China is another nation on the rise again ..... like the Germans (and to an extent the Russians), they like to make it clear to their neighbours, who the big boy on the block is. So they lay claim to islands thousands of miles off the Chinese mainland and all the waters in between. These claims are contrary to all the current laws of the sea and maritime claims processes, but are enforced by land grabs, and military sabre rattling.
This has reached such and extent that the US Navy has to accompany naval patrols by small nations such as the Philippines, to try and defend what were formerly accepted as being their own territorial waters, but in which they are now threatened by Chinese vessels. The Chinese military haven't quite nerved themselves to directly interfere with a US naval vessel in open 'international' waters, but it can't be long before they do.
And watch out then .... the Cuba crisis may be as nothing if this happens, especially if a certain Mr Trump is in charge (shades of when Ronald Reagan took charge and frightened the old USSR into change, when he upped the arms race bill and talked very tough ... star wars!).
But it may not end there .... the Chinese have deep plans for space, with landings and bases on the Moon a stated long term aim. However, by 2020 they are planning a mission to Mars, in another direct challenge to the USA. Whether the USA can pull itself out its post cold war lethargy and face up to another 'communist' challenge is not clear. A lot of it depends upon the leadership in the US having the vision and ability to reinvigorate the US public in the belief that the US is still and remains top nation. A belief that they had in the 1950's and 1960's.
However, with the example of what the Chinese are doing in the South China Seas, I wonder if it has occurred to anyone that if the Chinese are prepared to ignore international laws on the sea, would they do so in space as well ... after all in space no one hears your screams of complaint.
Would they land on Mars and dare to claim it as Chinese territory, and is anyone prepared to stop them if they did?
 |
| China Claims It All ..... |
This has reached such and extent that the US Navy has to accompany naval patrols by small nations such as the Philippines, to try and defend what were formerly accepted as being their own territorial waters, but in which they are now threatened by Chinese vessels. The Chinese military haven't quite nerved themselves to directly interfere with a US naval vessel in open 'international' waters, but it can't be long before they do.
And watch out then .... the Cuba crisis may be as nothing if this happens, especially if a certain Mr Trump is in charge (shades of when Ronald Reagan took charge and frightened the old USSR into change, when he upped the arms race bill and talked very tough ... star wars!).
But it may not end there .... the Chinese have deep plans for space, with landings and bases on the Moon a stated long term aim. However, by 2020 they are planning a mission to Mars, in another direct challenge to the USA. Whether the USA can pull itself out its post cold war lethargy and face up to another 'communist' challenge is not clear. A lot of it depends upon the leadership in the US having the vision and ability to reinvigorate the US public in the belief that the US is still and remains top nation. A belief that they had in the 1950's and 1960's.
However, with the example of what the Chinese are doing in the South China Seas, I wonder if it has occurred to anyone that if the Chinese are prepared to ignore international laws on the sea, would they do so in space as well ... after all in space no one hears your screams of complaint.
 |
| Red Planet ... Literally. |
Would they land on Mars and dare to claim it as Chinese territory, and is anyone prepared to stop them if they did?
I suppose that, lacking the obvious natural divisions like seas and oceans, the fear is that a visit to Mars may lay claim to the whole planet, as contested as that may be. Making known other natural divisions could allay such fears by limiting any first-come claims. I would point out too that Mars isn't even a class-M planet; no roddenberries have been found growing there.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the film The Martian which addressed some of these issues, and it offered a couple of hours of cinema without the usual psychopaths and sociopaths tearing around in disposable forms of transport among equally disposable citizens, in a web of conspiracy and counter conspiracy.
China is in a land grabbing or island building mood. The Yellow Peril rises again ...
Delete