[fallujah-nuker]

neutronsgalore wrote "...their development of coal gasification/liquefaction (CGL) plants will give them sufficient domestic petroleum production to engage in long term war."

They also have the option of building a large amphibious fleet in a hurry, they built over 6 million tons of merchant shipping last year, they could easily build scores of assault ships in a few years. Also LST's in their numerous inland waterway shipyards.

They could build a fleet rapidly and the world would assume it was meant for Taiwan, but strike south into oil rich Borneo and the East Indies. I think a ship like the Tarawa would be easy for them, perhaps using Ka-31 as the transport helicopters.

[neutronsgalore]

"They could build a fleet rapidly and the world would assume it was meant for Taiwan, but strike south into oil rich Borneo and the East Indies. I think a ship like the Tarawa would be easy for them, perhaps using Ka-31 as the transport helicopters."

They could also use it as an unspoken threat of invasion against Japan and S. Korea to get them to kick out US forces and stop supplying us with military-critical components/materials.