There are rumors China is running military drills near Russian Far East border.

[roamer65]

That Far East territory used to be Chinese, the Khabarovsk and Vladivostok area.

As the weakening of Russia continues, it will be harder and harder to hold it together.

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Where are our experts, what does this mean?

[Texaswitchy]

2. Not surprised..

Russia has some of China's territory.

Good time to take it.

[LiberalFighter]

3. Hey Putin....

China plans to take back their territory. And maybe more.

China found out Russia is not the power people thought.

[ruet]

6. Funny!

DUers cowered in fear over the fantasy that Russia was going to use nuclear weapons if NATO kicked them out of a country they invaded but seem to think they will allow China to to waltz on in and take their territory. ...laughably illogical. Russia would HAVE to use nukes at this point to stop a Chinese land incursion. Nothing is going to happen anyways.

[tanyev]

4. This is all on you, Vlad.

Hopefully he’ll get to take the knowledge of his immense failure with him when he goes.

[leftieNanner]

5. The Whole World Can See

How terrible the Russian military is.

And that includes China. Strike while the iron is hot - and your adversary is facing the other way.

[ruet]

7. China Would Lose Its' Entire Invasion Force In A Day. -NT-

[Irish_Dem]

12. China has the world's largest military with 2 million active duty personnel.

I don't think it would lose its entire invasion force in one day?
Especially with Russia bogged down in Ukraine.

[ruet]

13. "Especially with Russia bogged down in Ukraine"

Said situation would necessitate the deployment of tactical, eventually leading to strategic, nuclear weapons. Unlike if NATO kicked them out of Ukraine. China would, indeed, lose their entire invasion force in one day. That's why nothing is going to happen.

[Irish_Dem]

15. So Russia would nuke Chinese military forces the first day?

Wouldn't Russia be afraid the Chinese would retaliate with nukes as well?

[ruet]

16. I Said "A Day" Not The First Day But;...

IMO they wouldn't have much of a choice. They can't pull forces away from the Ukrainian invasion because they would leave themselves vulnerable to being routed there. They would also be vulnerable to retaliatory attacks on Russian soil from Ukraine. They can't pull forces from anywhere else as they are already overstretched (see Ukraine) and would leave themselves open elsewhere. If China crossed the border it would have to be a substantial force. Russia just can't match that right now. The only way to stop that force from taking whatever it wants would be to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. China would have to respond with their own weapons leading Russia to respond with a full strategic salvo. Russia has several thousand more warheads than China. China would cease to exist as a state and Russia would be close to it. Before you jump to the conclusion that Russia conventional stuff doesn't work so it's nukes won't work either. You should now that the Russian missile forces are their own branch of the military. Last I remember is that it receives a disproportionate percentage of Russian military spending. Basically... Count on it working.

That's why this is all much ado about nothing.

[Irish_Dem]

17. I'm not jumping to any conclusions. Just asking questions.

I agree that Russia's ground force options would be severely limited if it had to open a new front with China.

But China and Russia would wipe each other out as you say. Even if Russia's nuke forces are mostly bogus due to general staff corruption, they only need a fraction of what is on paper to do the job.

China is not stupid, nor would it act irrationally as Putin might do.

I don't know what China is up to right now. They may feel Putin owes them for slowing down their Taiwan invasion plan. Or they may be sending Putin a message to wrap up the war in Ukraine. It is causing too much global damage that hurts China.

[roamer65]

18. Yeah. $120/bbl oil.

Constricted grain imports from Ukraine, short supply of neon gas for semiconductor manufacturing, etc, etc.

That’s what Putler has brought to China.

[Irish_Dem]

19. Yes. Cost is high. If China is showing its military might, means Putin is ignoring them.

And Putin has caused a huge set back in China's ambitions of world dominance and capturing the Pacific.

China has one of the world's largest military, but it is untested.
So flexing its wings perhaps. And sending Putin a message.

[roamer65]

20. Taking old Chinese land from a weakened RuZZia would be a lot easier than taking Taiwan.

Right now the West would turn a blind eye to it and China wants the resources of Siberia and the Far East under ITS control.

China would see it as “compensation” for the heartache Putler has brought to the PRC.

[Irish_Dem]

22. Of course Khabarovsk and Vladivostok are near Japan.

I suppose China could be sending a message to Japan and the West.
Some people have reported Russian/Chinese ships in the waters around Japan.

But yes China is very transactional, and it is clear that Russia owes them big time on many levels. So these two cities might clear the debt and put their relationship back to baseline.

[ruet]

21. I Think We're On The Same Page.

However, if you think Russia's invasion of Ukraine is going poorly, China invading Taiwan would be an all out disaster. Literally shooting fish in a barrel. I don't think that will ever happen either.

Not perfect but pretty good.

[Irish_Dem]

23. A disaster for whom?

China has a vastly superior military compared to Taiwan.

And if China does it right, could be a Hitler style blitzkrieg done in three days.
Before the west makes up its mind what to do. What Russia should have done in Ukraine. Wipe out all electronics, military bases and civilian and military leaders in first two days.

China has the world's largest navy. Chinese Air Force has 3,000 aircraft.

Yes it is untested, but it has to start someplace.

[Happy Hoosier]

24. An amphibious assault...

is seriously difficult under the best of conditions and the U.S. has made it clear that we would intervene.

China might prevail, but it’s by no means a sure thing and the cost would be enormous.

[Irish_Dem]

26. The US is tied up with Ukraine. Pouring huge amounts of money into that war.

China knows this might be a good time to take Taiwan.

The American public is obsessed with gas prices right now, and no appetite for paying for war #2.

I doubt the US commitment to get boots on the ground in Taiwan. The US is a country which could care less that its own children are slaughtered at school. There is no desire to save the lives of other country's children by sending in troops.

If China takes Taiwan it is going to start with air power, like Russia should have done. No one can figure out why Putin didn't bring in his Air Force right from the start.

Bomb Taipei and all military bases. Air drop elite teams to kill all civilian and military leaders. Cut all communications. Take control of all major airfields.

China has military forces right across the Straight of Taiwan and has been practicing amphibious landings.

Right no money is no object for China to achieve its goals of global dominance. It has been working on this for some time now. It has one of the largest military forces in the world. And technology the US does not possess.

It will get Taiwan one way or the other, no matter the cost.

[ruet]

25. China.

Watch the video. Like I said, it's not perfect but it gives a nice overview of the logistical challenge of invading a mountainous island. It wouldn't be a blitzkrieg unless Taiwan surrendered immediately.

[ruet]

8. Much Ado About Nothing. -NT-

[Irish_Dem]

9. China has supported Putin's Cluster F, but will want something in return.

Chinese culture is transactional.

Putin has screwed up their plans for global dominance. China will demand some sort of payment to equalize the relationship.

[roamer65]

10. +1000

[Torchlight]

11. It's a great way for Beijing to let Putin know they've had enough

No one is enjoying the sanctions, and the larger and more established an economy becomes, the more it relies on an international status quo.

I think the market upheaval brought on by the Russian offensive is something Beijing is getting frustrated by. So Beijing reminds Putin they share an enormous border, and that Beijing possess the world's largest army.

A little nudge to compel Putin to begin standing down.

[roamer65]

14. $120/bbl oil is killing the Chinese economy as well.

Beijing is reminding Putler that both share a border and very easily that oil could be under Chinese control.