TheGrinchSR wrote:Only a nation of idiots would mortgage their souls to the Chinese. China is a polluted, toxic, wasteland - sooner or later, China will have to go to war to gain new lands... or they will need to let hundreds of millions die because they won't even be able to provide clean water for them. Being China's "friend" will only make it easier for them to invade, enslave (and almost certainly commit genocide on) the local population.

Historically China always got what it wanted by paying people money. The treasure ships they sent out throughout South East Asia and Africa are an example of how they did business then and still do now - they buy what they want, doesn't matter what your politics are. China is not going to invade anyone. Also, have you looked at the size of China? Running out of land? They build new cities, whole cities for a million people, every year. Name some examples of when they used gunboat diplomacy? When have they rolled in the tanks for regime change to gain resources? Tibet? What did they get out of Tibet? They bought Laos and they'll buy what they want here. Cambodia is an ASEAN nation with no claims in the South China Sea, why would they do anything other than bribe us to vote in their favour? When the US want something they will either have the CIA assassinate your duly elected leader or invade. So historically the boogey man is either the US or Vietnam, not China.

cptrelentless wrote:

TheGrinchSR wrote:Only a nation of idiots would mortgage their souls to the Chinese. China is a polluted, toxic, wasteland - sooner or later, China will have to go to war to gain new lands... or they will need to let hundreds of millions die because they won't even be able to provide clean water for them. Being China's "friend" will only make it easier for them to invade, enslave (and almost certainly commit genocide on) the local population.

Historically China always got what it wanted by paying people money. The treasure ships they sent out throughout South East Asia and Africa are an example of how they did business then and still do now - they buy what they want, doesn't matter what your politics are. China is not going to invade anyone. Also, have you looked at the size of China? Running out of land? They build new cities, whole cities for a million people, every year. Name some examples of when they used gunboat diplomacy? When have they rolled in the tanks for regime change to gain resources? Tibet? What did they get out of Tibet? They bought Laos and they'll buy what they want here. Cambodia is an ASEAN nation with no claims in the South China Sea, why would they do anything other than bribe us to vote in their favour? When the US want something they will either have the CIA assassinate your duly elected leader or invade. So historically the boogey man is either the US or Vietnam, not China.

Historically doesn't count. Now does. China is out of usable resources. You can't unpoision the water there and ground water is near destroyed across the nation. No water and 1.3 billion people? You take what you need because nobody else has the capacity to give you what you need without endangering their own population.

People fantasize about China the reality is simple - the country has been making more and propaganda based military recruitment campaigns over the last 10 years. Investment in armed forces is increasing at an incredible rate. The Chinese aren't dumb - they know what's going to be needed; they're just counting on the rest of the world to be dumb too.

You also might want to ask Vietnamese people about Chinese acts of aggression... they happen rather more often than China admits to. Though the only time they've beaten a nation of any significance was in an incursion into India - they handed back their gains a few weeks later because they couldn't hold them.

China likes us because we have underground sources. Not only Cambodia, in Africa too.
After WW2 Cambodia didn't demand Japan to respond for what we were destroyed in WW2.
During Vietnam's war we were the victim.

What resources does Cambodia have keitouj?! Cambodia isn't rich in natural resources. Barely any viable mining/minerals, so no mining. There's probably some oil off the coast, but it's not viable yet and the quantity isn't well known. Maybe some trees? However, no lumber operations are done in a responsible manner here, so that resource is dwindling quickly. Plus, Cambodia isn't big enough to supply much in the first place. Cambodia has no resources to give China besides a few bear paws. It's not about that.

Good topic. IMO China will definitely be looking to expand it's territory in the coming years. Mongolia, Tibet, Vietnam are examples of previous Chinese expansion. Seeing as the Chinese own nearly all business in Asia, it is natural for them to govern them as well. They just need a few more years to build up their military tech and get those 2 aircraft carriers fitted out before they go for gold. The US is watching and waiting, in the opinion of MR Chou, a Thai I spoke to who has dealt with both the US and China. Waiting to come down on China like a ton of bricks.
China certainly like to lend money. Reminds me of the US banks desperate to package up loans in the 00's.

Perhaps one should appraise the situation in terms of quality. Just about everything the Chinese build here has had corners cut at every stage and is sub standard. I would rather pay more and get something that lasts as long as NH4 . That was built with the US. Check out the condition of the other roads here for Chinese quality, not even 10 years by my reckoning.All over the world people are complaining about Chinese roads and bridges. The Japs? Well they seem to build well in their own country, but I was rather concerned over the Japanese bridge. Not built that long ago.
Perhaps in the end, If you want something done properly you should learn to do it yourself.

Bitte_Kein_Lexus wrote:What resources does Cambodia have keitouj?! Cambodia isn't rich in natural resources. Barely any viable mining/minerals, so no mining. There's probably some oil off the coast, but it's not viable yet and the quantity isn't well known. Maybe some trees? However, no lumber operations are done in a responsible manner here, so that resource is dwindling quickly. Plus, Cambodia isn't big enough to supply much in the first place. Cambodia has no resources to give China besides a few bear paws. It's not about that.

We are forgetting there is one thing that China is short of, and Cambodia has a ample supply, and that is marriageable age women.

Borrowing from China is like selling your soul to the devil. Would be wary even, or especially, of the freebies. It's just letting the bar tab rack up.
Japan is a more sensible option, as they're looking to develop supply and logistics chains, and to counter China's political ambitions in SE Asia.
US is only interested in a small country like Cambodia as much as it can keep Walmart racks full and serve as a pawn in its political chess.
Would steer clear of Vietnam - never good being indebted to your neighbor, esp one you've got boundary issues with.

General Mackevili wrote:The US. Look at England, they've done pretty well.

One takes it, that you haven't visited Britain recently. Also one thing everyone, from the Native Americans on wards, has learned is that American politician's can be trusted only as far as you can throw them, if that.

General Mackevili wrote:The US. Look at England, they've done pretty well.

Agree, that small issue of carpet bombing for Cambodia wasn't that serious.