[nathanbedford]

To venture a controversial opinion:

The presence of Chinese aircraft carriers on the West Coast of Africa is no more a threat to the United States than the presence of American aircraft carriers on the East Coast of China poses a threat to China because both are increasingly vulnerable the closer they approach enemy shores. Long-range rockets can deliver nuclear strikes better than carriers even as carriers become increasingly vulnerable.

Therefore, the danger posed by these weapon platforms on the coast of Africa is not directly against the United States but against the states of Africa and potentially South America who are relatively incapable of defending against them. As aircraft carriers lose utility against superpowers with sophisticated long-range weapons, they nevertheless continue to perform their role of projecting power against second-class powers analogous to the influence of British gunboats in the 19th century.

I presume that the purpose of the Chinese is to change the nature of power in these regions by the introduction of weapons of intimidation along these coasts but not to exert an existential threat against the United States. We should understand that but we should also understand that the threat of undermining all these African and potentially South American states changes the balance of power in these vast regions and ultimately becomes an existential threat to us.

[No_Mas_Obama]

The existential threat already occupies every institution of Old Republic power. China and its PLA/PLAN will simply mop up the table scraps after the American elites are done plundering.

[Renfrew]

Very good points. As China becomes the world’s largest trading nation it gets far more interests around the world.

China is dependent on oil from Angola, iron ore from Brazil, and customers in Nigeria.

Those are the sort of nations they are likely to get involved in.

[Cen-Tejas]

....fyi, Nathan Bedford Forrest is my favorite “Combat” General!

I’m going to disagree with you on one premise of your writing in this post. Namely, I think “generally speaking” that China showing up on the African West Coast with their hugely defective tub of bolts purchased from Russia is a good thing for the US. For spot on backdrop, please recall the “Soviet Union” that liked to dabble in adventures around the world that they couldn’t afford.

China showing up in Africa is like one man with a Chevy Luv Pick up, a wheelbarrow and shovel showing up by himself at the World Trade Center site the day after they collapsed.

Like the WTC was that day, Africa is such a huge mess that China would be better off leaving it’s half carrier in Chinese waters back home close to tugboats and just burn the money it’s spending in Africa.