@Felis_Catus_Domesticus @HamonWry @pluralistic China doesn't want a territorial empire. But remember that the US doesn't have a territorial empire, either. We invented neo-imperialism, where we install friendly governments in places that have important resources, instead of invading and occupying long term. China is doing something similar, but with a lighter touch. They're getting better at soft power, right as we're getting worse at it.
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@HamonWry As @pluralistic has alluded to, Trump is (quite inadvertently) doing the rest of the world a big favor by demonstrating the importance of no longer depending on the US for much of anything. The downside here is that China will fill the vacuum we leave. The US's dedication to democracy was always largely performative, but China doesn't even do that much.
I can't really see how China is much threat to democracy in North America or Europe. SE Asia, and Africa is another story. Historically, China has never been all that good at empire anyway. They have always been more or less the size they are now, for historical reasons. They are too venal and corrupt in their souls to keep an empire driven by modern-era political or economic ideologies together in one piece. It's just not in their cultural DNA. Never has been.
@Steve @HamonWry @pluralistic Any time in their history when China had anything approaching an empire it was due to non-Han ethnic groups toppling the Han off the throne and taking things over for a while- see: Mongols, Manchus.. Like I said, it's just not in Han DNA to be imperial like the Romans or Brits (or Japanese..) The Han & Hakka are mercantile traders par excellence. Historically, any "reach" China has had has been primarily mercantile in nature and in character.
Mainly mercantile. Political or military, much less so. Read up on China's 1000+ plus year history with Vietnam. A tiny nation compared to China, yet in 1300 years, the Chinese never could tame the Vietnamese nor bring them to heel. Finally they just gave up trying to, via direct military or political means. When looking at China, you always need to take the long view into consideration too. The 5000 years of history view alongside the modern view.
China being more honest.
@n_dimension @HamonWry @pluralistic Arguably true, but it's cold comfort.
