strategically more attractive nearby Sakashima island group.

http://thediplomat.com/2013/09/22/osprey-vs-bison-in-the-east-china-sea/

[SinglePot]

Not to worry Pub.

If the boys in Beijing are as good at military stuff as they are at running their economy, organizing an efficient health service and promoting social harmony, Japan and her allies need not worry.

[Publicus]

Not to worry Pub.

If the boys in Beijing are as good at military stuff as they are at running their economy, organizing an efficient health service and promoting social harmony, Japan and her allies need not worry.

What, me worry?!

You and I, and others who have spent time in the CCP-PRC know the Chinese can't find their arse with both hands.

And both Washington and Beijing know they need a good skirmish to find out head on each other's offensive and defensive military capabilities and technologies.

[SinglePot]

Maybe best just to treat them as incompetent. Seems to me Japan and the West are giving the CCP-PRC too much respect.

A nation who has a legacy of creating famine and the ultimate antisocial exercise of the single child policy.

Impressive eh?

Maybe their military hardware is slightly better than their next door neighbour's?

Ah...it's China's turn now....having been left in the dark ages by their obstinate leadership.