China's Finest. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Hindu gives us an excellent preview of China’s upcoming military demonstration. Ostensibly in celebration of “National Day”, the exercise occurs at a time of economic confrontation between China and the US.
From the article:
Next week, Tiananmen Square will host military drones, satellite launchers and new radar systems, reflecting the transition of China’s armed forces from a lumbering, unwieldy military unit, one that was “lax and bloated” in former leader Deng Xiaoping’s words, to a sleeker, more high-tech outfit.
And again:
Showcasing the new weapons systems would serve two purposes: displaying the military’s prowess “to build national sentiment” at home and sending a message abroad of the army’s capabilities, said Brigadier Arun Sahgal of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, New Delhi.
“To the U.S., the message is that we are fast bridging the technological gap,” he said. “To major Asian powers, namely India and Japan, there is a coercive context in terms of conventional and strategic asymmetry.”
Needless to say this is not a good sign, coming, as it does, on the heels of a serious trade dispute. “Deterrence” is a fine excuse for militarism, but it is invariably false – no one builds an army not to use it. Ask any empire, starting with the US.
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