After Beijing sends a frigate to the Med, a leading author poses a chilling question...

The Daily Mail, UK ^ | 5th March 2011 | Ian Morris

[sukhoi-30mki]

Too close for comfort? The Chinese frigate Xuzhou, which was on patrol in the Mediterranean last month, but its mission was not purely humanitarian

Who rules the waves? Britain is planning to build two new aircraft carriers to replace the two it currently has

[snowsislander]

How long until a Chinese aircraft carrier sails up the Thames?

Not long at all, by historical standards.

Red China is an aggressive and wealthy totalitarian state --- indeed, it is buying a port right here in the U.S.

[eyedigress]

My nephew lives in Red China and he loves it. He works for some world class water show as a rescue diver.

[blueunicorn6]

Yeah, but they’ll be moving it with oars unless Obama sells them some more of our technology for a campaign donation.

[Big Bronson]

There was a time when the British Navy ruled the seas, but then Teddy Roosevelt took the Great White Fleet on a world tour. The Brits by then were just trying to keep their Grand Fleet up to snuff with the Germans.

I wonder when the Chinese will make their "Great Yellow Fleet" show of force?

[decimon]

Maybe the lesson for we Western nations is to move ahead to new technologies and not to try to match the PRC in recreating the Cold War.

[Big Bronson]

the lesson for we Western nations is to move ahead to new technologies

Hello, I'm Joe American - taxpayer, and I approve of this message:

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-01/navys-free-electron-laser-weapon-takes-big-leap-forward-powerful-new-electron-injector

[Former Proud Canadian]

China is colonizing Africa. They will use Africa’s oil, mineral, agricultural, and human resources to their own benefit. A strong blue water navy is needed, they think, to protect their interests. Who is surprised?

[null and void]

Yeah. Isn’t that what they are supposed to do?

[nkycincinnatikid]

That totally AWESOME water show is however, in Macaou not “Red” China, where for the time being, as in Hong Kong, there remain remarkably more individual freedoms than in China itself.
The borders between China and those dependencies are actually more highly regulated than those of any western European nation, or the USA.

[cranked]

European/Western colonialism is virtually dead; Chinese colonialism is alive and well. =.=

[Riodacat]

China is colonizing Africa.

Good. I hope they do a better job than we westerners did.

[tanknetter]

Who rules the waves? Britain is planning to build two new aircraft carriers to replace the two it currently has

Britain no longer has aircraft carriers. Let alone two.

Ark Royal, the last of Britain's fixed-wing capable light carriers, is gone.

The RN has Illustrious, but she is only capable of being used as a helicopter assault ship (LPH) since the Harriers are gone as well (admittedly, the RN's light carriers are capable of, and have recently, embarking the Harriers of other nation's. Like the US Marines').

The RN also has Ocean, which is their purpose-built LPH.

[Riodacat]

Thoughout most of recorded history, the world has seen many nations rise above others to lead the way.
We had a great run, but I'm afraid we have no staying power (no pun intended) and lack the will and discipline to reverse the slide into increasing excessive self-indulgence and debt.
We soon be handing the baton over to the new kid on the block - who just also happens to own quite a bit of our debt and supplies us with almost all the goodies we can't seem to live without, so my advise is be nice to him.
Who's your daddy? China, that's who...

[tanknetter]

Who's your daddy? China, that's who...

China's going to have a LOT of difficulty developing a global power-projection capability. The US is blessed with facing both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Putting a frigate into the Med is probably a real stretch for China right now, and developing a capability to not only get more significant military resources there (or even further, like the Atlantic) is going to take decades and an incredible amount of resources to develop.

[eyedigress]

Thanks, My nephew wants me to come visit but time is lacking. You are 100% correct on the location. I appreciate the vast knowledge of FReeperdom.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

For all you non Naval readers, it is called “Command of the Sea”. As England declines, and the US stands at ease with no leadership, the ChiComs step up to the plate.

When they have effective command of the Pacific, and the US cannot insure that our imports get thru, ...... You can finish the sentence.

[org.whodat]

This is not the 1600’s so why in hell is it chilling. Pure nonsense! !!

[MasterGunner01]

What's the most likely scenario for the UK? The Muslims take over or the Chinese fight the Muslims to take over the UK?

Either way the stupid “elites” will hope to back the winner so they can keep “theirs”. Stupid elites — whoever wins will either behead you or put a bullet in your head. That's how Muslims and Chicoms operate.

[Rockingham]

China will build some elements of a blue water navy and send them out on tour for show, but she is not well-positioned geographically or politically to be a global naval power. China's access to the ocean is limited and can be impeded by regional adversaries able to deploy cheap, modern ship killing weapons.

Moreover, China suffers from substantial demographic, economic, and political problems that she seems unable to resolve or even address in a credible manner. A decade or two from now, China's stagnation will be an accepted fact -- and if we do things right -- the US will be starting a new era of strength and prosperity as the global superpower.