Excerpt from the 2022 China Military Power Report to Congress PEOPLE’S LIBERATION ARMY NAVY (PLAN)Key Takeaways• The PLAN is numerically the largest navy in the world with an overall battle force of approximately 340 ships and submarines, including approximately 125 major surface combatants. As of 2021, the PLAN is largely … Continue reading
Category Archives: China
Seeking a Compromise on Taiwan
November 16, 2021 The lack of an acknowledged breakthrough on Taiwan in the wake of the summit between Presidents Biden and Xi is, to put it mildly, alarming. We’ve previously summarized some of the reasons for Taiwan’s importance to both China and the United States, hence the irreconcilable posture between … Continue reading
China, the U.S. and Taiwan
October 9, 2021 A month ago Presidents Biden and Xi had a crucial telephone conversation that according to the White House, covered a number of unspecified issues. Then, almost a month later, President Biden acknowledged that Taiwan was one of them and that the two had agreed to abide by … Continue reading
Clouds of War Gathering Over Taiwan
October 4, 2021 The Global Times, a de facto speaker for the Chinese government, has stated in no uncertain terms that it is “time to warn Taiwan secessionists and their fomenters: war is real.”
China Sent 56 Warplanes Toward Taiwan
October 4, 2021 China sent 56 warplanes toward Taiwan, so far the largest show of force.
China Timeline
October 1, 2019. China deploys new missiles to counter U.S. April 2020. China launches the digital yuan in four cities: Shenzhen, Suzhou, Chengdu and the Xiongan zone near Beijing.
The Opium Trade
The opium trade of the 18th and 19th centuries was Britain’s solution to its chronic trade deficit with China. The reason for the deficit was an extraordinarily high demand for Chinese commodities in Europe and little or no demand for European goods in China. The problem was compounded because the only commodity that China accepted in payment … Continue reading