[Dat Mon]

Don't mind me...if I post for the umpteenth time my belief that China is moving towards a new...or perhaps reinvented society...a 'neo-feudal' society.

This is a society which is a perfect combination of communism, fascism, and crony capitalism, all underwritten by a hyper-strong military, and with long range desire for empire.

[johnd01]

...on the bright side, I don't think China has much to gain from mashing Taiwan into the ground. Politically, the rest of the world would see the militant side of communism rise again. A military Chinese action would ruin thier economy, as no other nation would dare trade with them again (except maybe for the "neo-comm" Russians). China would become a great big North Korea economically and politically.