Friday May 25, 2012

JAPAN NEWS AND DISCUSSION

U.S. 'no' on Taiwan arms seen as sign of China clout

By Peter Enav

Commentary Sep. 22, 2011 - 04:57AM JST ( 7 )

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7 Comments

0

johninnahaSep. 22, 2011 - 07:39AM JST

It's got nothing to do with China's clout.

But it does have a lot to do with the U.S.A. being up to its ears in debt to China.

The U.S.A. borrows money to jack up its "defense" against China.

And China willingly lends it.

More and more.

Very clever Chinese.
-1

toguroSep. 22, 2011 - 10:11AM JST

I guess when you lay with a dog that has fleas..........
1

WeaselSep. 22, 2011 - 11:23AM JST

But it does have a lot to do with the U.S.A. being up to its ears in debt to China.

So how come Japan use this leverage you are implying about? After all, back in 2010 Japan owned 9.6% of the US debt, and China owned 9.8%. You'd think that the US would be at Japan's beck-and-call each time the Japanese government snapped its fingers?
1

Jack SternSep. 22, 2011 - 11:31AM JST

It's all economic retoric that keeps the ball rolling. China won't bite the US since it is its most important customer in so many ways that it's hard to calculate. Taiwan itself does enourmous trade with China. So does Japan. Squables here and there do not lend to a miscalculated military attack by any of the parties. Economic ruin by all sides would insue leading to who knows what. So if the US sells Taiwan second class F-16s which could be upgraded like Israel has done, it's no big thing.
3

lincolnmanSep. 22, 2011 - 05:38PM JST

Someone needs to burst this fairy tale bubble that China controls a majority of the US debt, and therefore is capable of exhibiting immense pressure to shape US behavior. Even minimal research shows that the total US debt owned by China is approximately sixteen percent. The second highest holder is Japan, and the third the UK. Of the total US debt, fifty-three percent is owned by US individuals or institutions, foreigners account for forty-seven percent. China puts money in the US for the same reasons everyone else does, they have concluded it is a sound investment.

As to the reasons why the US declined to provide these late model F-16s to Taiwan, my sense is it had more to do with maintaining the current low level of tension in the straits, and the ongoing cooperation and dialogue between China and Taiwan - something I think all the countries in the region would agree is a good thing.

Nations focus on actions, not commentary from armchair experts or journalists. What they have seen in the last several years include; the US moving a much larger, nuclear powered carrier to Japan, rotating B-2 aircraft to Guam, and stationing state-of-the-art F-22 fighters in both Alaska and Hawaii, and having them deploy to both Korea and Japan. Those measures, and others, speak much more clearly of US intent and resolve.
0

KonstaSep. 23, 2011 - 03:29AM JST

This was expected, of course.
-1

Marion Wm SteeleSep. 24, 2011 - 02:08AM JST

Jack Stern: You covered to whole problem in a nutshell. Talk is a lot more reasonable than bullets. I. whole-heartedly agree with everything you wrote. Frankly, I feel we should dismantl our whole EMPIRE OF OVER-SEAS BASES (800+) and this would save us over a trillion dollars and accord sovereignty to both Isreal and the Ryukyuan Islands, which would allow autonomy to both counties.