Crouching Tiger (Documentary, 2015)
Director: Peter Navarro
China, through their foreign envoys, continues to try to impress upon the rest of the world that they are a peaceful nation. From the time in history, they have been a nation of trade. They expanded their shipping fleet and extended their influences the world over in pursuit of peaceful trade until the Ming Dynasty's closed-door policy when they decided to introspect with their own brand of realisation and Confucianism. Apparently, this system failed to satisfy the masses. Recent changes in their economic outlook had awoken the tiger from a long slumber.
Nehru, as the head of a newly independent democracy then, thought the best way to foster relationships with another great civilisation was through commerce. Unfortunately, he found out the hard way, that China has their own way of doing business when both countries engaged in a war in 1962 and India lost Tibet causing the Dalai Lama to abdicate.
Singapore, in the 90s, did the same only to leave with a bad after-taste and burnt fingers, deciding to look elsewhere for bilateral trade deals.
Back home, our country is trying to relive the 15th-century dynamics when China was the 'taiko' (Big Brother), and Malacca was the subservient servant as history tell us. The leaders have gladly given the gentlemen's handshake, inked the document and literally given a blank cheque to China's mysterious long-term plans as a force to be reckoned with.
This documentary, directed by one of President-Elect Donald J Trump's economic advisors, takes a paranoid view at the rise of China as an economic power. He interviews many US Military and Strategic advisors who paint a very bleak view of China's intentions to do business. They foresee China as also wanting to excel as a military force, expand their territory and eventually to exert their hegemonic power over the rest of the world.
In five one-hour episodes, the director discusses possibilities of US war with China, the world at the mercy of the Chinese might, the place of North Korea, Japan and Taiwan in the equation of the global military power balance.
A Greek philosopher, Thucydides, said that the rise of power and the increase in the might of one country would intimate its neighbours. Many leaders in history have stayed true to this policy. Whenever a country becomes strong, its neighbours take it upon themselves to strengthen themselves so as not to be usurped by their neighbouring nation. This has been the law of nature. War is a necessary evil to propel our race to greater heights. America, as a newly independent nation then, decreed the Monroe Doctrine to keep the European powers out of the Caribbean Islands and South America.
Now China is preparing a two-island strategy, from the southern tip of Japan all through Taiwan till the South East Asia island strips, to create a war of defence and power over much of East Asia and the Pacific. After centuries of humiliation by foreign forces, the British, the French, the Russians and even the Japanese, they had their territories carved away a bit by a bit. Sea commerce had always been their strong point. Now, the question is whether the strengthening of the Chinese fleet is for the protection of its routes or for world domination? Can it rise safely or will it grow up like an autistic child with a dangerous toy to play and would not heed to advise? With their ability the produce low-cost defence equipment and anti-access strategy, are we heading for a headlong collision?
The Chinese military capability has dwarfed the US might of late. Their DF21 delta styled anti-aircraft carrier missiles, their torpedo sea-mines, their new generation 'silent' submarines all send chills down the spines of the Yankees. The next world war would probably be fought in space, outer space and cyberspace! With the Chinese prowess to steal intellectual properties, US military secrets, the Americans are basically sitting ducks. China, under their thumb, just may have the power to disrupt financial markets, destroy critical infrastructure, satellites, banking sector, water, power grid and other essential amenities. If the next war may be fought in outer space, is not an irony that the US is wrapping its space program while China is going gangbusters into space dominance?
North Korea, the spoilt little kid with a nuclear warhead, continues to pose a security threat to the US. It is under the direct patronage and protection of the Chinese and helps to keep US interference in the Pacific rim in check. Taiwan, on the other hand, is US counterbalance of the Chinese. History has shown, from the example of British PM Neville Chamberlain's faux pas in 1938 of signing a 'grand bargain treaty' with Hitler only to have the Germans attack Poland, not to trust the enemies.
China will never forget Japan's 'Rape of Nanking' before the onset of World War 2. Their territorial disputes over Senkaku/Dioyu Islands and Okinawa stays till date. Okinawa was part of China long ago, before modern history. The trouble is these strategic locales are important in China's two-island defence plan but ICJ does not entertain claims of control before 1890. Hence, China could pick up a fight if it wants to!
With these paranoid ideas which would probably border on conspiracy theories, this offering provides yet another reason to lose your sleep and reaffirm the scriptures' nihilistic outlook on mankind and the human race on the whole. Every new beginning starts with a bang. Think about it.
Director: Peter Navarro
China, through their foreign envoys, continues to try to impress upon the rest of the world that they are a peaceful nation. From the time in history, they have been a nation of trade. They expanded their shipping fleet and extended their influences the world over in pursuit of peaceful trade until the Ming Dynasty's closed-door policy when they decided to introspect with their own brand of realisation and Confucianism. Apparently, this system failed to satisfy the masses. Recent changes in their economic outlook had awoken the tiger from a long slumber.Nehru, as the head of a newly independent democracy then, thought the best way to foster relationships with another great civilisation was through commerce. Unfortunately, he found out the hard way, that China has their own way of doing business when both countries engaged in a war in 1962 and India lost Tibet causing the Dalai Lama to abdicate.
Singapore, in the 90s, did the same only to leave with a bad after-taste and burnt fingers, deciding to look elsewhere for bilateral trade deals.
Back home, our country is trying to relive the 15th-century dynamics when China was the 'taiko' (Big Brother), and Malacca was the subservient servant as history tell us. The leaders have gladly given the gentlemen's handshake, inked the document and literally given a blank cheque to China's mysterious long-term plans as a force to be reckoned with.
This documentary, directed by one of President-Elect Donald J Trump's economic advisors, takes a paranoid view at the rise of China as an economic power. He interviews many US Military and Strategic advisors who paint a very bleak view of China's intentions to do business. They foresee China as also wanting to excel as a military force, expand their territory and eventually to exert their hegemonic power over the rest of the world.
In five one-hour episodes, the director discusses possibilities of US war with China, the world at the mercy of the Chinese might, the place of North Korea, Japan and Taiwan in the equation of the global military power balance.
A Greek philosopher, Thucydides, said that the rise of power and the increase in the might of one country would intimate its neighbours. Many leaders in history have stayed true to this policy. Whenever a country becomes strong, its neighbours take it upon themselves to strengthen themselves so as not to be usurped by their neighbouring nation. This has been the law of nature. War is a necessary evil to propel our race to greater heights. America, as a newly independent nation then, decreed the Monroe Doctrine to keep the European powers out of the Caribbean Islands and South America.
Now China is preparing a two-island strategy, from the southern tip of Japan all through Taiwan till the South East Asia island strips, to create a war of defence and power over much of East Asia and the Pacific. After centuries of humiliation by foreign forces, the British, the French, the Russians and even the Japanese, they had their territories carved away a bit by a bit. Sea commerce had always been their strong point. Now, the question is whether the strengthening of the Chinese fleet is for the protection of its routes or for world domination? Can it rise safely or will it grow up like an autistic child with a dangerous toy to play and would not heed to advise? With their ability the produce low-cost defence equipment and anti-access strategy, are we heading for a headlong collision?
The Chinese military capability has dwarfed the US might of late. Their DF21 delta styled anti-aircraft carrier missiles, their torpedo sea-mines, their new generation 'silent' submarines all send chills down the spines of the Yankees. The next world war would probably be fought in space, outer space and cyberspace! With the Chinese prowess to steal intellectual properties, US military secrets, the Americans are basically sitting ducks. China, under their thumb, just may have the power to disrupt financial markets, destroy critical infrastructure, satellites, banking sector, water, power grid and other essential amenities. If the next war may be fought in outer space, is not an irony that the US is wrapping its space program while China is going gangbusters into space dominance?
North Korea, the spoilt little kid with a nuclear warhead, continues to pose a security threat to the US. It is under the direct patronage and protection of the Chinese and helps to keep US interference in the Pacific rim in check. Taiwan, on the other hand, is US counterbalance of the Chinese. History has shown, from the example of British PM Neville Chamberlain's faux pas in 1938 of signing a 'grand bargain treaty' with Hitler only to have the Germans attack Poland, not to trust the enemies.
China will never forget Japan's 'Rape of Nanking' before the onset of World War 2. Their territorial disputes over Senkaku/Dioyu Islands and Okinawa stays till date. Okinawa was part of China long ago, before modern history. The trouble is these strategic locales are important in China's two-island defence plan but ICJ does not entertain claims of control before 1890. Hence, China could pick up a fight if it wants to!
With these paranoid ideas which would probably border on conspiracy theories, this offering provides yet another reason to lose your sleep and reaffirm the scriptures' nihilistic outlook on mankind and the human race on the whole. Every new beginning starts with a bang. Think about it.
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