Prepare For "War At Sea" China Defense Minister Warns

Zerohedge ^ | Aug 3, 2016 | Tyler Durden

[Former Proud Canadian]

In the latest escalation of bellicose rhetoric over the territorial dispute involving the South China Sea, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan warned of "offshore security threats" and urged for a "substantial preparation for a people's war at sea" to safeguard sovereignty, China's Xinhua writes.

The warning comes a day after China launched a massive naval drill which is set to prepare China for a "sudden, cruel and short" war.

[Former Proud Canadian]

The article comes with an interesting chart predicting losses on both sides in a naval conflict over the South China Sea.

What the article does not discuss is the economic fallout from such a conflict. I have a hard time imagining containers being unloaded from Chinese freighters in San Diego while USN carriers are under attack in the South China Sea. I wonder how Apple and GM and Ford and FCA are going to fare when the US is bombing Chinese bases on Hainan.

Imagine a war between Canada and the US. Would the US still buy 90% of the output of Canada's auto plants? Would the US continue to buy 2 million barrels of oil a day from a nation they are at war with?

So a war in the South China Sea would mean a huge economic disruption. Who would that hurt more China or the US?

[ctdonath2]

Problem is those involved are much finer grained than “China & US”.
Individuals have their own ulterior motives & influences, the rest of whom have to deal with the consequences of. Comes a point where military leaders must exert their reason for being, and we have to live with outcomes. The economic collapse will be horrific, yet excused by existential rhetoric.
Hence, among other reasons, prepping.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I think this is all mind games being played by the Chinese to intimidate countries in the region, such as The Philippines, Malaysia, even Japan.

If China was really planning to launch a “War at Sea,” would they really tip their hand and announce it ahead of time?

It would be like the Japanese in early December, 1941 saying, “Hey, prepare for an attack....we’re gonna hit Malaya, The Philippines, Guam and Hawaii!”

[MichaelRDanger]

You have to consider that America will not be the only country China will be fighting. Make sure you factor in Japan, Australia, India and a few smaller Asian countries. China will be isolated and blockaded. I suspect Russia will only lend China token aid.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I’m not speculating or factoring in anything. I agree with other posters that the economic and financial fallout will be horrific.

[Former Proud Canadian]

I think, in hindsight, the Jap attacks of December, 1941 were easily predictable. I also believe that many in the US government, unfortunately at lower levels of the intelligence community and not at decision making levels, also predicted Japanese attacks all over the Pacific. It was inevitable that Japan would clash with the other dominate Pacific power.

China will keep pushing out to the first island chain until somebody pushes back. Count on it.

[Former Proud Canadian]

Freezing all public and private assets on both sides. Stopping all trade, all bank transfers, all travel. Would people caught in the wrong country find themselves instant hostages? It would be absolute chaos.

[Ozark Tom]

“When you have to shoot, shoot. Don’t talk.”

[ctdonath2]

“Collateral damage”.

[CopperTop]

"..China will keep pushing out to the first island chain until somebody pushes back. Count on it.."

And why shouldn't they? Under our current regime, it costs them nothing to increase their lands and influence. It may not be so "cost efficient" if there's a regime change.

Concerning who it would affect more, empty shelves at Harbor Freight would be pretty traumatic for lots of tinkerer's. (j/k) d;^)

[Vendome]

I have an idea:

Let’s treat them like Japan, before Germany Bombed Pearson Harbor

Cut off access to oil- they can’t drill for it on their own land.

Cut off coal- the got none.

Cut off food- they are turning their country I toste a giant desert and a colossal super dump.

No more steel.

And ensure no one else in the free world trades with them either.

Then let’s play Battleship....

[Shanghai Dan]

Would this be a war between China and the US? Or between China and Vietnam. Or China and the Philippines. Or China and Malaysia.

We have a mutual defense agreement with the Philippines, but it’s articles have us going through the UN first, before any military action. We have no agreement with Vietnam or Malaysia.

China acting militarily against other SE Asian nations will be a very weak to non-existent trigger for hostilities with the US. We’ll rattle sabers, but that’s about it.

[Lou L]

Wait ‘til they see the Harvey Milk steaming out on the open ocean!

[Shanghai Dan]

China has the 3rd largest coal reserves in the world (behind the US and Russia).

Russia is China's largest oil supplier and that's via pipelines. The rest of SE Asia and the ME supply China as well - and China wants the oil in SE Asia (thus their expansionist actions into the South China sea).

China produces over half the world's steel, over 10 times as much as the US.

China is pretty much the largest producer of food in the world. They grow more wheat than anyone else. More rice. More vegetables. More potatoes. More pork. Etc. They are a world force in food production.

The China of today is not at ALL like the Japan of the 1930s. They have a much bigger base of raw materiel needed to make what they need. Cutting off their "supplies" from US-friendly sources (I don't think Russia or Saudi Arabia or Iran would play ball with us) would not significantly impact China for a few years - and that may be enough time to finish their actions of expansion.

My guess is that China is going to take over all of the South China sea, for the oil it represents. And in the 2020s, it's going to be China and Russia as opponents, over the resources in Siberia (with China taking it from Russia).