Balanced piece on China's rising military profile

ARTICLE: "China Military Marks 80th Anniversary," by Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press, 31 July 2007.

Most articles note the spending increase, some note the growing wariness of neighbors and especially the U.S., fewer describe the attempts of outsiders to demand more transparency from the Chinese, and almost none describe Chinese PLA responses to those calls.

This article does it all, providing some real context, so it's worth more than most.

Comments

[Ted O'Connor]

So they have nice new uniforms. What does that mean? No more human wave infantry attacks? They have not been in a fight since they invaded Vietnam and they did not do very well in that fracas. In a short fight, they will do poorly. The PLA does not have one officer or NCO who has been in combat. They need a long, dragged out mess in which they can learn on the job. Let's see, now who would be dumb enough to give them that opportunity?

[J Canepa]

MacArthur's advice long ago, was don't give involved in an Asian land war. Good advice then and still correct today.

Ted you might consider reading some history. The Chinese did not send soldiers into Viet Nam.

[Anonymous]

MacArthur and Vizzini ;-)

[stuart abrams]

To J Canepa:China invaded Vietnam in 1979 in response to Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia, which brought about the ouster of the Pol Pot regime. China withdrew after about a month and did not do very well against Vietnamese troops.

[Ted O'Connor]

Mr. Canepa you are not the only person who does not know about the Chinese invasion of Vietnam. It began on February 17, 1979. We had pulled out and Vietnam was once again united, although under communist rule. The Vietnamese apparently were not sufficiently grateful to the PRC for it's assistance during the war with the United States. Also, Vietnam had sent troops into Cambodia and the PRC thought Vietnam was getting to big for it's britches. The fighting only lasted a month but it was intense. the Chinese took a pretty good pounding from the battle hardened (North) Vietnamese. Both sides claimed victory and casualties were heavy. The PRC may have lost as many as 20,000 troops. Vietnamese losses are also estimated in the tens of thousands. Be advised Mr. Canepa that I not only read history....I have lived it.

[stuart abrams]

Enmity between the Chinese and the Vietnamese goes back for centuries, so the fact that they came to blows in '79 (after the Vietnamese took out the Chinese buddies in Cambodia) really wasn't surprising. Had US decision makers understood the history of the region a little better, they would not have believed that nonsense about "dominoes" and we would have stayed out - things would probably have ended up where they are today, only a lot earlier and with a lot fewer dead Americans.