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| comment | | "parent_author":"",<br>"parent_permlink":"china",<br>"author":"pitbullsenzala",<br>"permlink":"china-s-flexing-its-military-muscle-and-testing-u-s-resolve-even-before-trump-takes-office",<br>"title":"China's flexing its military muscle and testing U.S. resolve even before Trump takes office",<br>"body":"Last week,<br> China seized nine armored fighting vehicles owned by Singapore's defense forces as they were ferried back from Taiwan,<br> where they had been used for routine exercises with the local military. The ship was passing in Hong Kong waters,<br> which are technically Chinese waters,<br> and the customs detained it and seized the vehicles. \nYou can check a summary in this link. http:\/\/www.todayonline.com\/world\/asia\/china-lodges-protest-singapore-over-troop-carriers \nSo here's some background: Singapore has been conducting joint military exercises with Taiwan for decades. It does the same with Thailand and Brunei. It also has probably the best equipped armed forces in Southeast Asia,<br> technologically speaking. \nChina has turned a blind eye all these years,<br> but suddenly they have decided to get involved. \nNot only that,<br> they have stated: \"The Chinese government is firmly opposed to any forms of official interaction between Taiwan and countries that have diplomatic relations with us,<br> military exchanges and cooperation included.\" (On a side note,<br> the U.S. would probably qualify on those counts as it supports Taipei but also maintains diplomatic relations with China,<br> but Beijing isn't going that far -- yet). \nCheck this link for more http:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/content\/1020583.shtml\nThis is a key turning point and one that China would only risk in a political environment as we have now,<br> with a lame duck U.S. President and an incoming one who says he wants to bring the troops back and stop measuring forces with China and Russia. \nThat's bad news especially for Singapore. In many countries,<br> the unilateral seizing of armed forces vehicles could be seen as tantamount to an act of war. Naturally,<br> the small island-nation isn't going that far against giant China. But this jeopardizes its position as a neutral country and puts into question the role it has been trying to play as mediator between China and the U.S. \nIt also means that China will keep testing how far it can go. It has already enveloped the Philippines,<br> with Rodrigo Duterte coming to knock on Xi Jinping's door and bad-mouthing the U.S. Now it's putting Singapore under its thumb. \nAt some point,<br> someone will have to draw a line. And if no one does,<br> then God help us all.",<br>"json_metadata":" \"tags\":[\"china\",<br>\"singapore\",<br>\"war\",<br>\"strategy\",<br>\"taiwan\" ,<br>\"links\":[\"http:\/\/www.todayonline.com\/world\/asia\/china-lodges-protest-singapore-over-troop-carriers\",<br>\"http:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/content\/1020583.shtml\" ,<br>\"app\":\"steemit\/0.1\",<br>\"format\":\"markdown\" " | | vote | "voter":"pitbullsenzala",
"author":"pitbullsenzala",
"permlink":"china-s-flexing-its-military-muscle-and-testing-u-s-resolve-even-before-trump-takes-office",
"weight":10000 |
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