China builds up strategic sea lanes

[pennst8]

Pretty interesting article...
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20050117-115550-1929r.htm

China builds up strategic sea lanes

By Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

China is building up military forces and setting up bases along sea lanes from the Middle East to project its power overseas and protect its oil shipments, according to a previously undisclosed internal report prepared for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
"China is building strategic relationships along the sea lanes from the Middle East to the South China Sea in ways that suggest defensive and offensive positioning to protect China's energy interests, but also to serve broad security objectives," said the report sponsored by the director, Net Assessment, who heads Mr. Rumsfeld's office on future-oriented strategies.
The Washington Times obtained a copy of the report, titled "Energy Futures in Asia," which was produced by defense contractor Booz Allen Hamilton.
The internal report stated that China is adopting a "string of pearls" strategy of bases and diplomatic ties stretching from the Middle East to southern China that includes a new naval base under construction at the Pakistani port of Gwadar.
Beijing already has set up electronic eavesdropping posts at Gwadar in the country's southwest corner, the part nearest the Persian Gulf. The post is monitoring ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, the report said.

(Click link to read the rest)

 

[Flash]

Someone needs to put a cork in Bill Gertz. He has printed more leaks about classified info than anyone else in the press.

As for the article, the PRC is taking baby steps, 30-50 years they will be a threat.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Bill Gertz writes some good stuff. I think if the American public would wake up and pull their heads out of their asses and get more interested in foreign affairs, stories like this would be much more prevalent in main stream media.

As for 30-50 years for China, I'm hoping you're just exaggerating. We said the same thing about the Soviet Union vis-a-vis their nuclear capability. In August 1949, the Soviet Union exploded their fist atomic bomb, ridding of the U.S. monopoly. This happened many years sooner than U.S. national security planners expected. While China is in no position to go head to head against the U.S. military and economic might, I certainly wouldn't dismiss them as not being a potential threat. They are making great strides militarily, but more importantly I think, economically as well.

 

[Fly Navy]

As for the article, the PRC is taking baby steps, 30-50 years they will be a threat.

I've heard much shorter estimates from people at/were at the War College.

 

[Flash]

I've heard much shorter estimates from people at/were at the War College.

Having seen them operate first hand and the view from my current job, 30-50 years to become a serious and credible conventional threat that can operate as an equal to the US is a good guess (at least I would argue that). Jsut because some buys a race car doesn't mean they will win Daytona/Indy/Le Mans anytime soon.

 

[Fly Navy]

Having seen them operate first hand and the view from my current job, 30-50 years to become a serious and credible conventional threat that can operate as an equal to the US is a good guess (at least I would argue that). Jsut because some buys a race car doesn't mean they will win Daytona/Indy/Le Mans anytime soon.

Of course, and that's fair enough for me. I'm not out there and all I know is 2nd (3rd?) hand.