Posted on 04/05/2023 12:30:17 PM PDT by Retain Mike
China views public relations as an asymmetric weapon it can use to put other nations’ governments into conflict with their respective militaries. Its strategy is to have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs extend a generous economic carrot of trade agreements and infrastructure pledges, while the PLA wields an ever-present, ever-more-capable military stick. In addition, China has established itself as the indispensable economic heavyweight in terms of its ability to rapidly and efficiently fund infrastructure and development projects around the world, seemingly with few strings attached. Nations and their respective populations are told they can share in the economic growth that restored China to the geopolitical center stage, and the only ask is that they respect China’s “sovereignty,” meaning its claims over Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, and large swaths of the South China Sea. Compared with the economic benefits, the geopolitical price appears low and even irrelevant in a globalized world, forcing these nations’ militaries into ideological conflict with their more economically motivated and diplomatically dovish governments.
The United States must not allow its government and military to be divided along these lines. Crafting a military public relations strategy that recognizes China as a belligerent is essential to ensure the U.S. geopolitical posture is ironclad and unified. This strategy need not echo the brash tone of the “wolf warrior” diplomats in Beijing’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but it must be public, proactive, and prominent to ensure U.S.-China relations remain stable.
(Excerpt) Read more at usni.org ...
I wouldn’t count out North Korea or Iran for that matter.
The #1 thing we can do for national security is secure the border. The #2 thing is drill baby drill and mine baby mine.
If we don't do those things we don't have the at home infrastructure for national security. It'd be like trying to win a football game with no linemen.
bkmk
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