Replies

"China has built up a large navy."

Let's keep in mind that it was less than 40 years ago when China's Navy got beat up by Vietnam's Navy. Let's not make China's Navy out to be some juggernaut. Is this a concerning trend? Yes, absolutely. A further reason why we need to get our economic house in order so that we can spend appropriate amounts of money in defense to stay at the top. But there is no way in hell that the Chinese Navy can even think about challenging us on the seas and this dilapidated aircraft carrier does not change that equation. Keep in mind that doing these things will also have an effect on the plans of our partners in the region. The Indian, South Korean and Japanese navy are not going to sit still while China builds up her Navy. Will steps like this have an effect in 20 years? Remains to be seen.

Re: ...it was less than 40 years ago when China’s Navy got beat up by Vietnam’s Navy.

Really?!!!

And is that akin to [the same logic] as that of Vietnam’s gallant claims that she had beaten the craps out of the USA and won the Nam war which is also 40 years ago?

Or, on second thought, could it even be the affects of the psyches behind the West’s, or behind the minds of some westerner’s, over face saving values over their inability to conquer an anomaly as medieval and as primitive as Vietnam and hence had to pull out because of the pressure building at home that they have this need to add the Chinese to this roster of Vietnam failures?

I mean seriously, I don’t see a single back door garage in the USA having been B-52’ed by Vietnam throughout while the whole of Vietnam was cratered to ruins with a ratio of 50,000 casualties to maybe 40,000,000 in favor of the US to boot, do you? I mean do you truly understand what the term “beaten” and “lost war” mean?

Research the event again. Don’t place the psyche of “nationalism” as a thing to override all else of importance. You should then know how the incident truly and exactly concluded.

Patriotism is one thing. Truth is quite another.

Let's keep in mind that it was less than 40 years ago when China's Navy got beat up by Vietnam's Navy.

In the Battle of the Paracel Islands (1974), the PLAN sent the RVN Navy packing, despite sending 4 corvettes and 2 sub chasers against the RVN's force of 3 frigates and 1 corvette. The Chinese have since established a permanent physical presence on the island chain, including a 737-capable airstrip on Woody Island.