"Chinese soft power- who needs weapons" Topic

Really insightful article how China takes over the world – in this case Tonga.

Basically it's business, investment, and debt.

Also it deals with western inaction and lack of clarity as to goals etc or in actually providing meaningful assistance. It also talks about how west imposes cultural and social conditions on aid whereas the Chinese don't.

link

In the end it's not about submarines or nukes or stealth fighters. It's about integrating the smaller into your own system and making them eagerly subservient.

Why invade a country when you can just buy it … via high level international loan sharking "programs".

Until most countries realize the REAL price to be paid.

Look at a map -- Geography has not changed. If you want to control the approaches to Australia and dominate the South Pacific you need to control key islands in the South Pacific from which you can base airstrikes, missile strikes and naval actions.

That's why China has been using its Belt & Road initiative to buy off leaders to get a strategic presence in the region. From Palau to Guadalcanal, China is positioning itself to repeat Imperial Japan's WW2 strategy to isolate and dominate Australia. Tarawa, Kiritimati, Hao Atoll, Guadalcanal are all seeing Chinese "investment" in ports and airfields. Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga are signing onto Belt and Road, and Palau is being pressured to follow suit. Palau had rejected Belt & Road given firm assurances of support by the prior Trump admin, not so sure they won't reverse course given the actions of the current POTUS.

Those names should be familiar…

Economics is, of course, a weapon !